But fast bowler Rabada struck with the new ball in the penultimate over of the day when a full-length delivery, which surprised Stokes, smashed into the base of the stumps and bowled the left-handed batsman for 58. Rabada, banned from the second Test for swearing at Stokes in the series opener, yelled in joy. He finished the day with figures of two for 52 in 18 overs, but the worth of South Africa’s efforts with the ball will only become fully apparent when they bat.
Jonny Bairstow, who might have fallen for four, was 33 not out and nightwatchman Toby Roland-Jones unbeaten on nought at the close. For the tenth successive Test, England captain Joe Root made a fifty. But only two of those innings have yielded hundreds and Root, who has previously acknowledged his ‘conversion rate’ as a failing in his otherwise impressive game, was out for 52 yesterday.
England were unchanged from the side that triumphed in The Oval’s 100th Test, a result that left Root on the brink of a win in his first series as England captain at 2-1 up with one to play. But South Africa recalled seamer Duanne Olivier and batsman Theunis de Bruyn after pacemen Vernon Philander and Chris Morris were both ruled out with lower back strains.
Root again won the toss and batted. But struggling opener Keaton Jennings fell for 17. The South Africa-born left-hander, under pressure for his place after just one fifty in nine Test innings since a century on debut against India in December, was caught behind by schoolboy teammate Quinton de Kock off Olivier.
The Essex duo of Alastair Cook (46) and Tom Westley (29) both exited after lunch with England on 92.
Cook got a thin edge driving at left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj and was caught behind.
Westley, fresh from a second-innings fifty on debut at The Oval, nicked a good length Rabada ball, with de Kock holding a superb diving catch for his 100th Test dismissal. Dawid Malan was looking for a big score after managing just 11 runs during his Test debut at The Oval.
Morne Morkel, however, saw off Malan, born in London but raised in South Africa, when the Middlesex left-hander edged a drive to Proteas captain Faf du Plessis at second slip. Morkel has repeatedly bowled well this series without proper reward.
Another example of his bad luck came when Root edged the towering quick on 40, only for de Kock to inexplicably remain rooted to the spot for what was his catch. De Kock’s anguished expression as the ball went through the slips for four spoke volumes.
Fortunately for de Kock, it was not an expensive error, with Olivier the beneficiary of a misjudgement by Root, lbw, to end a 101-ball stay. During his innings Root, at 26 years and 217 days, became the third youngest player after Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar (25 years, 301 days) and Cook (26 years and 10 days) to score 5,000 Test runs.
There was confusion when Bairstow appeared to be caught for four off Maharaj only for umpire Kumar Dharmasena to eventually ask for a review of Dean Elgar’s slip catch. Despite seemingly insufficient evidence to change an on-field ‘soft signal’ of out, third umpire Joel Wilson ruled in England’s favour. Stokes completed an 89-ball fifty before Rabada’s late strike.
England deny South Africa approach for Gibson
The England and Wales Cricket Board said yesterday they had not received any approach from their South Africa counterparts for Ottis Gibson amid reports he was poised to become the Proteas’ new head coach.
England bowling coach Gibson was linked with the post by several British media outlets during yesterday’s first day of the fourth Test against South Africa at Old Trafford. The current contract of South Africa head coach Russell Domingo expires at the end of this tour.
However, an ECB statement issued yesterday said no approach for Gibson had yet been received, while leaving the door ajar for a move when the series-ending fourth Test is finished. “We have had no approach from Cricket South Africa,” it said. “We will not listen to any approaches until after the current series has concluded.”
The 48-year-old Gibson is in his second spell working with England’s pacemen after four years as head coach of his native West Indies from 2010-14. Former West Indies fast bowler Gibson rejoined England’s coaching staff two years ago.
England, 2-1 up against South Africa, start a new Test series against the West Indies later this month
The ECB would, at the very latest, want any vacancy in their backroom team filled before this year’s Ashes tour of Australia.
Scoreboard
England I Innings
A. Cook c de Kock b Maharaj 46
K. Jennings c de Kock b Olivier 17
T. Westley c de Kock b Rabada 29
J. Root lbw b Olivier 52
D. Malan c du Plessis b Morkel 18
B. Stokes b Rabada 58
J. Bairstow not out 33
T. Roland-Jones not out 0
Extras (b5, lb1, nb1) 7
Total (6 wkts, 90 overs, 356 mins) 260
To bat: M Ali, S Broad, J Anderson
Fall of wickets: 1-35 (Jennings), 2-92 (Cook), 3-92 (Westley), 4-144 (Malan), 5-187 (Root), 6-252 (Stokes)
Bowling: Morkel 19-4-58-1; Rabada 18-5-52-2; Olivier 19-3-72-2; Maharaj 29-9-54-1; De Bruyn 5-0-18-0 (1nb)
South Africa XI: Dean Elgar, Heino Kuhn, Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock (wkt), Faf du Plessis (capt), Temba Bavuma, Theunis de Bruyn, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Morne Morkel, Duanne Olivier
Toss: England