Key events
WICKET! Jansen b Stokes 4 (South Africa 146-7)
Ben Stokes! He gives himself another over, this time it is the final one before tea but he only needs four balls. A vicious in-swinger darts through Jansen’s sizeable gap between bat and pad and detonates the leg stump. Comprehensively bowled and a heroic spell from England’s talismanic captain.
With that, it is time for tea.
48th over: South Africa 139-6 (Verreynne 2, Jansen 4) Robinson continues, he looks red faced and pretty bushed too. Fair play to him for keeping at it in the September sunshine. Hang about, SIX! Verreynne top edges a pull that lands directly on the boundary sponge. Vital runs. Robinson pitches up for the remainder of the over and normal service resumes – five dots.
47th over: South Africa 140-6 (Verreynne 2, Jansen 4) Stokes has Jansen caught at slip by Ollie Pope but celebrations are curtailed by the umpire’s outstretched arm – No Ball! Stokes can’t believe it, he’s given everything in this spell and nicked Jansen off with a lovely outswinger only to over step by a few inches and see it chalked off. He shakes his head and sweat drips off his fringe. South Africa’s lead goes to 100 as a result of the no ball too.
46th over: South Africa 139-6 (Verreynne 2, Jansen 4) Ollie Robinson sends down his fifth maiden.
The last Englishman to reach 50 Test wickets in fewer appearances than Ollie Robinson (11) was Ian Botham (10)#SAvENG
— Ben Gardner (@Ben_Wisden) September 11, 2022
Decent numbers. Beefy numbers.
There’s no doubt England’s batting is their weaker suit, Guy Hornsby. Their bowling, in English conditions, is exceptional. Strengthened further by a leaner, fitter, hungrier Ollie Robinson. That said, this game has a feel of the early summer about it, England will surely hunt down whatever South Africa set them, whether that be 100 or 250.
I know this is all priced into the new era @Jimbo_Cricket but isn’t this just another case of the bowlers bailing out the batters’ profligacy? Or is the difference between the Silverwood and McCullum era that now loose shots are intentional not accidental?
— Guy Hornsby (@GuyHornsby) September 11, 2022
45th over: South Africa 139-6 (Verreynne 2, Jansen 4) Stokes scuds one onto Verreynne that hits him in the nether nether. Breathe in, breathe out, Kyle. He wisely gets a single to get off strike. Scratch what I said about the impending break, tea isn’t for another 15 minutes. Stokes is limping so that could be the end of his spell, he’s done seven overs on the bounce and is hobbling like latter days John Wayne.
44th over: South Africa 138-6 (Verreynne 1, Jansen 4) Marco Jansen is the new man. Robinson greets him with a short ball that he does well to negotiate. Robinson is ticking. Jansen can bat, he’s shown that in this series. A full ball is leant on with his long levers and whistles away for four to get him off the mark. One more over before tea I reckon, Stokes to bowl it.
WICKET! Zondo lbw b Robinson 16 (South Africa 133-6)
Big booming in-swinger from Robinson that clatters into Zondo’s back leg as he is late on a misjudged cut shot. Given out on the field… reviewed and stays out with the umpire’s call! Zondo has to go, Robinson is amped up here. The lead is 93.
43rd over: South Africa 128-5 (Zondo 16, Verreynne 0) The game is alive all of a sudden after a soporific session. Both sides grappling, Zondo cuts Stokes away uppishly to pick up four. Stokes responds with a frankly ridiculous ball that ducks in and seams away. Play that! He then goes for the full ball but over pitches and Zondo drives handsomely through mid-off for four more.
WICKET! Mulder b Robinson 14 (South Africa 120-5)
Ollie Robinson is wild eyed and jubilant after he gets one to lift on Mulder that the batter tries to chop away but serves only to hack down onto his stumps!
England have the breakthrough in the minutes before the tea break. We could still see a two day Test here in South London. The lead is 80.
42nd over: South Africa 120-5 (Zondo 8, Verreynne 0)
41st over: South Africa 118-4 (Zondo 8, Mulder 12) England, particularly Joe Root are adamant that Zondo has got a feather on a Stokes short ball. Hmmm, Stokes isn’t convinced but is talked into it by his pal. Ultra edge shows… NADA. NOWT. Flatline as the ball passes bat and England have burned their last review. Will that be costly? South Africa lead by 78. Root is flummoxed.
40th over: South Africa 111-4 (Zondo 7, Mulder 7) Robinson. Maiden. Like you needed to ask.
39th over: South Africa 111-4 (Zondo 7, Mulder 7) Mulder gets in on the act too! Stokes is livid with himself as he serves up a rank half tracker and is duly dispatched to the fence. The England skipper is pawing at his knee a bit, slightly concerning. Nelson up. 111. Thoughts turn to David Shepherd.
38th over: South Africa 106-4 (Zondo 7, Mulder 3) Hold on to your stovepipe! A boundary! A lesser spotted boundary! That’s the first four since the 25th over by my reckoning. Zondo climbs into a short and wide ball by Robinson and clatters it through cover for four. Normal service is resumed afterwards though, five deafening dots.
37th over: South Africa 102-4 (Zondo 3, Mulder 3) Stokes again. Maiden again. Shaun Pollock describes his countrymen as being in a “trough”. England are piling the pressure on Mulder and Zondo, something has to give soon, and it could be my state of consciousness…
36th over: South Africa 102-4 (Zondo 3, Mulder 3) Ollie Robinson peels off another maiden. South Africa on the road to nowhere. England have the ball on a string and are beating the edge at will.
35th over: South Africa 102-4 (Zondo 3, Mulder 3) Thanks Tanya and hello OBO. Straight down to brass tacks as Stokes continues to wheel away, hair slicked back and arm sheathed in tattoos and strapping. There’s just a single off the over as South Africa continue their snooze-fest after lunch. I’m on my sofa and had an early start so this could go terribly! If you are out there then do get in touch and give us an email or twitter shaped shot in the arm.
34th over: South Africa 101-4 (Zondo 2, Mulder 3) Broad continues, that leg-slip – Zac Crawley – still in place, waiting, waiting. The crowd watch with equal attention. Mulder brings up the hundred with an inelegant plant through point.
Broad and Anderson have now taken 995 wickets in games they’ve played together – with no sign of the two of them seizing up yet. While the players take drinks, I hand over to Jim Wallace – who will take you through the second half of the day with typical joie de vivre. Thanks for the messages – bye!
33rd over: South Africa 98-4 (Zondo 1, Mulder 1)In the last ten overs, South Africa have scored ten runs and lost two wickets. And here comes Ben Stokes, to give Anderson a break. Zondo, who has faced 22 balls without scoring, nearly breaks the shackles with a guide through point – but Anderson blocks. Aha! A run at last – through mid-off. It must be one of the best one not outs he’s made.
32nd over: South Africa 97-4 (Zondo 0, Mulder 1) Do you remember when England dropped Broad and Anderson? Funny joke. Beautiful stuff this – and when they take a break Zondo and Mulder must face Robinson and Stokes, who were brilliant before the break.
31st over: South Africa 97-4 (Zondo 0, Mulder 1) On the radio they spot reverse-swing – just what South Africa need. A fourth maiden in a row for Jimmy. The South Africa lead is 56 – if they could get it to 150 – would that be enough?
30th over: South Africa 96-4 (Zondo 0, Mulder 1) A run! A squeeze down to square leg by Mulder. Broad, white headband tied round his head, the wind tugging his trousers, has these batsmen pinned. A ball brushes Zondon’s trousers on its way through to Foakes – close, but Broad is frustrated. Survival through the next hour or so till tea, South Africa’s aim here.
29th over: South Africa 95-4 (Zondo 0, Mulder 0) An over of gorgeousness from Anderson, which Zondo survives with a grope here and an edge there as a full house looks on.
28th over: South Africa 95-4 (Zondo 0, Mulder 0) Broad’s in the zone, geeing up the crowd, turning up the energy. Whatever the Foakes-Broad plan was – it worked!
WICKET! Rickelton lbw Broad 8 (South Africa 95-4)
Rickelton reviews, because Elgar didn’t, but to no avail. Completely out – back pad, off stump – ping.
27th over: South Africa 95-3 (Rickelton 8, Zondo 0) A sleepy post-lunch lull in the crowd is interrupted with a blast of trumpet. It fades away. Zondo watches Anderson intently and – Nasser notices, plays him very late. Beaten by the last ball. South Africa need to double this lead without losing a wicket.
26th over: South Africa 91-3 (Rickelton 4, Zondo 0) Rickelton slices a drive off Broad for four, not without risk. He’s got a very open stance, like a man preparing to shake out a table cloth. Broad and Foakes have a little chat at the end of the over, before Broad walks back to his fielding position.
25th over: South Africa 91-3 (Rickelton 4, Zondo 0) Masterful from Anderson who mixes up inswingers and outswinger with the zest of a cocktail maker.
WICKET! Petersen c Pope b Anderson 23 (South Africa 91-3)
Pope at fourth slip, the man at the end of the line, does well to drop to his left and swallow’s Petersen’s edge – he’s surrounded by his happy teammates as South Africa start to slide. The lead just 51.
24th over: South Africa 91-2 (Petersen 23, Rickelton 4) Petersen taking most of the strike here, presumably by design. Broad gives little away, and Rickelton survives the last two.
23rd over: South Africa 90-2 (Petersen 22, Rickelton 4) Petersen is watchful, letting Anderson pass safely by on the other side, but picks up three through midwicket. He’s a busy player.
22nd over: South Africa 87-2 (Petersen 19, Rickelton 4) Rickelton is off the mark, slapping a pie from Broad over backward point, but Broad gets his man – even if Elgar is now gnashing his teeth in the dressing room.
WICKET! Elgar lbw Broad 36 (South Africa 83-2)
The third lbw shout of the over makes the breakthrough, rapping Elgar on the front pad – he walks but the replay shows it is missing!
And with that wicket Stuart Broad has gone past Glenn McGrath to become the second-highest seam bowling wicket-taker in Tests. You know who is top.
21st over: South Africa 83-1 (Elgar 35, Petersen 19) Petersen, a back-foot drive, squarish of the covers, as Anderson too drifts wide. Easy post-lunch pickings. Petersen’s chest guard seems to have dropped over his belly giving him a peculiarly tubby silhouette.
Fritz Kodagoda taps at keyboard while watching the gulls fly by in Hastings. “I think that Omar Khyyam although a stranger to Cricket rightly summed up when he said:
“ The ball no question makes of ayes or Noe’s
But left or right as strikes the player goes”
20th over: South Africa 78-1 (Elgar 35, Petersen 15) A nice post-lunch digestif for Petersen who knocks Broad’s two short wide ones to the boundary over backward point.
A red admiral fluttered past while I was eating my lunch – felt like a last glimpse back from summer. Rather like this Test, which resumes in a couple of minutes, with South Africa pocketing a 30-run lead at lunch.
Everything still in the balance as the teams lunch on the penultimate day. England threw away a golden position yesterday and South Africa have clawed their way back into the match. But the lead is only 30, and we know how fragile these batting line-ups are. Time for me to grab some food – back shortly.
19th over: South Africa 70-1 (Elgar 35, Petersen 7) Robinson shoe-shuffles through the last over before lunch. One whispers past Petersen’s bat but he pulls out a super shot next ball, lovely dancing feet, through mid-on – and hauled up just before the rope by an energetic Stuart Broad. The last ball rises and tucks up Elgar – but he survives. South Africa’s session – as they walk off the field 30 runs in credit, and just the one wicket down.
“Brilliant effort by Mac Millings,” writes Peter Salmon, “but I fear he missed the most pressing one at the moment – ‘Crawley or not Crawley? Zak is the question.’”
18th over: South Africa 67-1 (Elgar 35, Petersen 4) Elgar watchful throughout a Stokes over, avoiding a bouncer, and finally filling his bucket with cheap runs off the pads.
17th over: South Africa 63-1 (Elgar 31, Petersen 4) South Africa now retreat back into their shell, cowed by the twin spectres of lunch and Ben Stokes. Petersen beaten by a glorious tempter by Robinson.
Phil Keegan writes from Cambodia. “I am really curious as to how/why/when Keegan became a first name. Anyone know?”
I know a Teegan and a Cian – but I’m not sure that’s very helpful. Over to you, OBO-ers.
16th over: South Africa 59-1 (Elgar 31, Petersen 1) Root’s 163rd catch in Test cricket – a snorter actually, the angle was really tricky – puts him in the top ten of non-wicketkeeping catchers in Test cricket. Only Alastair Cook is ahead of him for England. And it only took Stokes two balls to work his magic.
WICKET! Erwee c Root b Stokes 26 (South Africa 58-1)
Root diving forward at first slip grabs with both hands, low to the ground, as Erwee pushes too enthusiastically. Stokes makes the breakthrough!
15th over: South Africa 57-0 (Erwee 26, Elgar 30) Robinson is back and reels off a maiden.
14th over: South Africa 57-0 (Erwee 26, Elgar 30) How many last Tests at The Oval has Jimmy Anderson played? He’s going to be back next year though – isn’t he? Though the Ashes are over before August – so no September Test in 2023, though there do seem to be three ODIs against Ireland and three ODIs and five IT20s against New Zealand. After watching England’s women play India last night in a T20 at Chester-le-Street, I suggest September day-night T20s are a worse idea than September Tests.
13th over: South Africa 53-0 (Erwee 26, Elgar 26) Erwee brings up South Africa’s fifty with a nudge to fine leg off Broad and this is all going very nicely for the visitors.
12th over: South Africa 47-0 (Erwee 20, Elgar 26) They pause for drinks, before Anderson replaces Robinson to jos through another over. The last, a beauty, beats Elgar’s bat – Jimmy is keen for a review but Stokes has been burnt and sensibly declines
“I totally agree with Trevor,” writes Jeremy Boyce. “The Oval is a massive ground/pitch (like the MCG) and difficult to defend in the field, you can score very fast if the conditions are right. I once spent a boozy Sunday afternoon there watching the Aussies rack up over 300 runs v Surrey in a church-curtailed day. Ok, “lads, it’s only Surrey”, but the scorebook never lies. But isn’t Trevor forgetting that BazBallCC are 4th innings specialists these days and know how to knock it about a bit themselves ? JB or no JB. A ton and the match winning hit for Zak Crawley. I’m off down the Bookies right now.”
