Rain shortens opening day - just 59 overs bowled
Cook holds England together with unbeaten 82
Stokes unbeaten on 21 - failures for Jennings & Malan
Westley makes 25 and skipper Root adds 29
Morkel, wicketless in 14 overs, is clipped for a single by Stokes, while an attempted effort ball is nudged off his hip for four by Cook. The Essex left-hander square-drives his 10th boundary of the day, it races away backward of point and beats the fielder's dive to the boundary, despite the (presumably still slightly damp) outfield.
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Absolutely hammering down here in Hampton, near Hampton Court (about 10 miles from you). Brace for incoming!
Mike White
Andrew Samson
BBC Test Match Special statistician
Philander has now conceded more runs than he has bowled overs for the first time all day.
Cook 76 (172 balls), Stokes 14 (31)
Plenty of swing for Philander, in fact so much that one is taken by Quinton de Kock in front of first slip, and is signalled as a wide by umpire Aleem Dar. There's not been much for the crowd to cheer of late, but Stokes flashes at another wideish delivery and it flies over the slips for four. But as they say, if you're going to flash, flash hard. And he did. A single to fine leg allows him to steal the strike.
Stephan Shemilt
BBC Sport at The Oval
Grey and chilly here. Definitely need a jacket if you're sitting outside. If the floodlights weren't on, I doubt we'd be playing. It would be a surprise if we get through without further wet stuff.
Graeme Smith
Ex-South Africa captain on BBC Test Match Special
Cook has been very deep in his crease. You can understand it to Morkel and Morris but not to Philander, who is always threatening the lbw.
Image source, ReutersCook 72, Stokes 13
Morkel continues to probe outside Cook's off stump, but finds the former skipper resolute in defence, having faced 163 balls for his 72 runs before this over. He nearly nicks the last ball of the over... but Morkel's out of luck, as he has been all day. Maiden over.
Graeme Smith
Ex-South Africa captain on BBC Test Match Special
Stokes never really defends the ball dead, even his defensive shots are punched into the covers.
Philander 10-5-10-2
Vernon Philander, who has 2-8 after only sending down nine overs so far today, will rumble in from the Vauxhall End. Stokes helps himself to a two, but is nearly cut in two as Philander gets one to whistle between bat and pad and just past off stump.
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Cook and Stokesy will get centuries and turn this around. The Barmy Army must keep the faith!
Mick Loughlin
Graeme Smith
Ex-South Africa captain on BBC Test Match Special
It's quite a pensive atmosphere at the moment, everyone knows it's an important part of play ahead. Morkel bowled a superb spell to Root and you feel Cook is key, he has held this innings together. If he gets out you feel there could be a couple more in a row.
It was ever thus with England batting collapses...
Image source, ReutersCook 72, Stokes 11
Three slips and a gully in as Morne Morkel begins the evening session from the Pavilion End - and his first ball immediately swings away from the left-handed Ben Stokes. Living dangerously, Stokes pulls at a bouncer and gets a bottom edge which could so nearly have crashed into his stumps, but when he does connect with a single to fine leg there's some heartfelt applause from those in the crowd who have remained in their seats. (Clearly some have cut and run).
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Andrew Dennett: Yet again cricket and its weather rules are antiquated! Play could have started 10 minutes ago!
The Proteas in their huddle. Some, including skipper Faf du Plessis, are wearing sunglasses, so it can't be that dark. In fact, there look to be blue skies overhead as Alastair Cook and Ben Stokes walk down the steps.
Stokes still has a load of dust down the front of his shirt, having dived for the crease a little earlier.
Graeme Smith
Ex-South Africa captain on BBC Test Match Special
It's a big moment for both teams this afternoon. South Africa have bowled really well, the surface has played well, it has allowed some swing which is great to see.
Jonathan Agnew
BBC cricket correspondent on TMS
There may be another shower later, I'm afraid, but let's keep our fingers crossed and hope we can get some cricket in.
If you missed FaceBoycs Live in the tea interval, you can watch it back here., external 15 minutes of gold from the Yorkshire legend, and a cameo moment at the end when Alec Stewart sneaks in behind him.
The umpires are out, the groundsmen are re-marking the creases, and three South African fielders are attempting to do keepie-uppies... with a hard cricket ball. Madness
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Gary Blanchard: The yorker is such an under used delivery in test matches. When executed properly they are unplayable. Malan had no chance!
Either way, it's going to be a long session. So time to make yourselves a cuppa before you strap yourselves in for the upcoming resumption.
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If Andy Moles was playing now he would be a cert for England opener, one of unluckiest players never to get capped!
Geoff Callow
Unless modern-day fitness issues counted against Moles (who was not the slimmest of county cricketers) - if you remember why Samit Patel was ostracised for a long time by England...
Image source, Getty Images