Summary

  • Moeen hits 67 off 59 balls to swing momentum

  • Root made 49 but failures for out-of-form Jennings & Malan

  • SA 226: Bavuma 46, Anderson 4-38

  • England 362: Bairstow 99, Stokes 58

Live Reporting

Amy Lofthouse

  1. How's stat?!

    Andrew Samson
    BBC Test Match Special statistician

    Duanne Olivier's latest spell has been 4-3-2-8, and the runs he has conceded were two boundaries that came off the edge of the bat.

  2. A quick reminder of the last two wickets to fall in that session - first, Joe Root...

    And then Ben Stokes.

  3. Eng 138-6

    England have lost four wickets in this afternoon session as the South Africa fielders crowd around Jonny Bairstow, who defends, pushes, prods, dabs and sees off the Maharaj over. He's yet to score from his 22 balls.

    It's tea time! South Africa's session. Game on? Here's Amy Lofthouse to talk you through the rest of the day.

  4. From the press box

  5. Eng 138-6

    Moeen comes in and is centimeters from being out. The England batsman nearly plays on whilst trying to leave the ball. As the bat is being raised, it clips the bottom edge and whistles past the off stump and goes through for four.

    England's lead is 274, as we get closer to tea.

  6. Geoffrey Boycott
    Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special

    I got the impression Ben Stokes was getting a little bit frustrated. He seemed to be walking a bit into that shot, rather than stood playing it from the crease. It's the nature of the game, England wanting to get on, and I think he helped himself get out a little bit.

  7. wicket

    WICKET

    Stokes c du Plessis b Olivier 23 (Eng 134-6)

    Stokes edges and is gone! Olivier deserves the wicket, he's bowled brilliantly. A nice delivery, angles outside off, Stokes plays forward and a thick edge sends the ball to Du Plessis, who grabs it at waist height.

  8. Get Involved

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    Given that it's obvious the rain will end the day's play shortly after tea, is there an argument to dispense with the interval? That'd give us an extra 15 mins or so.

    Eddie F

  9. Eng 130-5

    Maharaj has bowled a long spell here, with some spin and bounce. That will encourage Moeen Ali. The South African races through his six balls, with Bairstow still to score.

    It's been an eventful day so far and, as always, you can ask for the views of Geoffrey Boycott in our FaceBoycs live (15:40 BST)

  10. Geoffrey Boycott
    Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special

    For me, this is the right England side. We just have to find a two, three and five batsman. Everything was about that today - and all three failed the test. It's as simple as that.

  11. Eng 130-5

    Stokes 19, Bairstow 0

    You get the feeling that Stokes and Bairstow just want to see this through to the tea break. Olivier consistently bowls just back of a length and outside off, as Stokes pats them away off the back foot. The England all-rounder shuffles across his wicket and looks to clip the last ball to the long-on boundary, but can only find the fielder.

    Ben StokesReuters

  12. Eng 130-5

    Bairstow is yet to get off the mark, he's content in getting forward and prodding away Maharaj's first few deliveries. The Bradford-batsman then looks to sweep, doesn't pick it up and there's a half-heated shout for leg-before. Bairstow decides to revert back to blocking for the rest of the over. Another maiden.

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    Re:Max and furthest distance travelled for a days cricket... How about from Sipidan Island off Borneo; 2 hours by speed boat to the mainland; bus through the jungle to Tawau airport, flight to Kota Kinabalu then connection onto Kuala Lumpur. Wait 4 hours then flight to London Heathrow, collected by my best mate, back to my flat in the Oval, quick shower and straight out for Saturday vs South Africa and the obligatory 10 pint innings. 29 hours well spent!

    Nigel, currently up scaffolding in St Albans

  14. Eng 130-5

    Bairstow 0, Stokes 19

    So a lifeline for Stokes there, Olivier bowling well in this spell.

    A skiddy delivery outside off, Stokes looks for a cheeky cut but it glances off the edge of the bat and runs through to De Kock behind the stumps. Maiden.

    The floodlights are on.

  15. Geoffrey Boycott
    Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special

    That's not easy. You call it a dropped catch but that was a difficult one. It wasn't hit straight at him.

  16. dropped catch

    Dropped catch

    Another dropped chance. Stokes pulls Olivier and it flies like a rocket to Kuhn at a short mid-wicket, but he can't hold on. Another difficult chance, it went quick.

  17. Eng 130-5

    Jonny Bairstow is the new man in. Stokes clips to mid-wicket for a single but that's the only run conceded from the over, as Maharaj races through another.

    England have lost three wickets so far in this session, with the rain staying away for now.

  18. Graeme Smith
    Ex-South Africa captain on BBC Test Match Special

    It's a chop on. Root was trying to get a bit dinky and a bit too clever as he tried to get to fifty. You felt the pace of today was shifting between Stokes and Root. That's a massive wicket for South Africa.

  19. wicket

    WICKET

    Root b Olivier 49 (Eng 129-5)

    Chopped on! Joe Root, just one away from his half-century, offers little foot movement to a wide delivery and he bottom-edges it, sending the ball crashing into his stumps. Duanne Olivier takes Root's wicket for the second time in this match.

  20. Stephan Shemilt
    BBC Sport at Old Trafford

    Biggest cheer of the day goes to a cameraman donning the walrus mask. Even Joe Root had a chuckle. Now the crowd are chanting "stand up for the cameraman".

    CameramanGetty Images