15 wickets fall in the day as South Africa takes control against England
Saturday, 28 December 2019 (13:04 IST)
Centurion: England collapsed from 142-3 to 181 all out on day two to hand
South Africa control of the first Test here on Friday.Vernon Philander, who will retire from international cricket at the end of the series, led the way for South Africa, taking 4-16 from 14.2 overs to help the hosts gain a first-innings lead of 103.
The day began with England wrapping up the South African innings on 284, with Stuart
Broad collecting his fourth wicket of the innings.England's openers then fell cheaply as Philander and Kagiso Rabada both bowled lively opening spells. Joe Denly and Joe Root steadied the ship, and England went to lunch on 60/2, with both batsmen surviving rocky beginnings to look assured, an ICC report said.
Philander returned after the break to take Root's outside edge, but Ben Stokes' fluency
at the crease made sure England remained on a steady course. Denly went to his sixth Test half-century but fell just moments later, inside-edging a delivery from debutant Dwaine Pretorius behind to Quinton de Kock.
And so the rot began, with Anrich Nortje removing both Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes in quick succession. Rabada and Philander returned to clean up the tail in expert fashion.
England made a bright start with the ball themselves, with James Anderson striking in his first over for the second time in the match. The 37-year-old nipped one into Aiden Markram's pads from his fifth ball, with a review not saving the opener.
Zubayr Hamza was strangled down the leg side by Stuart Broad and Dean Elgar fell four balls later to Jofra Archer. Faf du Plessis then pulled Archer to deep backward square to leave South Africa 62/4. Anrich Nortje was sent in to participate in nightwatchman duties and managed to survive till the close of play. Despite England's breakthroughs in the evening, South Africa will enter day three with a healthy lead of 175.
