London 19th August : In the midst of the partnership of 85 runs between captain Dean Elgar and Sarel Erwee and a middle order re-fight led by Marco Jansen and Keshav Maharaj, South Africa took a lead of 124 runs against England on the second day of the first Test at Lord’s. After squeezing the hosts for a meager 165 in only 45 overs in the first session of Day 2.South Africa skipper Elgar and Erwee put up a steady innings of 47 and respectively, giving the hosts a strong beginning, with Jansen and Maharaj continuing to build on it with the same scores of 41 each.
Prior to that, South Africa were quick to finish England’s score in the initial session, allowing only 49 runs to the remaining four wickets.
Kagiso Rabada hit in the fifth over of the day to take out the only batter who was recognized in Ollie Pope, who scored 73.Pope was lured by an open delivery and then smashed it over the stumps.The pacer hit Stuart Broad with a slower ball in his next over, sending straight into the arms of Dean Elgar at point.
Marco Jansen brought an end to Jack Leach’s brief entertaining innings that consisted of three boundaries, before Rabada took James Anderson in front of the stumps to finish his five-for and bring England out for 165.
The openers of South Africa batted the remaining 12 overs of the morning session with caution, and escaped to lunch with a score of 27/0.The tourists were out with an aggressive approach, building boundaries on a surface that was beginning to soften and become more comfortable for batsmanship.
With both batters on, England needed luck to succeed in breaking the partnership.James Anderson’s delivery smashed Elgar’s thigh pad on the forearm.
The South African captain could only be watching in pain as the ball crashed onto the stumps.
Elgar was unable to reach his fifty by just three runs, however Sarel Erwee on the other side ensured that South Africa did not lose any momentum as he put up a steady fifty.
On the other side, Keegan Petersen’s indifferent stay at the crease eventually ended as Matthew Potts induced an edge to slide.
The tea break was an error in concentration in South Africa as Aiden Markram hit a loose shot in the second over of the session, which caused him to lose the ball off the wicketkeeper.
Ben Stokes’ decision to play his best and he took two wickets in two overs, including the one of Erwee for 73.The Proteas were unable to string together partnerships, in the course of play as England continued to put pressure on with some tense bowling.Stuart Broad got on the wickets’ side when he scalped Kyle Verreynne in his second over before he returned to the attack.
Despite the lead South Africa were in a position of difficulty at 210/6.
Then, with the England bowlers exhausted after an exhausting day in the field, Keshav Maharaj and Marco Jansen made boundaries to increase the lead.The seventh wicket stand of 72 runs ended at the end of stumps with Maharaj’s wicket, but the visitors ended the day with a comfortable advantage of just 124 runs.
Brief score: England 1st innings 165 in 45 overs (Ollie Robinson 73; Kagiso Rabada 5/52, Anrich Nortje 3/63) against South Africa 289/7 in 77 overs (Dean Elgar 47, Sarel Erwee 73, Marco Jansen 41 not out, Keshav Maharaj 41).
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