Mark Ramprakash
Ex-England batsman on The Cricket Social

The issue with Joe Root's captaincy sometimes is he hands the initiative back and doesn't keep the foot on the opposition's neck.

At 50-3 yesterday he should've set a field that said to Dean Elgar, 'Try and hit over the top if you want.' It's how they got Elgar eventually.

Philander pinches a single from the fifth ball of the over, leaving Nortje one ball to survive. Once again, Nortje doesn't have to play. Remember, Nortje hung around as nightwatchman in the previous Test. He's quickly becoming one of my favourite cricketers.

Real vs Fake is an annual debate in our house. Philander is swinging like a rusty gate, without a great deal of success.

Nick: My tree got ceremoniously cut up and deposited into the green bin yesterday. Really need to get a fake tree instead, pine needles everywhere.

Naturally, it's Stuart Broad at the other end. Vernon Philander has been watching a lot of the destruction. He may well play some shots.

Daniel Norcross
The Cricket Social

It wasn't meant to be.

Anderson smiles as he can only produce one that is well outside off stump. Not where he wanted it to be. Still, he's got England up and running.

Anrich Nortje to face the hat-trick ball. Four slips and a gully, short leg...

Steven Finn
England bowler on The Cricket Social

Fantastic start. The wickets late in the day pulled England into the ascendancy. They wouldn't have wanted these lower-order batsmen to hang around.

Image source, Getty Images

Jonathan Agnew
BBC cricket correspondent in Cape Town

What a start for England! Is it going to be their day?

The players out there, covered by a blanket of cloud. Two balls of James Anderson's over to complete. He struck with the last ball yesterday.

Kagiso Rabada on strike...

Jonathan Agnew
BBC cricket correspondent in Cape Town

He bowled in a defensive way - that's fine. He was doing the job he was asked to do, which was allow the quicker bowlers to bowl from the end of choice. He did a terrific job.

Daniel Norcross
The Cricket Social

Dominic Bess' performance yesterday was in some ways the most encouraging of all - and the most signifciant contribution.

Image source, Getty Images

There will be people out there who whip theirs down on Boxing Day. That's anti-Christmas, if you ask me.

Have you still got your Christmas tree up? I'm pretty militant in making sure ours doesn't go anywhere until 6 January.

A couple of years ago, when I was on an Ashes tour and didn't get back until well after Christmas, it stayed up until February.

And, as always, without you I am nothing.

Getting in touch with us is like having a conversation with one million of your closest friends. Text, tweet or email.

So far in this series we have written a crime thriller called Illness in the Camp, discussed the merits of gravy on chip-shop chips and grown wistful over retro food.

We might even talk about the cricket.

We've got it all covered today. Every spit and cough in this informative and entertaining live text, which is accompanied by the quite magnificent Cricket Social.

Steven Finn, Michael Carberry, Mark Ramprakash and Alex Hartley are on today's cast list. You can listen at the top of the page.

Adam Mountford
BBC Test Match Special in Cape Town

Much more cloudy in Cape Town this morning and we expect it to remain so all day. However, no rain is forecast. Will be interesting to see if the cloud helps the bowlers, as it tends to in England. We were told by locals in Pretoria that overcast conditions actually make it easier for batsman over here. We will see.

Image source, BBC Sport