Andrew Samson
BBC Test Match Special statistician

"It's the first time that Ben Stokes has made a Test half-century at quicker than a run a ball."

These partnerships between Joe Root and Ben Stokes are happening so frequently, we need to coin a new term to describe them.

Is it fair to say South Africa have been clobbered flush in the face by a Rooke?

Root adds another boundary to his massive collection, but is happy to see an edge drop short of the slips. You earn your luck and all that.

Image source, Getty Images

Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

"There's not many teams who can play like this. There's a bit of genius about it. Ben Stokes has got a Gilchrist and Sobers-like ability to change a match."

50 for Ben Stokes (off 46 balls)published at 44.1 overs

44.1 overs

Eng 190-4

He's magic, isn't he?

Ben Stokes reels off another Test half-century - the sixth of his career - with a pull to the boundary off GC.

Image source, Getty Images

While Joe Root has some treatment on his leg injury, Hashim Amla, Faf du Plessis and AB De Villiers talk tactics.

How long you'll have cricket tonight is anyone's guess. That cloud overhead is filthy. Not that Joe Root is bothered... Morne Morkel digs in a half-tracker and it's pulled for four by Yorkshire's finest (sorry, Geoffrey).

Henry Blofeld
BBC Test Match Special

"It has been amazing, compelling cricket. It looked like a rearguard action all the way through when England were four down but Stokes pulled that six off Morkel early on and it's been scintillating stuff since then."

Thanks Stephan. What have I missed?

I hope you haven't been letting Shemilt wind you up?

If you're going to flash, flash hard. And only to people you know. As the sun takes us by surprise by reappearing, Stokes eyes some width from Viljoen and gives it the beans. An edge goes through the gap between second slip and gully, running for four. When Viljoen drops short, Root goes on the hook for four more. Not great from Hardus. What is great, though, is the return of Marc Higginson.

Morkel to Stokes is a tasty battle. Two big stags locking horns. Morkel digs in some chin music, which gets Stokes into a tangle, but then another short ball is ridden for a single. Darker than an outhouse in Johannesburg. They'll be batting in miners' lamps soon.

Image source, Getty Images

Jonathan Agnew
BBC Test Match Special

"I think South Africa's inexperienced bowlers have been better than England, but it's now where they have to prove themselves now the counter-attack is happening."

According to Wikipedia, Viljoen was named GC after his uncles Gavin and Charlie. That sounds like the sort of thing put in there to wind me up. Anyway, if you still don't believe me that his name really is GC, have a look at his Cricket Archive page. It is Viljoen under the darkening sky, tempting Root into a pretty ugly pull shot. Ooohhh, this is close. Short single to AB de Villiers, who gets the throw away so quickly. If the throw had hit, Root wasn't in the picture.

Jonathan Agnew
BBC Test Match Special

"They look like they've been working on Joe Root at tea because he was running hard between the wickets then."

The sky is angry, a lead blanket filled with the wet stuff. Michael Vaughan reckons he's seen some lightning in the distance. Root, who was struggling before tea, pushes down the ground and scampers three. There are plenty of gaps in this field now, so five come from the over with minimal fuss.

Tim MacNamara: First Test in ages I've been glued to - battle between bat & ball & game finely balanced. Give the groundsman a medal!

The gladiators stride back into the amphitheartre. It's gloomy, so the floodlights are on. Morne Morkel has the ball.

Some people just don't want to listen, do they?

Anyway, it's nearly time for the Root & Stokes Show to resume.