Summary

  • Elgar & Erwee survive 9 overs

  • England 415-9 dec - lead of 264

  • Foakes 113*, Stokes 103, Bairstow 49

  • Stokes & Foakes add 173 for 6th wkt

  • Nortje 3-82, Maharaj 2-78

  • Second Test, day two, Old Trafford

  • Today at the Test, BBC Two, 19:00 BST

Live Reporting

Sam Drury, Timothy Abraham and Amy Lofthouse

  1. Eng 309-5

    It's Ben Foakes, actually, to face the first ball, and he wisely jogs a single to bring Ben Stokes on strike.

  2. Ben Stokes is two runs away from his 12th Test century and, in a brave move, it'll be Simon Harmer to bowl first up after tea.

    This ball is only six overs old...

  3. Ben Stokes is waiting on the balcony, looking down at the South Africa team who are having a cheery-looking huddle on the outfield.

    Here comes Ben Foakes...

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  5. Ben Stokes has gone along at a fair old rate, with six fours and three sixes to boot.

    Here's the third...

  6. A word for Ben Foakes, too, who has kept things ticking over alongside his captain.

  7. Stephan Shemilt
    BBC Sport chief cricket writer at Emirates Old Trafford

    Fair play to the lad from Salesbury CC who is here decked out in full whites.

  8. Daniel Norcross
    BBC Radio

    It has been a terrific partnership and it has got England into a very strong position. Dean Elgar has got a lot of thinking to do.

    It has not been BazBall in the way that we have understood it but it is what people have been crying out for: building a long partnership to keep South Africa out in the field for a long period.

    It has felt like very, very intelligent cricket from England's captain.

  9. Cheers, Tim.

    That was properly entertaining.

  10. That's my stint done. I'll hand over to Amy Lofthouse, who is poised to guide you through the tea interval and the evening session.

  11. Vic Marks
    Former England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

    It was a classic innings by Stokes, beautifully paced. It's been his best innings as captain.

  12. England lead by 157 runs, incidentally. Ben Foakes is unbeaten on 61 while Ben Stokes is 98 not out.

  13. Daniel Norcross
    BBC Radio

    England have scored 96 runs in this session, in - and this is hold onto your hats territory - 30 overs. We've had a full compliment of overs in a session.

  14. Interval

    Kagiso Rabada cuts Ben Stokes two with the final ball before tea! He'll have to wait until the evening session for a chance of a 12th Test century.

    Nevertheless he and Ben Foakes are both applauded off by their team-mates as they walk back to the dressing rooms, just below the media centre.

  15. Eng 307-5

    Ben Foakes happy to defend the next two deliveries from Kagiso Rabada, who drops a third down leg side for a dot.

    Foakes nudges a single off his legs to put Ben Stokes on strike with one ball left before tea with two runs needed for his century. Stokes does a bit of gardening, and takes a breath.

  16. Vic Marks
    Former England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

    We're on course for a wicketless session. We've not had too many of them.

  17. Eng 307-5

    Ben Stokes plays a controlled pull for a single off Kagiso Rabada's third ball to move on to 98.

  18. Daniel Norcross
    BBC Radio

    Foakes will be happy to wait for tea. His juices will not be flowing in the same way as Stokes'.

  19. Vic Marks
    Former England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

    Stokes is magnetic. He's been measured by recent standards but the sight of that new ball has brought signs of danger and he's thought, 'if there is danger, we must attack.'

  20. Eng 206-5

    The ball was held at second slip so maybe South Africa's fielders think there was some bat on that? Curious.

    Anyway, Ben Stokes is still there and has nudged a single through point to get on to 97.

    One more over before tea and he has the strike.