#SlowCoach: Hardus Viljoen calls himself that so that people like you don't embarrass yourselves further trying to pronounce Gerhardus.

Lord Andrew Dennett: Sorry The Rock but Ben Stokes is now the most electrifying man in sports entertainment!

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I seem to be taking some stick about Hardus Viljoen, with some suggesting that Hardus is short for Gerhardus. It's not. His first name really is "GC".

You think Tim Peake is currently having a nervous walk? 

On the Test Match Special facebook page, external, you can watch a video of the walk through the Wanderers tunnel that the players make when going out to bat. 

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England 162-4 from 39 overs (were 27-2 at lunch)

Batsmen: Root 60, Stokes 38

Fall of wickets: 10-1 (Hales 1), 22-2 (Cook 18), 74-3 (Compton 26), 91-4 (Taylor 7)

Bowling figures: Morris 11-1-49-0, Rabada 11-5-31-2, Morkel 9-0-40-1, Viljoen 8-0-35-1

South Africa first innings: 313 (Elgar 46, Stokes 3-53)

South Africa won toss

Full scorecard

Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special

It's been wonderful cricket. South Africa were bossing it for 60% of play today. 

The ball's not done a lot - just a little bit. England's strength is that middle order. It's so dangerous. It's no often you have four players who can take the game away from you so quickly.

Everyone relax. England calm down for five, South Africa regroup. It's tea, the end of a breathless session. England have scored 135 runs since lunch, but the four wickets suggest South Africa are just ahead. If Root and Stokes carry on, though, England will run away with it.

Gary Jones: Don't you just love positive intent? Whatever the sport it is just lovely to see. Good on Stokes for bringing a huge bag of it to the wicket with him.

Close!published at 13:10

13:10

Eng 158-4

No, no, no! Almost an absolute calamity for England. Ben Stokes wants a single, Joe Root sends him back. Stokes turns like the QEII, dives and make his ground as Dane Vilas drops the ball. I probably needed a direct hit. Stokes stares as Root, the look of a man who has found Joe chatting up his girlfriend.

Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special

That was four as soon as he hit it. It's what we call a 'hit-me ball'. A buffet ball. Help yourself with my mum's stick of rhubarb.

Chris Morris, limbs controlled by an invisible puppeteer and the hair of Tintin, is charged with halting this England stampede. No dice, Chris, as Root clips wide of mid-on for four more. "Rooooot" is the din in the Bullring. It's tea in an over or so. The break can't come quickly enough for the Proteas.

Hamzah Patel: Joe Root and Ben Stokes batting together is probably the best thing ever. #CounterAttack

I'm pretty sure that Hardus Viljoen doesn't actually have a first name. He's listed as GC Viljoen. No words and I don't think the GC stands for anything. Where did Hardus come from? Did he choose it himself? "I'm rock hard, so call me Hardus". Meanwhile, Joe Root is limping and Ben Stokes is whipping through mid-wicket for four more. Is he in another Cape Town mood?

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Simon: If you want people to watch more Test cricket you only need three things. A good cricket pitch, fast bowlers & exciting batsmen.

50 for Joe Rootpublished at 13:01

13:01

Eng 145-4

The first half-century of the match goes to Joe Root, reached with a drive for four off the returning Hardus Viljoen. 77 balls. He and Stokes are making batting look a totally different proposition to anything we've seen over the past day and a half. It's like we're watching a different sport.

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Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special

See how the game's getting away from South Africa? With England's late order batsmen (the top order's not so special), there are players there who, if you give them an hour's play, can take the game away from you. You don't want to go and make a cup of tea! 

It's wonderful from Stokes, who stands up a belts Morris through the covers with the flourish of Garry Sobers. I'm not sure if Sobers ever edged over the keeper for four, but that's what Stokes follows up with, bringing up the 50 partnership in only 35 balls. If international sport is the entertainment business, then Ben Stokes headlines the Variety Show at the London Palladium.

Sean Ranson: Real chance for Stokes and Root to dig us out here. No two batsmen you'd rather have in right now.

Adam Sewell: Not very sporting if Morkel claimed a touch that didn't happen. A bit like celebrating a catch you know didn't carry.

This really is remarkable. Root and Stokes are reversing the momentum of this match in a heartbeat. This time it's Root, who take back-to-back boundaries off Morkel on either side of the wicket. They have put the pressure back on the Proteas, forced mistakes and are bumping the score along. The match is rattling along, all with clouds gathering in the distance.

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