Simon Mann
BBC Test Match Special

Image source, AP

"I'd much rather be in England's position at the moment."

A ripple of applause around St George's Park as England reach 100. This stand is worth 80 - from 20 overs.

50 for Alex Halespublished at 22.3 overs

22.3 overs

Eng 97-1

Image source, Rex Features

Duminy goes round the wicket to the right-handed Hales, who forces a single past mid-wicket to bring up his fifty from 68 balls. Slow by his one-day standards, but are England pacing this innings too slow? Or just right?

Vic Marks
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

Image source, AP

"By modern English standards they are batting with quite a lot of discretion. They are on course but they could still slip up."

Poor old Morkel is still bowling into the wind, can he force the breakthrough South Africa need? Root and Hales keep chipping away with singles, but the lost art of bowling straight has been making a comeback in this game and rewarding the seamers who have been able to avoid bowling anything loose. Even Chris Woakes has to stifle a yawn on the England balcony as four sedate singles are added. Fireworks these ain't.

Ebony Rainford-Brent
Ex-England batter on BBC Test Match Special

"I would be tempted to give Rabada even just one over. He might just create something, rather than letting the game drag and these two batsmen settling in."

Off-spinner JP Duminy is South Africa's sixth bowler, replacing fellow part-timer Behardien - and that's a bit better from England as a tight over looks on the cards until Hales guides the sixth delivery with the spin and past short fine leg for four.

Mike Little: Re Jack Allum at 16 overs... SA's top five scored 192 in 41 overs at a rate of almost exactly 4.7. England are going at 4.33 per over - why the excitement?

England 84-1 (20 overs)

Not out: Hales 41 (59 balls), Root 28 (48)

Fall of wicket: 20-1 (Roy 14)

Bowling figures: Abbott 4-1-17-1, Rababda 5-0-17-0, Morkel 5-0-16-0, Tahir 3-0-21-0, Behardien 3-0-13-0.

South Africa 262-7 (50 overs) - De Villiers 73, Duminy 47, Du Plessis 46, Topley 4-50

South Africa won toss

Full scorecard

England's victory target of 263 is still looking some distance away as Hales plays and misses at Morkel, trying to run the ball down to third man. A good line and length from the giant paceman means the required rate is creeping towards six an over. A legside wide and a quick single off the last ball are the only blemishes on Morkel's over - England need 179 from 180 balls.

I remember the 1980s when chasing more than six an over meant the game was all but lost... that shows how much the one-day game has changed in the last three decades or so.

Post-drinks, Behardien trots in for a third over, but England aren't tucking into the part-timer as much as you might have expected - just two singles and a two from it. He's doing a great job for the Proteas at the moment.

While the players take drinks (and a pitch invader is apprehended by security), TMS's Ebony Rainford-Brent is preparing to depart for Benoni, where England's women begin their ODI series tomorrow. You can hear commentary on all their games on BBC Radio - tomorrow's is live on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra and the BBC Sport website from 07:45 GMT.

You can also read England vice-captain Heather Knight's latest column on the website - it features the Women's Big Bash, Bondi Beach lifeguards, literary erotic thrillers, and yes, some cricket!

Tahir's off - Simon Hughes on TMS is confused as to why medium-pacer Behardien is bowling with the wind, and the experienced pacer Morkel is now being asked to bowl into the wind. Hales clips one strongly off his legs but it's straight to the man at deep mid-wicket. England are strictly in second gear at the moment, but they need to step up to third at some point... Time for an oil change? Drinks to be taken.

Spurs Next Season: If Hales could get just a little bit better, he'd be outstanding! He's great already. Back him don't trounce him.

Image source, Reuters

Interesting make-up of the sides today. SA went in with four bowlers, England with six - but Chris Jordan (their sixth, and most expensive bowler), while he wasn't on his best form with the ball, arguably saved them 40-50 runs with that outstanding catch to dismiss De Villiers.

Behardien is an honest tryer, and only gives up three singles from the over. England need 189 from 33 overs at a rate of 5.72.

Jack Allum: Completely ridiculous that these two are batting as if it's a Test match. Required rate now nearly 6 and will rise quickly.

50 partnershippublished at 16 overs

16 overs

Eng 71-1 (Hales 34, Root 23)

Image source, AFP

The Port Elizabeth brass band may not have 76 trombones, but I can see at least four in action as Root carefully dabs Imran Tahir for four through third man with the gentle, careful touch of a Mahela Jayawardene. A well-run three from Hales brings up the fifty stand.

Never mind the part-timers, is Tahir going to get through his full overs here? He's gone for 21 in three overs, and served up plenty of pies.

Iain B: What's the best de's or du's one day side we can imagine. And would Daffy DeFreitas get in?