Postpublished at 08:12 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2016
Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"That's a wonderful wicket. It's always difficult to start in the morning, whether you've got a hundred or not."
Summary
England win by 7 wkts in three days
Unassailable 2-0 lead in four-Test series
South Africa 83 all out in 33.1 overs
Broad 6-17, including 5-1 in 31 balls
England chase 74 to win: Cook 43
Postpublished at 08:12 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2016
WICKETpublished at 55 overs
Root c Vilas b Rabada 110 (Eng 242-6)
Image source, Getty ImagesAh. That wasn't in the plans, Joseph. The batsman reviewed immediately, seemingly confident he hadn't it, but the replay reveals a big inside edge as Root drove expansively to a ball seaming back in. Good catch by Dane Vilas, who turned up for this match midway through the first morning in his flip-flops. Casual.
Postpublished at 08:10 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2016
Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special"Big moment in the day - for South Africa, for England."
England reviewpublished at 55 overs
Hello hello. If you were still brushing the sleep out of your eyes, wake up... England's best batsman might be out. Rabada the bowler, big stroke from Root, umpire's finger goes up. But Root reviews immediately...
Eng 238-5 (trail by 75)published at 54 overs
Morkel keeping Jonny Bairstow pinned on the back foot - no early half-volleys to get his score moving this morning. What's this? With one delivery of the over remaining, little Temba Bavuma at short leg realise he wasn't wearing his box Good job Bairstow didn't middle one.
Postpublished at 08:03
And Morne Morne is ready to roll at the other end...
Postpublished at 08:02 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2016
Eng 238-5published at 53 overs
Two balls of Kagiso Rabada's over to complete after the teams were hauled off for bad light last night. First ball: defended stoutly by Root. Second ball: watchfully turned away.
Postpublished at 08:00 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2016
Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special"It's cooler today but it's muggy; it has the feel of a nice bowling day. Because England have scored so quickly, it has given them a chance. When you've got players like Stokes in your side you can catch up with the opposition that much faster."
Postpublished at 07:58
Right, the players are out in the middle. Big first hour, as they say. (When is it not?) Can Root pile on the pain? Or will South Africa fight back? Let's find out...
'England not out of the woods'published at 07:57
The BBC's cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew sounds a note of caution in his column.
He says: "It was a great shame for England that bad light stopped play. The home side, deprived of debutant fast bowler Hardus Viljoen who had gone off with cramp, were under the cosh.
"Their hope will be to regroup overnight - they still have a lead of 75 runs, and the new ball due just before lunch. England are by no means out of the woods yet."
Test Match Special on airpublished at 07:55 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2016
Hardus helps the hostspublished at 07:54
England certainly didn't have it all their own way though, and one man who seemed hell-bent on making sure the tourists didn't get away was South Africa debutant Hardus Viljoen.
The barrel-chested fast bowler took the wicket of Alastair Cook with his very first ball in Test cricket - only the 20th man to do so.
There was some debate on yesterday's live text over whether his actual name is GC or Gerhardus. I'm in the Gerhardus camp. Surely his parents wouldn't actually name him GC? I mean, not unless they were really big Tour de France fans...
'Any lead is important'published at 07:52 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2016
BBC Test Match SpecialJoe Root on Test Match Special: "Any sort of lead on here will be important. It's going to be quite a close encounter, so anything we can get is going to be vitally important. As long as we can get in front, that's our goal."
Big Ben strikes againpublished at 07:51
It wasn't quite 258 but Ben Stokes provided another reminder of just how dangerous he can be with willow in hand.
The all-rounder blazed 58 off 54 balls - his fastest Test fifty - as he and Root added 111 at a rollicking rate of seven an over.
'A Root masterclass'published at 07:50 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2016
Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special"It was a real masterclass by Joe Root on how to play on this wicket - he was committed in defence and in attack.
"England are in a good position and the real advantage is there are 28 overs until the second new ball - it's got o be soft with the clattering it took yesterday afternoon. You feel the momentum shifted towards England.
"If they get today they should be able to get a good lead. But you never know on a pitch like this. As we've seen, all it takes is a good half hour for South Africa."
Root's best ton yet?published at 07:48
Yes, yesterday belonged to Joe Root and Ben Stokes, who managed to get England from a perilous position to one of relative strength.
Stokes departed for 58 after a glorious cameo of counter-attacking batting but Root remains unbeaten on 106 after what critics are calling his best ton yet.
Good morningpublished at 07:46
Hello and welcome to live text coverage of day three of the third Test between England and South Africa.
The tourists will resume on 238-5 in around 15 minutes' time.
England rule the Roostpublished at 07:45
Image source, Getty ImagesAt 91-4 in reply to South Africa's 313, things were looking decidedly dodgy for England.
And then came one of those mad hours were everything seemed to go right. South Africa lost the initiative, England seized it, runs flowed like booze at the Christmas party, and at the centre of it all was England's most exciting young double act in ages.
They call it the Rooster...