England 69-3 after 25 overs

Batsmen: Compton 15, Taylor 7

Fall of wickets: 17-1 (Cook 8), 19-2 (Hales 5), 55-3 (Root 29)

Bowling figures: Morkel 9-4-16-1, Rabada 8-0-39-1, Morris 4-2-5-1, Piedt 4-1-9-0 

South Africa first innings: 627-7 declared (Amla 201, Bavuma 102*)

England first innings: 629-6 declared (Stokes 258, Bairstow 150*)

Full scorecard

Image source, AP

There's a little happening for Dane Piedt. Bit of turn, hint of bounce. Slip, silly point and a short leg for Compton as a plane whooshes overhead. Chat around the bat as Nick 'Straight Outta' Compton remains stoic.

Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

"I reckon to be safe, England need another 40 overs of batting. Maybe 45 to be really safe. South Africa need a golden half hour, taking three wickets."

Morris and Compton resume their battle of wills, with Compton being drawn into a rare transgression. After being fed off-stump deliveries for some time, Compton gets excited at a straighter one and almost chips to mid-on. There's just over half an hour until lunch, with 72 overs left in the day (70 if there's an change of innings).

What we're witnessing here is the beauty of a Test series, rather than teams playing one-off matches. After Durban, South Africa looked there for a thrashing. Now, their chests are pushed out with the confidence of landing a few blows to this England team. Whatever happens in this match, will they be the ones with the momentum at Johannesburg?

Rory Ngah: Offered to play for the Peterborough Clergy XI against my school. Took a couple and was offered an ordination on the spot!

Ward Jenner: Flew from Jersey to watch son play at Hove to find he was elevated to 1st XI game in Swansea. Hired a car, drove 4 hours. Rained.

Mavid Redman: Thought day two of this Test was sold out. Looked again late on Saturday and found a few seats available. Booked immediately.

Robert Huth, I mean Chris Morris, takes time out from Brass Eye and Veep to send more leather in the direction of Nick Compton. A gangling, side-to-side run, Morris explores the off stump but gets no change from Compton, who will only play when absolutely necessary.

Image source, Reuters

Taylor, a touch skittish so far, looks nice when he he works Piedt through the leg side for a couple. The sun continues to play hide and seek with the clouds. England will want less hiding and more shining. Batting looks a different proposition when the sun has got his hat on. 

Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

"England have played very positively but today is not a day for being positive. You need to have different gears. Just stay in. Don't give your wicket away."

If England are feeling worried, or a bit sorry for themselves, they should remember that it could be worse. I've just been shown a video of a raccoon accidentally dissolving his candy floss in a puddle. It puts things in perspective. Imagine if Dale Steyn was playing too. Compton, the foppish defender, sees off a Morris maiden.

Oli Smith: Flew in from Qatar the day before we lifted The Ashes at Trent Bridge. Made it, despite an altercation with an angry goat.

Jarleth Eaton: Spur of the moment decision? To go watch first day of Notts v Yorks last year with my mate. Saw Hales hit 200*. Fantastic knock.

Jim: To avoid the score on the last day of season (praying NUFC stayed up) I strolled to Lord's and saw Stokes score the fastest ton.

South Africa go to spin for the first time. Dane Piedt is on. I suspect that Hashim Amla would prefer a fourth pacer at his disposal in these circumstances, but he doesn't have that luxury. There's only two close catchers and another lurking at short mid-wicket. How long do England have to be bat to be safe? Until tea? Ooohhh, that's iffy from Taylor, who almost chips one to that short mid-wicket.

Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

Image source, Getty Images

"What a ball Joe Root got there. A beauty. The angle in and late shape. South Africa have come out and are right on it now. There is a buzz around the ground."

Replays show just how good that delivery from Morris to Root was. Root was looking to play it on the leg side, but the movement saw the ball take middle and off. TV reckons it moved 19cm. Taylor is away immediately, tucking three through the leg side. I'd heard his parents were in Cape Town for this match. They've now seen him score some runs.

Michael Law: I wonder if England can snatch defeat from the jaws of victory...

Josh Roberts: I take it all back, please bring back the bore draw.

The Cricket Master: Anybody seriously suggesting England may lose should do the nation a favour and follow Chess instead.

Plenty of you are mentioning Adelaide 2006, when England were bowled out on the fifth day by Australia after getting 500 in the first innings. South Africa don't have a Shane Warne, but they do have three pacers using helpful conditions for the first time in the match. The players are taking drinks, meaning James Taylor's wait to get off a king pair is a little longer...

Graeme Smith
Ex-South Africa captain on BBC Test Match Special

Image source, AFP

"Chris Morris will have had a terrible night's sleep after the Ben Stokes mauling. But that was a cracker. The stumps are sprayed all over Newlands. And in comes James Taylor on a pair."