28th over: South Africa 97-4 (Van der Dussen 29, Nortje 17) Another edge from Nortje, another boundary down to third man. That takes the lead to 200. Anderson – delighted, of course – has a brief word with Nortje at the non-striker’s end. England need something to happen and they need it soon.
27th over: South Africa 92-4 (Van der Dussen 28, Nortje 13) Curran comes round the wicket and discomfits the stubborn Nortje with a couple – there’s a huge appeal after a full one thunders into the back pad but the angle means it’s sliding down. Nortje adds the salt by aiming a drive down the ground and edging wide of slip for the first boundary of the morning.
26th over: South Africa 88-4 (Van der Dussen 28, Nortje 9) Van der Dussen clips Anderson to deep midwicket for three as South Africa continue this steady start. They’ve had a couple of scares – the run-out chance and that review by Nortje – but they’re through the first half hour without loss. Anderson beats Nortje all ends up outside off here but the nightwatchman survives again and is able to turn the next to backward square for a single.
REVIEW! Nortje c Bairstow b Curran 8 (South Africa 84-5))
Curran gets one to rear at Nortje, who fends outside off and sees the ball fly through to Bairstow. The finger goes up but he reviews immediately.
24th over: South Africa 81-4 (Van der Dussen 23, Nortje 7) Van der Dussen takes a bonkers single and would’ve been out by a yard had Sibley hit the stumps after running in from cover. That’s the only notable action from an otherwise tidy enough over from Anderson.
23rd over: South Africa 78-4 (Van der Dussen 21, Nortje 6) An uncomfortable moment for Dom Sibley as he slides in the outfield and his knee jams in the soft turf. He’s wincing for the rest of the over but seems otherwise unhurt. Three from the Curran over.
Ali Martin
(@Cricket_Ali)So in the three Tests since Jonny Bairstow was dropped and told to focus on his batting England’s wicketkeepers have been Jos Buttler, Ollie Pope and now err Jonny Bairstow… ?
22nd over: South Africa 75-4 (Van der Dussen 20, Nortje 4) James Anderson (4-0-19-1) at the other end and Van der Dussen tickles away the first runs of the morning, Anderson straying on to his pads. There’s a yelp of an appeal as VDD shoulders arms outside off and is struck on the pad but there wasn’t quite enough movement back in for Anderson there. He’s clearly looking for an lbw against the upright Van der Dussen, who clips another single to leg, playing around his front pad a little. And from the last Nortje hops and prods uncertainly. Some excellent stuff from Anderson there.
21st over: South Africa 72-4 (Van der Dussen 17, Nortje 4) Sam Curran gets the honour for England, sending down a couple of wide looseners at Nortje before finding his line just outside off. He has the nightwatchman playing and missing at the last. A maiden.
A couple of bits of news: Jos Buttler has joined the England sick ward so Bairstow will take the gloves today. And South Africa’s Aiden Markram has broken a finger – he’s out of the series.
In other news, Jofra Archer has to be careful today after yesterday’s slightly bizarre moment at the very end of the day:
And, if you’re interested in such things, several England players picked up gongs in the new year honours list:
Hello all and welcome to day three of this enthralling Test. It’s all rather nicely poised isn’t it? South Africa lead by 175 with six second-innings wickets remaining. England aren’t quite out of it but will need a flurry of wickets this morning to stay in the game. South Africa, already in the box seat, know that – what? – another 120-odd runs might be all they need. The first few hours today could be spectacular. At least, England will hope they are.
To catch up, here’s Vic Marks on day two:
