Ben Stokes yesterday took the attack to South Africa after Alastair Cook fell in sight of a century on the second day of the third Test at The Oval in London.
England were 269-6 at lunch, with Stokes 64 not out and Moeen Ali unbeaten on 10.
Stokes shared stands of 63 and 75 with Cook and Jonny Bairstow respectively, as England capitalized on Vernon Philander’s prolonged absence during another overcast morning that should have suited the key paceman.
Photo: AFP
Philander had enjoyed a superb return of 2-17 in 12 overs in between bouts of stomach illness on Thursday’s rain-marred first day, but he bowled just five more overs before leaving the field yesterday and did not return before lunch.
England had been criticized by several former captains for some slap-dash batting in a huge 340-run defeat by South Africa at Trent Bridge in Nottingham that saw the Proteas level the four-match series at 1-1, but Stokes, in the 100th Test at The Oval, got the balance right yesterday morning, the all-rounder aggressive against the old ball and watchful when the new one arrived.
England resumed on 171-4, with Cook 82 not out and Stokes 21 not out.
However, Cook had added just six runs to his score when he was trapped leg before wicket by fast bowler Morne Morkel for 88, made in a near five-hour innings that saw the former skipper face 200 balls and hit 10 fours.
Already, England’s all-time leading Test run-scorer, the innings saw Cook move past Australia great Allan Border into ninth place on the all-time list.
Cook was in sight of his 31st Test century when he played back to Morkel, bowling from around the wicket. The left-handed opener reviewed umpire Joel Wilson’s decision, but replays showed the ball clipping the top of the stumps.
Left-hander Stakes, who made a Test-best 258 against South Africa in Cape Town last year, then dismissively pulled Morkel for four.
Runs were flowing, with Stokes pulling fast bowler Kagiso Rabada over mid-on to complete a 72-ball half-century with his seventh four, but the new ball did the trick for the Proteas when Bairstow, on 36, edged a lifting Rabada delivery to second slip, where South Africa captain Faf du Plessis held a sharp catch.
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