Captain Joe Root and prodigy Ollie Pope both hit half-centuries yesterday, putting together a 101-run partnership that took England to 300-7 at lunch on the second day of the fourth Test against South Africa at the Wanderers in Johannesburg.
Root scored 59 and Pope 56 as England moved quickly on from their overnight score of 192-4 before three quick wickets for Anrich Nortje slowed the march.
Pope’s third Test half-century came up in 61 balls before he played on to a delivery from Nortje.
Photo: Reuters
Root was dropped by Proteas captain Faf du Plessis in Nortje’s next over, but it did not prove costly as the England skipper was out soon after for the addition of 5 more runs when he got a healthy edge to Nortje and was taken by wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock.
Sam Curran followed next ball, swinging wildly at the first delivery he faced.
Jos Buttler (16) and Chris Woakes (19) were not out at lunch.
Earlier on Friday, Ben Stokes apologized for his angry exchange with a fan, but claimed that he was the victim of “repeated abuse.”
Stokes described his reaction at the Wanderers as “unprofessional,” but English cricket chiefs claimed that staff and players were also subjected to “personal abuse during and after the day’s play.”
Stokes stopped briefly as he left the field after being dismissed for 2 and appeared to challenge a spectator, who evidently insulted him.
“Come say that to me outside the ground, you fucking four-eyed c**t,” Stokes said.
Witnesses told the Guardian that a middle-aged man had targeted Stokes, allegedly calling him a “ginger c**t” and likening him to pop star Ed Sheeran.
“I wish to apologise for my language that was heard on the live broadcast today after my dismissal. I should not have reacted in that way,” Stokes said in a statement released on Twitter. “As I was leaving the playing area, I was subjected to repeated abuse from the crowd. I admit that my reaction was unprofessional, and I sincerely apologise for the language I used, especially to the many young fans watching the live telecast around the world.”
Stokes could face disciplinary action for uttering an audible obscenity, which is a level 1 offense in the International Cricket Council’s code of conduct.
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