Summary

  • Day abandoned after rain with England 116-6 in 32 overs

  • Foakes bowled by Nortje for six after lunch

  • Nortje also has Stokes (20) caught at slip and bowls Bairstow for duck

  • Root out lbw for 8 to Jansen; Rabada removes openers Lees (5) & Crawley (9)

  • Opening day of first Test in three-match series

  • England looking to extend four-Test winning streak under Ben Stokes & Brendon McCullum

  • Use audio icon at top of the page to listen to BBC Test Match Special commentary

  1. Postpublished at 13:11 British Summer Time 17 August 2022

    Let's go back to the start of the morning session then and look at a few highlights.

    It was Kagiso Rabada who got the tourists up and running with the wicket of Alex Lees. The England opener never looked comfortable before feathering behind...

  2. Postpublished at 13:08 British Summer Time 17 August 2022

    Vic Marks
    Former England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

    A perfect end to the session for South Africa because England had put on 45 in no time.

    Stokes was looking dangerous and at 100-4 England would have been thinking that there was scope to recover. But now they are into the non-specialists and quite a long tail.

  3. Postpublished at 13:08 British Summer Time 17 August 2022

    Thanks, Amy. It really was all go in that morning session.

    Say what you like about England's approach to Test cricket under Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes but it's never dull.

    We saw both sides of that before lunch. A few loose shots - as well as some excellent South Africa bowling - putting the home side under pressure before an exciting counter-attacking stand showed how quickly things can change.

    However, that wicket on the stroke of lunch has solidified South Africa's position of strength.

  4. Postpublished at 13:03 British Summer Time 17 August 2022

    That was... eventful.

    What will the afternoon session hold? Sam Drury will be the one to take you through it.

  5. Lunch - Eng 100-5published at 13:02 British Summer Time 17 August 2022

    That was a good final 15 minutes for England up until Ben Stokes fell.

    Very much South Africa's morning.

  6. Postpublished at 13:02 British Summer Time 17 August 2022

    Jonathan Agnew
    BBC cricket correspondent on Test Match Special

    It looked a good ball and he had to play at it.

    What a way for South Africa to finish. It is definitely their session now.

  7. wicket

    WICKETpublished at 26 overs

    Stokes c Petersen b Nortje 20 (Eng 100-5)

    On the stroke of lunch!

    You can hear the cry of "oh no!" from Ben Stokes the second the ball leaves the bat. He's squared up by Anrich Nortje, arms a-tangle, and it holds its line enough to take the outside edge and fly to a tumbling Keegan Petersen at third slip.

    That is not ideal timing...

  8. Postpublished at 13:00 British Summer Time 17 August 2022

    Here's the final ball before lunch...

  9. Postpublished at 13:00 British Summer Time 17 August 2022

    Jonathan Agnew
    BBC cricket correspondent on Test Match Special

    Anrich Nortje is looking quite cross now.

  10. dropped catch

    Close!published at 25.4 overs

    Oh!

    Ben Stokes tries a similar, flaying shot to Anrich Nortje and it somehow manages to clear the giant figure of a leaping Marco Jansen at gully to race away for four. Nortje is not amused.

    That brings up the 100 for England.

  11. Postpublished at 12:59 British Summer Time 17 August 2022

    Vic Marks
    Former England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

    We have always made the Ian Bell comparison but that particular shot had echoes of Bell at his best.

    Ollie PopeImage source, Getty Images
  12. 50 runs

    50 for Popepublished at 25.2 overs

    Lovely.

    Ollie Pope plays a glorious drive to the next delivery from Anrich Nortje to bring up a very, very good half-century from just 69 balls.

  13. Postpublished at 12:58 British Summer Time 17 August 2022

    Vic Marks
    Former England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

    It's a technical chance. He got his fingers to it.

  14. dropped catch

    Pope dropped on 45published at 25.1 overs

    Down!

    Ollie Pope flashes outside off stump, Keegan Petersen at third slip stretches and dives, and the ball just tickles his fingers before running away to the boundary.

  15. Eng 90-4published at 25 overs

    A possibly overexcited Ben Stokes then has a huge swing at the next delivery, one that started wide and was heading wider.

    I don't understand why every single shot he's playing has to be aggressive. Like, it is fine to block out a ball every now and again. Not everyone has to go flying over the stands.

    And now I officially sound like my Dad. Great.

  16. Postpublished at 12:55 British Summer Time 17 August 2022

    Vic Marks
    Former England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

    That flew off the bat!

    This is the new way to play for lunch.

  17. Eng 89-4published at 24.3 overs

    Ha!

    That was what Ben Stokes was looking for as he stands there and hammers Kagiso Rabada back down the ground for four.

  18. Postpublished at 12:54 British Summer Time 17 August 2022

    Vic Marks
    Former England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

    The plus point so far has been Ollie Pope.

    If he does get through to lunch here it will be a critical contribution in difficult circumstances.

  19. Eng 85-4published at 24 overs

    Ollie Pope and Ben Stokes negotiate the latest Anrich Nortje over without any alarm. They'll desperately not want to lose a wicket with lunch so close.

  20. Postpublished at 12:49 British Summer Time 17 August 2022

    Here's the 93mph scorcher that did for Jonny Bairstow.