Jonathan Agnew
BBC Test Match Special

"It's not alarmingly low but it has been keeping low."

David McNaught: Good England reply, only an indiscretion and an unplayable ball from it being very good.

England 138-2 (46 overs) - trail by 337

Cook 67* (142), Root 31* (68)

Fall of wickets: 22-1 (Hales 15), 78-2 (Compton 19)

Bowling figures: Abbott 11-5-17-0, Rabada 12-2-55-2, Piedt 10-1-23-0, Morkel 11-2-29-0, Elgar 2-0-9-0

South Africa 475: De Kock 129*, S Cook 115, Amla 109

Full scorecard

Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

Image source, Getty Images

"It's been really good cricket from South Africa but fair play to England. The experience and quality from Alastair Cook and Joe Root has shone through."

England get through to the close only two down, which they will probably be satisfied with. South Africa lead by 337 and are still in the dominant position, but England have the opportunity to bat themselves back into contention tomorrow. Nicely poised.

Kagiso Rabada's final over the day, with the young pacer perhaps looking a touch tired as he gets too leggy to Joe Root. Tired? What am I talking about? That's a brute, which Cook does just well enough to evade. Six more balls for England to survive.

Mark Boucher
Former South Africa wicketkeeper on BBC Test Match Special

"You do feel that if South Africa get it right in a session, they will do some proper damage. You could have a session where England go 60-4."

Image source, Getty Images

Alastair Cook has looked so good this evening, accentuating the point by driving Morkel through mid-on for four. The skipper is 51 short of becoming the first England batsman to reach 10,000 Test runs and will be hunting that milestone tomorrow. Just a little gloomier now, but we should get these last two overs in.

Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

Image source, Reuters

"Rabada has been the pick of the bowlers. He's got a tremendous song in the crowd - and he's also produced some good deliveries."

The Dean Elgar experiment has been about as successful as trying to turn base metals into gold, so South Africa turn to Kagiso Rabada for a final two-over burst. Nice and straight to Root, who has his eyes on the close. Do England have a nightwatchman waiting? Who would it be? Woakes?

Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

"This is a really good challenge for England. Can they get out of this match with something? It's not going to be easy."

Abbott comes round the wicket to Cook, who has just finished pegging his tent down and is about to roll out his sleeping bag. Decent line from Abbott, but Cook's defence is stronger than Johnnie Cochran.

Andrew Samson
BBC Test Match Special statistician

"The fifty partnership between Cook and Root came up in 103 balls."

Image source, Reuters

England are looking for the close, but Alastair Cook will still tuck in when Dean Elgar serves up a pie. A long-hop is pulled to the boundary, the full meat and potato, complete with gravy, mushy peas and mash. There are five overs left in the day.

Elliot GC: Alex Lees to open, Root at 3, Ballance in at 5. #nonbiasedyorkshireman, external.

Abbott charges in, getting wide of the crease and thinking about asking the question when Root is hit on the pads. There's a big inside edge. Shadows lengthening, Centurion still covered in sushine, a time to be cooking on the braai. England, so far, are avoiding a complete grilling.

Mark Boucher
Former South Africa wicketkeeper on BBC Test Match Special

"This is not the time that you want to bat if you're sitting in the dressing room."

It will continue to be spin, but South Africa pull Dane Piedt in favour of some left-arm tweak from Dean Elgar. does it just feel like we're winding down towards the close? This time last week, England were wrapping up a win. Whereas then they were rampant, today they have been under the cosh.

Mark Boucher
Former South Africa wicketkeeper on BBC Test Match Special

"The pitch is not going to get any better; those cracks are going to widen. Batting from now on is going to be hard graft. In the last innings it will be a real lottery."