Show only key events Please enable JavaScript to use this feature 31st over: South Africa 92-7 (Verreynne 16, Rabada 0) Anderson comes around the left-handed Rabada but gives too much away and Foakes has to dive at leg to prevent a bye. Also, a double virgin channel. he would have taken it.
WIRELESS! Maharaj lbw b Anderson 0 (South Africa 92-7)
Maharaj had fun at Lord’s, but instead of bowling in his teeth, this time Anderson aims for the sticks, hitting him on the middle of the pad, in front of the waist, as he overbalances trying to adjust to the swing. this time they avoid criticism and rightly so. Jimmy has a hat! Updated at 14.13 BST 31st over: South Africa 92-6 (Verreynne 16, Maharaj 0) Anderson has never made a test in OT BUT HELLO!
REVIEW! STILL OUT!
That was fine Maria, nothing more. Perhaps Hammer hoped he was out of line, more likely he thought it would be best to leave given the state of affairs.
WIRELESS! Harmer lbw b Anderson 2 (South Africa 92-6)
Jimmy Anderson strikes out to put Harmer away. Photo: Jason Cairnduff/Action Images/Reuters This one looks heavy, full, punching in and hitting in front of the waist. Updated at 14.13 BST 30th over: South Africa 92-5 (Verreynne 16, Harmer 2) Harmer takes a single and Robinson finds another good delivery, it comes down high and lands on that length that has the bowlers not sure if they should play forward or to go back. Verreynne does nothing, stuck to the crease and pokes unconvincingly, but when offered width next ball, opens the face and runs down for four. “I would have thought by now that Stokes’ luck would have run out,” says Adrian Page. “I would say his ability and Woakes’ luck would be a cricketer who averages 25 with the bat and 45 with the ball.” I can’t agree with that – the best athletes have timing, and that’s the strength of personality and the strength of skill, I think, not luck. 29th over: South Africa 87-5 (Verreynne 12, Harmer 1) Harmer goes down the middle and charges – what on earth is he thinking? A single like that, with the ball popping up at a nice height and Ben Stokes running at it with three stumps to aim for? But inexplicably, Stokes hurls and somehow misses, so Yearman is off target. 28th over: South Africa 86-5 (Verein 12, Harmer 0) Robinson bowls another no-ball but it’s the only run after another Test. And we learn that the noise we and Gaffaney heard was the bat’s toe catching the pillow. I’m a little surprised it was enough to raise a finger.
REVIEW! NOT OUT!
There was no bat – it wasn’t even close to the ball – but I heard a noise, so it stands to reason that Chris Gaffaney, who got Van der Dussen out earlier, also raised the finger for it.
WIRELESS! Verreynne c Foakes b Robinson 12 (South Africa 85-6)
But Verreynne reviews immediately! 27th over: South Africa 85-5 (Verreynne 12, Harmer 0) It’s Anderson from the other end and he edges Harmer, who is yet to score. sees away a girl quite comfortably. “I once crashed a random wedding with my village cricket team,” confesses James Barnes. “They knew we were hanging out (mostly in shorts) but sportingly decided to let us drink in their open bar. Dance the Baggy Trousers with the father of the bride to boot.” I never did this as a wedding tune, I must say. I’m not surprised they welcomed the extra push. 26th over: South Africa 85-5 (Verreynne 12, Harmer 0) It’s Robinson who puts us away again, and his loosener is wide and on the slot, so Verrenne makes sure to put it away from cover. Stokes chases it down, dives, fingers it away from the rope… and four runs. This game! A two follows, unintentional slip, then two more through the pull, and this is, I think, the most profitable over of the innings so far, eight of it. Updated at 13.58 BST Right, here we go again. It’s sunny now, but do South Africa have the punch to take advantage of the improving conditions? “A simpler and more economical solution to warming pints is to drink faster,” says Martyn Fairbrother in 31 degree Paris, while Jeremy Boyce says: “I can’t understand your surprise there. I’m down in the warm south of France, they only serve halves/25cl here (they’re all yellow) unless you absolutely INSIST on a pint, for that very reason. Obviously it doesn’t matter when you drink bitters, room temperature is fine. Hence our pints there in Blighty. However, I gather that the semi-drinkers your partner identified must have been drinking either laaaaagers or IPAs, which are best served chilled. Also, given the price of a pint (or pretty much anything really) these days, an extra 10p sounds like small beer….” Alternatively, one could take a leaf from Withnail’s encyclopedia. “As a young man growing up in the Midlands,” confesses Deepak Puri, “my partner and I would wear a suit and tie and go to the nearest Indian wedding venue on a Sunday afternoon. We’d go with a little confidence, tell the groom’s side we were with the bride’s side and vice versa, then spend the afternoon eating good food and drinking Black Label. I still can’t do a decent Bhangra, mind.’ Oh, good sir. I believe you were the life and soul. For those asking, here is the TMS overseas link – no longer secreted in the last place you look, but on the main BBC match page. “On the subject of pub nicknames,” says Geoff Wignall, “might I offer an old drinking buddy named Mr Brown, inspired by Reservoir Dogs? Because he always wasted early.” Wonderful things! I have to say, I was wondering if this was going somewhere less lunch friendly. Updated at 13.06 BST 25th over: South Africa 77-5 (Verreynne 4, Harmer 0) Leach continues and Verreynne, whose name might as well be sung in Dolly Parton’s Moeen, cuts hard wide and under the edges… but Foakes stays on the ground! This wasn’t easy, but you’d expect a guard of such skill to grab it. So, given another life, Verreyne gets a single to show, and that’s lunch. England have bowled very well, taking advantage of helpful conditions, although South Africa have not been as consistent as they would have liked. I’ll send out a few emails in a bit and then we’ll meet in 30 or so for the afternoon sesh. 24th over: South Africa 76-5 (Verreynne 2, Harmer 0) Well, we’ll settle this Jansen-Harmer debate sooner than we thought. My pub mate returns, noting a group of men who would only ever order halves rather than the two halves that cost 10p more than a pint. The reasoning was that they wanted their beer as cold as possible from the tap when they drank it. Attention to detail, beautiful. Updated at 13.05 BST
STILL OUT!
The ball tickled the top of the balls in the middle. Referee’s call but tough on Van der Dussen, whose team is all over the place.
REVIEW!
I’m not surprised. It was quite high…
WIRELESS! Van der Dussen lbw b Stokes 16 (South Africa 76-5)
Stokes leaves the crease, flicks it in and beats Van der Dussen on the inside edge of the front pad. the referee waits before giving the finger, but it comes. Ben Stokes dismisses Rassie van der Dussen with delight. Photo: Jason Cairnduff/Action Images/Reuters Updated at 13.03 BST 23rd over: South Africa 75-4 (Van der Dussen 16, Verreynne 2) Stokes tosses the ball to Leach and Van der Dussen hits his first delivery to midwicket for four. They’re the only ones that run at the end, so, back in the 90s, I believe I’m not the only one singing Verreynne’s name on this one. Updated at 13.06 BST 22nd over: South Africa 71-4 (Van der Dussen 11, Verreynne 2) Looking at the wicket again, we see Stokes’ hands on his face as Broad’s was when he took that stunning catch at Trent Bridge – only this time , the shock is in how bad his behavior was. Markram, for his part, will be furious. Updated at 13.06 BST
WIRELESS! Markram c Foakes b Stokes 14 (South Africa 68-4)
Oh, Aiden! Again Stokes goes short, again pulls and again misfires, venting his frustration as Fooks runs to the left to bowl the skier. There’s that human brain again, Stokes’ strawberry-blonde arm again – he knew tradition had no business taking wickets, but he does. Aiden Markram makes a mess of the delivery. Photo: Matt West/REX/Shutterstock Updated at 12.54 BST 22nd over: South Africa 66-3 (Markram 12, Van der Dussen 11) Stokes is brought into the attack and Markram misses his loosener for two, via pull. Updated at 12.47 BST 21st over: South Africa 66-3 (Markram 12, Van der Dussen 11) Markram takes the first ball of Broad’s last over for three to cover the spot, then Van der Dussen is beaten by another beauty, hanging the bat away from the body, even though it does I don’t want to because the human brain cannot be legislated. A no ball follows, turned to midwicket for two that makes three, and the partnership is now 25. These two don’t look comfortable, but they look more than the guys already out. Back to pub nicknames, a mate of mine – hard to believe, I know – grew up in a hostelry and we sometimes order a Ron the Dustman. This was named after Ron the Dustman, a dustman named Ron who was a regular. He would drink half a cider with a splash of lemonade, along with a small glass of white wine, which he drank in alternate sips while constantly combing his hair. 20th over: South Africa 60-3 (Markram 9, Van der Dussen 9) After a leg bye, Anderson offers Van der Dussen some width and he doesn’t have to ask twice, making sure to get his bat and hands just right through the ball, Winning four passed gutter; Here are two more to cover it up as we see Stokes warm up briefly before lunch. “Steven Haslemere’s email about celebrity drinkers reminded me of a gentleman from my youth,” says Greg Campbell, “who was known as the Grim Reaper, such was his ability to appear first at a deceased person’s home to offer his of…
