South Africa vs England: Fourth Test, day two - live score and latest updates from Johannesburg
England post 400 before tearing through South Africa's batting lineup to leave Proteas on 88/6 at stumps
South Africa vs England, fourth Test: live scoreboard in full
WICKET! Nortje c Denly b Wood 6 - STUMPS
Inside edge by de Kock somehow avoids the stumps, well stopped by Buttler. Adds another single past square leg.
But now the nightwatchman goes! Edged to the extra slip in Denly and that will be that for today! FOW 88/6
Stumps called - a rampant day for England with bat and ball, getting up to 400 after an 82-run 10th wicket partnership from Mark Wood and Stuart Broad.
And now England have ripped through South Africa's battling lineup, with only de Kock left standing and South Africa six wickets down going into day three.
OVER 41: SA 87/5 (de Kock 31* Nortje 6*)
Too wide from Stokes and de Kock helps it along with a pull shot for four. Fine leg couldn't get there. He then adds a single.
OVER 40: SA 82/5 (de Kock 26* Nortje 6*)
Single for de Kock through the covers. Wood is still screaming them down, up to 93mph. And we've got a streaker on the pitch, quickly seen to by security.
OVER 39: SA 81/5 (de Kock 25* Nortje 6*)
Nortje does so well to block a bouncing Stokes delivery. Took that well. And another! Why send him out for this? Baffled why that happened.
Gets two runs for his troubles.
OVER 38: SA 78/5 (de Kock 24* Nortje 4*)
Nortje in as a nightwatchman. Hmmm. There's still 20 minutes left. De Kock left standing at the other end, unsurprisingly. Easily SA's best batsman. This is a grim ask of Nortje.
Well played, flicked off his pads first ball for four through the leg side.
FIVE DOWN!
Wood has another one! He finds Bavuma's outside edge, Stokes takes a good low catch and South Africa are 74-5.
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WICKET! Bavuma c Stokes b Wood 6
Edged and drops short... no given! The soft signal's out. First reaction is hadn't carried. Let's take a look. It's in! Amazing grab really. Proteas in real trouble. FOW 74/5
OVER 37: SA 74/4 (de Kock 24* Bavuma 6*)
Another maiden! Stokes this time. Breaking this partnership before the close of play would be a major blow for England to land.
OVER 36: SA 74/4 (de Kock 24* Bavuma 6*)
Wood still bowling into the 90s. We have 13 overs left.
OVER 35: SA 73/4 (de Kock 23* Bavuma 6*)
So close to an edge by Bavuma, Broad wincing as the ball just about gets past the bat untouched. Another beauty! Cutting in, somehow past the stumps! More threat there from England.
OVER 34: SA 70/4 (de Kock 21* Bavuma 5*)
And now a maiden for Woakes, his 10th. Feels as though we're just meandering to the end of the day here.
OVER 33: SA 70/4 (de Kock 21* Bavuma 5*)
Just a single for Bavuma. We have 16 overs of play left. England's lead is 330.
OVER 32: SA 69/4 (de Kock 21* Bavuma 4*)
Couple of singles and then de Kock times a drive down the ground very well past mid off. Woakes with good figures though so far after nine overs, 1-16 with four maidens.
OVER 31: SA 63/4 (de Kock 16* Bavuma 3*)
Another maiden for Broad, his third of this innings. This partnership really does feel pivotal, in terms of the batting ability left after Bavuma.
Top 5 batsman 1st innings false shots:
England - 16.8%
South Africa - 24.1%
South Africa's top 5 have not been disciplined enough, as the score reflects.#SAvENG— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) January 25, 2020
OVER 30: SA 62/4 (de Kock 16* Bavuma 2*)
Bavuma in, five slips, and he plays it well square for two runs to get off the mark straight away.
WICKET! du Plessis lbw Woakes 3
Faf back on his stumps, and gets caught on the pad! Given out, but was height an issue? Possibly. No bat on it, that's for sure. Umpire's call! That's brutal. Du Plessis goes. FOW 60/4
OVER 29: SA 60/3 (de Kock 16* du Plessis 3*)
Nice stroke through midwicket by de Kock, who has started well. No more runs.
OVER 28: SA 56/3 (de Kock 12* du Plessis 3*)
Maiden from Woakes and it's time for drinks. Weather looks superb at the Wanderers.
OVER 27: SA 56/3 (de Kock 12* du Plessis 3*)
Straight from Curran and then one drifts slightly towards the leg side, clipped for a single by Faf to bring up the 50.
Nice shot by De Kock, cut wide of the slips for four more. Curran tiring a little maybe after seven overs as de Kock adds two more.
OVER 26: SA 49/3 (de Kock 6* du Plessis 2*)
De Kock gets off the mark with a flick off his pads square for two runs. Stokes hunting a second wicket. Up and on the drive by de Kock! That was nice. Away it goes through cover.
OVER 25: SA 43/3 (de Kock 0* du Plessis 2*)
Some emergency rebuilding work required here from the captain and de Kock. Who better, really, given their experience. Curran with a maiden.
WICKET! Elgar c Woakes b Stokes 26
Stokes pace is up, and Faf looks to nick the ball with his glove as it flies past Buttler for four.
Right. Elgar just produced maybe the worst shot of the series. An absolute dolly to Woakes at point. What the hell was he thinking? Utterly bizarre. Completely wasteful. The Proteas are wilting. Even Stokes looked embarrassed. FOW 43/3
OVER 23: SA 42/2 (Elgar 26* du Plessis 1*)
Faf off the mark with a single towards fine leg. Cracker of a ball from Curran to Elgar, who seemed to be indicating that he just couldn't see it with the low sun.
Popular man, that Chris Woakes.
OVER 22: SA 41/2 (Elgar 26* du Plessis 0*)
In comes the South Africa captain - but for how long? Been an impressive start from England's bowlers. Almost forgot that Anderson and Archer weren't available.
Elgar! Lucky. Edged into the gap where England just had a mad in the cordon and it goes for four.
WICKET! van der Dussen c Stokes b Curran 0
Curran shaping a few balls in towards the stumps. And that's a lovely take by Stokes! Across his body, at slip, Proteas are two down. FOW 37/2
OVER 20: SA 37/1 (Elgar 22* van der Dussen 0*)
Well played by Elgar, tucking the ball into the covers. Was over-pitched and he welcomed it. Edged by Elgar but low along the ground and it beats the cordon. Four more to third man too. Good over.
OVER 19: SA 29/1 (Elgar 14* van der Dussen 0*)
News that you knew: Wood is very quick. Stokes next with the ball.
WICKET!
England have their first after a sustained spell of pressure - Wood picking up Malan (15) caught behind.
�� Watch #SAvENG live: https://t.co/vjFjV8u51O
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WICKET! Malan c Buttler b Wood 15
No wicket but this is good bowling. Better lengths, a good amount of short balls. Bouncy pitch. Just have to be patient really.
Edged, just short of Crawley at gully! Swing by Wood played a part in that stroke.
And now he gets rewarded! Edged and gone through to Buttler. Nearly a no ball with Wood's footwork, but it stands and that's richly deserved. FOW 29/1
South Africa were 13-0 after 15 overs. The joint-sixth lowest 15-over score since Cricinfo ball-by-ball records began (2001), in almost 3000 innings; also the lowest 15-over score by SA in that time, and the lowest conceded by England. #SAvENG
— Andy Zaltzman (@ZaltzCricket) January 25, 2020
OVER 18: SA 28/0 (Elgar 13* Malan 15*)
Single for Malan, followed by a hard hit down the ground by Elgar just past Woakes' hand for one more. Full length, shaping away, leads to an appeal by England for an edge. It was so close. Buttler wasn't convinced, Root really was. Maybe bat on pad? No review by England.
Full story here on Ben Stokes' punishment from Nick Hoult.
OVER 17: SA 26/0 (Elgar 12* Malan 14*)
Up and over the top from Malan, the cordon stand there, hands on hips. He then adds a single.
Huge edge! Flicks to Buttler's right and he just can't get to it, fingertips, ball died on him. So close. Four runs from that as it races away.
Chris Woakes is getting the Kookaburra ball to talk here and is looking threatening. He currently averages 56 runs per dismissal with the Kookaburra in hand. #SAvENG
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) January 25, 2020
OVER 16: SA 17/0 (Elgar 8* Malan 9*)
Runs! Patience rewarded, thick edge, no gully there and it flies through the gap to the boundary by Elgar. Malan works hard to get out of the way of some zinging deliveries by Wood.
OVER 15: SA 13/0 (Elgar 4* Malan 9*)
Another maiden, this time for Wood. 11 runs from 90 balls now for the two openers. Digging. In.
Dean Elgar has been uncharacteristically loose outside his off stump in this innings, playing 26.3% false shots.
Much higher than his career average of 14.1%.#SAvENG— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) January 25, 2020
OVER 14: SA 13/0 (Elgar 4* Malan 9*)
Slightly slower ball by Woakes and that encourages Elgar into an almighty swing and miss. Could have been disastrous.
Maiden.
News on Ben Stokes: Stokes receives a demerit point and is fined 15 percent of his match fee after being charged for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct by using an audible obscenity in a verbal altercation with a fan at the Wanderers.
OVER 13: SA 13/0 (Elgar 4* Malan 9*)
Right then, after that admirable stand from Elgar and Malan, what can they do after tea...
Wood starts us off with his second over. Malan gets a couple, cut off out at long leg. And that's it. Wood getting up to 93mph.
TEA: SA 11/0 trail ENG by 389 runs in the first innings
SA survive until tea. They can't check out for the day but that's me done. Ben Coles will take you through the final session until stumps.
OVER 12: SA 11/0 (Elgar 4* Malan 7*)
Well, after the fireworks at the end of England's innings this is quite different cricket. And that is what is great about Test cricket. Even if this isn't the most absorbing passage of play I have ever seen. Woakes bowls a wide full one outside off but Elgar has a waft but misses. That was awful. Truly. No foot movement and just threw his hands at it. We are approaching tea and these openers will desperately want to get there without loss. And they do. That's tea.
OVER 11: SA 10/0 (Elgar 4* Malan 6*)
Time for Mark Wood. He's already had a big role to play with the bat, can he do something with the ball? The first ball is fended away by Elgar for a single but the remainder of the over is pretty tight and in the high-80s. Nice and straight. The final ball of the over is 91mph and Malan takes a quick single from it.
OVER 10: SA 8/0 (Elgar 3* Malan 5*)
Woakes bowling a tight line here, and beats the outside edge of Malan, who play/leaves one outside off. I think it was a genuine attempt, in fairness to Woakes. Woakes's second over is also a maiden. 2-2-0-0 for him so far today.
OVER 9: SA 8/0 (Elgar 3* Malan 5*)
A quick single is run off the second ball, Malan running to the strikers end and it was close but he'd have been had the ball hit the stumps. It didn't. Broad, I think, trying to get that outswing to the right-hander, pitching it on middle and off. Too often straying onto leg, though. Malan tucks one away that was on his pads for a single. Five overs for only five runs from Broad and his lines are much better.
OVER 8: SA 6/0 (Elgar 2* Malan 4*)
Chris Woakes to replace Sam Curran. He had a decent 32 with the bat earlier today. His first over with the ball is nice and tidy. It's another maiden. The Beard Liberation Front will be pleased at the state of his facial hair. SA plodding along here at less than a run an over.
OVER 7: SA 6/0 (Elgar 2* Malan 4*)
Some of the lines have been questionable but not many hittable balls from the opening bowlers here. Broad's fourth over goes for a single to Malan.
OVER 6: SA 5/0 (Elgar 2* Malan 3*)
Malan pulls one out to long leg for a single. Very tight start from Curran, though.
OVER 5: SA 4/0 (Elgar 2* Malan 2*)
A couple of singles conceded in the first two balls but this is a bit better from Broad, even if he is still a little scattergun and is straying down leg side far too much. The final ball cuts Elgar in two! Just nipping past the inside edge with perfect seam position.
OVER 4: SA 2/0 (Elgar 1* Malan 1*)
Curran's line, however, is much more threatening. It's straighter, anyway. He gets a bit of shape into Malan, who is struck on the back pad. A strangled appeal for LBW doesn't last long. Still, it's a decent start for Curran and he's perhaps getting Malan in two minds with his natural line and shape.
OVER 3: SA 2/0 (Elgar 1* Malan 1*)
Broad struggling with his line in this over. A little too far wide on the off side, then down leg. Not an especially threatening start from England's second highest Test wicket taker. He ends the over with another ball down the leg side. I'd be tempted to sack him off and get Mark Wood on straight away. Who says that he HAS to bowl five overs when opening? It's not a rule.
It's a maiden, but a pretty poor one.
OVER 2: SA 2/0 (Elgar 1* Malan 1*)
Sam Curran takes the other end with the new ball. He's getting it to angle in a little. Malan gets off the mark with a single, tucked off his pads and turned towards square. Elgar gets off the mark next ball, too. Malan is straightened up by one next up, though as he was caught on the crease and, to be fair, it was a ball he could have left.
OVER 1: SA 0/0 (Elgar 0* Malan 0*)
A maiden from Stuart Broad to begin. Not much danger bar one that nipped back and struck Malan high on his back pad. It drew an optimistic appeal.
SA about to start their first innings
Elgar and Malan the openers. Broad, fresh from his best innings for some time, will take the new ball.
Bully for Broad
That was Stuart Broad's highest Test score since his 56 against Australia in the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne, 2017.
END OF INNINGS: ENG 400ao
England will be delighted with that. 400 runs on the board and SA chasing their tails at various points in the day, especially towards the end of the innings. An 82 run partnership for the 10th wicket, a record at the Wanderers and at 9.84 runs an over too.
WICKET! Broad b Paterson c Malan 43
Paterson bowls a very hittable ball to Broad and his powerful short arm jab goes for four to move him into the 40s and England to 400. The fun ends next ball though, as a shorter ball is top edged and Pieter Malan takes a simple catch. FOW 400ao
4⃣0⃣0⃣ AND OUT!
England finally all out after final-wicket stand of Broad (43) and Wood (35no) fires 82 from 50 balls!
�� Watch #SAvENG live: https://t.co/vjFjV8u51O
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OVER 98: ENG 396/9 (Broad 39* Wood 35*)
Well, the run rate has slowed a little to just 8.4 for this partnership, having been up at 11 after four overs. England are racing towards 400. Whether they will be able to get there is another matter. Broad nails another pull over the midwicket boundary for his fifth six. He tries the same to a slower ball from Hendricks next time but pulls out of it. It lands short of the deep midwicket fielder and he takes a single. Hendricks sends one down the leg side and it's poor. It goes for four leg byes.
This is now the equal most sixes Stuart Broad has hit in a Test innings. Just to cap it all off Wood goes into one day mode, frees his arms and bunts one over the deep cover boundary for six! Astonishing stuff.
OVER 97: ENG 377/9 (Broad 31* Wood 28*)
Few singles still trickling in, lots of yorkers. Bit surprised that Broad isn't getting more short treatment, given we all know he's not a fan.
We've reached drinks! As this has gone on for a bit longer than expected, Luke Slater is coming back for the rest of this session. I'll return later on.
OVER 96: ENG 374/9 (Broad 29* Wood 27*)
Single blocked towards leg gully by Broad. 400? Surely not... right? Wide from Hendricks. This is getting a bit desperate.
A few wild swings, mind, from the tailenders.
OVER 95: ENG 370/9 (Broad 27* Wood 26*)
The party's almost over, surely. Wood with a single, before Broad somehow survives a yorker. One more six for Broad and the 50 partnership off 27 balls!
Extraordinary batting from these two, with Broad adding a single.
OVER 94: ENG 362/9 (Broad 20* Wood 25*)
Wood gets in on the act, cutting one low between the gap at the slips for a boundary. That's 350. Wood then cracks one down the ground for four more! Tailender glory, this.
Another six! Wood loves batting in South Africa. He doesn't want to come home. Thumped over square into the undercover seats. This is awful from the Proteas. A 43-run partnership, and counting. Single from Wood to keep the strike.
Proteas bowling, Nortje aside, has been embarrassing. No pace, no aggression, very little control and almost no variation. Pathetic. #SAvENG
— Craig Ray (@craigray11) January 25, 2020
OVER 93: ENG 347/9 (Broad 20* Wood 10*)
Broad the batsman lives! Six down the ground. Glorious. Beats the rope at long on. Might end up sneaking to 350 here after all. Two more for Broad after a misfield by Pretorius.
Pull shot by Broad brings up another six! Faf must be seething. Went miles back, right out of the middle.
OVER 92: ENG 333/9 (Broad 6* Wood 10*)
Broad won't want the strike, but Wood certainly does. Chance to add more. Even getting over 325 feels like a victory.
Broad! Lovely! Throws his bat at one and it flies over midwicket for four more. A vision of his former prowess with the bat. Gets a single to fine leg.
Nice analysis of the pace from Nortje that caught Woakes out.
OVER 91: ENG 328/9 (Broad 1* Wood 10*)
Not expecting Wood and Broad to be around for too long. Wood with a nice drive but unfortunately straight into the stumps at the other end.
Wood chops at one for six! Superb! Up and over point, lovely stuff.
WICKET! Woakes c du Plessis b Nortje 32
Woakes catches one on the glove. Was almost as though he didn't see it coming. Bounced off his hand back onto his pad. Responds by chopping one past gully for two runs.
And then gone! Woakes flashes as it and Du Plessis makes no mistake this time in the slips. Nortje gets his five-fer! Well deserved too. FOW 318/9
Anrich Nortje: easily SA's player of the series, no?
— George Dobell (@GeorgeDobell1) January 25, 2020
5⃣ FOR NORTJE!
A maiden five-wicket haul in Tests for Nortje as he gets Woakes (32) on the drive - a thick outside edge to Du Plessis at second slip.
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OVER 89: ENG 316/8 (Woakes 30* Wood 1*)
Beauty from Philander, good length and just fades away. England on the cusp of the average first innings total here at the Wanderers, which is 319.
First one shaped away and now Philander curves it back in. Tough period this for Wood. Where will the ball go next? Maiden, and a fine one too.
OVER 88: ENG 316/8 (Woakes 30* Wood 1*)
Shot. Woakes cracks another one through the leg side for four. Over-pitched by Nortje and Woakes obliges, waiting and executing.
That one leapt up, Wood ducking as the ball sails over his head. And then he gets off the mark with a single through square.
When Woakes isn’t in the side is easy to forget how good he is at batting. That shot through wide mid wicket was lush
— Peter Miller (@TheCricketGeek) January 25, 2020
OVER 87: ENG 310/8 (Woakes 25* Wood 0*)
The run of dots ends with a Woakes single, cut towards point. Wood edges the last but it drops short of the slips!
OVER 86: ENG 309/8 (Woakes 24* Wood 0*)
Nortje running in hard, up to 91mph. Was a very sharp catch that by Elgar, considering where he ran from and securing it over his shoulder. Buttler's highest score in this series? 29 in the first innings in Cape Town.
Maiden for Nortje. A few Faf de Klerks in the stands.
OVER 85: ENG 309/8 (Woakes 24* Wood 0*)
Wood survives the first ball. South Africa want this cleaned up in a hurry.
WICKET! Buttler c Elgar b Philander 20
Swing and a miss from Buttler first ball, hint of movement away. Dangerous. He flicks one round the corner to fine leg, Nortje scrambling round to the stop the boundary.
But then Buttler skies one! Never got hold of it, up in the air for an age and caught by Elgar at point over his shoulder. Covered lots of ground. England eight down. Feel like we've seen that kind of innings from Buttler a lot recently. FOW 309/8
That was weird #SAvENG
— Peter Miller (@TheCricketGeek) January 25, 2020
OVER 84: ENG 307/7 (Woakes 24* Buttler 18*)
He looks so sharp. Gets plenty of bounce off one delivery which Woakes evades. Crowd's filling up, which is nice. Woakes' punch to the boundary at past midwicket? Even nicer.
OVER 83: ENG 303/7 (Woakes 20* Buttler 18*)
Three off the over. One sharp leave from Buttler to a ball shaping back in. Not tons of a danger from the new ball, yet, but here comes Nortje hunting a five-fer.
We're back from lunch
Hello! Right then, 350 would really suit England here. New ball now in play, however. Philander gets a go first, a final Test remember for the big man.
Wickets have come in bunches here at the Wanderers, unfortunately. So hold on to your hats.
LUNCH: ENG 300/7
Not a terrible session for either side. Pope and Root batted superbly in the first hour before three wickets in five overs pegged England back quickly. Buttler and Woakes got through to Lunch scoring 31 runs at 3.87 runs an over since they came together. Nortje the pick of the bowlers for SA. England eyeing 350. If Buttler plays himself into form - not easy to do - then the second session could be fun.
That's me done for a bit, Ben Coles will take over after lunch.
OVER 82: ENG 300/7 (Woakes 19* Buttler 16*)
Hendricks the man with the new ball in his hand at the other end. Woakes is beaten second ball before looping up an outside edge through point for four. It's not where he wanted it to go but he'll take it. A single brings Buttler on strike, who gets lucky with an edge through the slips. It was well short of third/fourth slip. Again, he'll take it. 17 runs in the last two overs...
England get to 300 and that'll be lunch.
OVER 81: ENG 290/7 (Woakes 12* Buttler 14*)
New ball not taken, though. Pretorius continues and is getting a bit of movement away. Just as yesterday was a day split into two contrasting halves, this session has been, too. Pope and Root scoring at a great lick before drinks, three wickets lost since with SA back in the game.
Pretorius gets the new ball half way through the over. The first delivery with it is a poor one, full and on the pads, Woakes flicks it away for four through square leg. The final ball of the over jumps a bit off the surface and surprises Buttler, who inside edges behind square on the leg side for a single.
OVER 80: ENG 283/7 (Woakes 7* Buttler 11*)
Buttler is trying to dig in here. He's not in the best form. It's fair to say that Joe Root was not happy about his dismissal. Nor should he be. It was a wasteful shot.
Two from Hendricks's over, new ball available...
OVER 79: ENG 281/7 (Woakes 6* Buttler 10*)
Second new ball available in two overs. Lunch at 10.45 UK time. Probably a couple of overs with it before the interval. These two just need to bat sensibly and get England to as many as possible. Easier said than done, mind. Pretorius's over is a maiden, his third in total. England with another rebuilding job here. Two hundred run partnerships but not much else.
OVER 78: ENG 281/7 (Woakes 6* Buttler 10*)
Woakes plays a lovely on-drive off the returning Hendricks, down the ground and to the long leg boundary. Just a push but it fairly raced away.
OVER 77: ENG 275/7 (Woakes 1* Buttler 9*)
Buttler glances one around the corner for four from Pretorius. Can England get to 300 here? Probably, but it might not be a great deal more than that.
OVER 76: ENG 271/7 (Woakes 1* Buttler 5*)
Nortje's next over is pretty spicy. Well into the 90s again. Just the two runs off it but Woakes is off the mark at least.
OVER 75: ENG 269/7 (Woakes 0* Buttler 4*)
The upper order did a lot of hard work yesterday and Pope and Root likewise today. But it has been potentially thrown away. The dismissal was very Root-ish. Getting to 50-odd and then getting out with a waft outside off. You never think he's going to punish you after he's dropped, as he was today. Is it a mental issue with Root? A temperament one? Or a technique one?
He has been excellent this morning
Nortje you machine!
— Dale Steyn (@DaleSteyn62) January 25, 2020
OVER 74: ENG 269/7 (Woakes 0* Buttler 4*)
Well, 30 minutes ago it was looking like England might be heading to the new ball with two well set batsmen at the crease and hoping for 350+. Now they are seven down with two new batsmen at the crease and will have to face the new ball with the lower order freshly in. That was really poor from Root, though. He'll be furious.
WICKET! Curran b Nortje c de Kock 0
Sam Curran the next man in but he's not in long. It's a really wide one and he doesn't move his feet, chucks his hands at it and gets an edge through to de Kock. A first baller. Two in two for Nortje but that was poor cricket from Curran. FOW 269/7
FIRST-BALLER! ��
Curran slashes Nortje behind to fall for a golden duck - the South Africa seamer is on a hat-trick...
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WICKET! Root b Nortje c de Kock 59
South Africa much, much better after drinks so far. Nortje tries a short one and Root uppercuts a quick one - 146km/h - over the slips for a one bounce four. The next one sneaks by the outside edge. I wouldn't say Root is living dangerously here but he's not far off. He played at one he shouldn't have there, though.
He doesn't learn his lesson, wafts at another one outside off and edges a simple catch to de Kock behind the stumps. That is not the sort of shot a captain should be playing after having just narrowly missed one a ball before, having been dropped an over or two before, with a new man in and his team in a good position. Oh well. FOW 269/6.
WICKET! ������������������
Root was dropped by Du Plessis on 53 - but falls on 59 after snicking Nortje behind to De Kock.
England 269-6 at Wanderers.
�� Watch #SAvENG live: https://t.co/vjFjV8u51O
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OVER 73: ENG 265/5 (Root 55* Buttler 4*)
Pretorius with a decent over, just one from it. Gets one to go through past Buttler's inside edge first up. Not much foot movement there from Buttler as he attempted a drive.
OVER 72: ENG 264/5 (Root 54* Buttler 4*)
Dropped! Nortje is cranking the speeds up this over, well into the 90s. Root flashes at one outside off, it goes straight into Faf du Plessis' hands at slip but he falls down to his right and drops it! That was a gilt-edged chance. Root should have been gone, there. That's a 9/10 chance.
OVER 71: ENG 263/5 (Root 53* Buttler 4*)
Just the single off Pretorius's next over. England nine overs away from facing the new ball. Say they score 27 runs in that time, takes them to nearly 300. They could have some fun flaying the new ball about with Buttler at the crease? Maybe? There's not really much in the pitch.
OVER 70: ENG 262/5 (Root 52* Buttler 4*)
Jos Buttler is the next man in. He has struggled with the bat. Nortje gets a bit too full after three dot balls to the keeper batsman and Butler pushes it through the covers for four to get off the mark. Lovely shot.
WICKET! Pope b Nortje 56
First ball after the drinks break and Pope tries to leave one - after thinking about playing - from Nortje outside off but he can't get his bat away quickly enough and it comes off the edge and cannons down into the stumps. South Africa have the breakthrough they needed! A good first hour for England and a fine innings - again - from Pope. FOW 258/5
WICKET!
Pope (56) chops Nortje on to his stumps looking to leave as his partnership with Root ends at 101.
�� Watch #SAvENG live: https://t.co/vjFjV8u51O
�� Live blog: https://t.co/yZcfbaUpZy
�� Instagram: https://t.co/YhHifrRc6xpic.twitter.com/tMJ4rRcDIt— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) January 25, 2020
OVER 69: ENG 258/4 (Root 52* Pope 56*)
Big shout first up as Dwaine Pretorius comes on. LBW? Bit of movement but it hit Pope's arm first before bouncing down onto the pads. Difficult delivery, though. Hit him on the elbow. Ouch! Just the single off Pretorius's first over of the day.
OVER 68: ENG 257/4 (Root 52* Pope 55*)
Root and Pope are batting superbly as a partnership and individually this morning. Three singles in the Nortje over takes the partnership to 100. They have done that in double quick time, in just 22.4 overs at 4.36 runs an over. This morning they have scored at around five an over. South Africa having a bit of a mare.
OVER 67: ENG 254/4 (Root 51* Pope 53*)
Still the runs come, this time Paterson strays just onto Root's pads and it's glanced - off the pads - for four leg byes. A handsome drive down the ground for four off the final ball of the over gets Root to his 50. An excellent innings. The partnership moves to 97 at 4.44 runs an over. Last 10 overs have been 55/0...
OVER 66: ENG 247/4 (Root 49* Pope 52*)
Nortje persists with the short stuff but Root is equal to it. He keeps this one down and nails a pull through to the deep square leg boundary. South Africa starting to lose the plot a little here, I feel. Mind you, they were pretty poor in the first session yesterday before being much improved after the break. They can't afford another wicketless session with these two at the crease or the game - one they must win to draw the series - will move away from them very quickly.
It continues. Another short ball, Root sways back and glances it over the slips with the open face of his bat...one bounce and four. Root moves to within one of his 50. 10 from that over...
OVER 65: ENG 237/4 (Root 40* Pope 51*)
Paterson bowls a decent delivery, coming back in slightly, but Root is onto it quickly and back cuts for four through backward point. Just one more single from the over but England are showing intent out there. The partnership has quickly moved onto 80 runs at a shade over four an over.
OVER 64: ENG 232/4 (Root 35* Pope 51*)
Nortje, coming around the wicket, looks intent to bang it in short. Pope pulls one round the corner handsomely but there's a man out there. Root expects the same and pulls for a single. The short stuff keeps coming, though, and next time Pope finds a pull further - better connection, too - away from the fielder this time and claims his eighth boundary of the innings and his 50th run. Nortje switches to over the wicket. Wise?
FIFTY FOR POPE!
Ollie Pope goes to his third Test fifty with a boundary off Nortje, a superb knock so far. England 230-4.
�� Watch #SAvENG live: https://t.co/vjFjV8u51O
�� Live blog: https://t.co/yZcfbaUpZy
�� Instagram: https://t.co/YhHifrRc6xpic.twitter.com/ThKrwTtl8E— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) January 25, 2020
Nortje is operating in the early 90s now but Pope looks comfortable. A quick punch down the ground and he sprints a tight single. Nice, clever cricket. Another short ball to end the over - a wide one outside off - is top edged by Root, it hangs in the air but it's safe! Not a brilliantly executed shot but he gets away with it. Nine from that over, with a no ball to boot.
It's not looking that healthy for SA at the moment
A quick wicket or two would change it, though.
WinViz, our match result prediction software, only giving @OfficialCSA a 16% of winning this Test match, and leveling the series.
Download the new @CricViz app for live scores and cutting edge analysis #SAvENGpic.twitter.com/n7UaU2GTV7— RufusB (@rufus_cricket) January 25, 2020
OVER 63: ENG 223/4 (Root 33* Pope 45*)
Paterson replaces Philander and bowls a decent-ish maiden first up. Which is more of what SA need, they've been a little leaky this morning so far.
OVER 62: ENG 223/4 (Root 33* Pope 45*)
Anrich Nortje returns to crank up the pace. Root takes a single through the covers first up. Pope gets into a bit of trouble outside off, it initially looks like he edged it but it came off his arm and it didn't carry, anyway. Never mind, just play a superb on-drive for four next ball! Another couple of singles in the over, one for each batsman, takes the score to double Nelson. A good first 30 minutes from England. 31 runs at 4.04 runs an over.
OVER 61: ENG 216/4 (Root 31* Pope 40*)
That's a chance! Pope plays an uppercut over point. It's in the air for a looong time and Paterson scrambles round to try and get to it from the boundary but his dive is inches away! It runs away to the boundary for four. A single brings Root on strike, who then plays a handsome off-drive for two. Thought it might go for four but no. A loose wide one is steered around the corner off the final ball and Root keeps the strike. Good over from England, eight runs from it. Partnership now 59 off 15.5 overs.
OVER 60: ENG 208/4 (Root 28* Pope 35*)
Root getting a little distracted by something out there, marching down the pitch to remonstrate with something in the distance. Root sees out a decent over from Philander. Consistent. Philander-ish, you might say.
OVER 59: ENG 208/4 (Root 28* Pope 35*)
Hendricks drops a bit short and wide and a nice back cut from Pope brings him another four. Not sure around the wicket is the best angle for the left-armer. Root pushes one out to backward point and Pope is close to being run out at the striker's end after a quick pick up and throw from Bavuma. Nearly! He gets there, though. Six from the over.
OVER 58: ENG 202/4 (Root 27* Pope 30*)
Well, Philander is getting a little bit of movement. Not loads, but enough to rap Pope on the pads/body twice in the first two balls. Two runs off the pads brings up England's 200. Pope nabs a single off the final ball to move into the 30s.
OVER 57: ENG 199/4 (Root 27* Pope 27*)
Hendricks is not going at a great lick and neither was he yesterday. He's coming back over the wicket for his second over today but has struggled a bit with his line this time. A good bouncer in there, though, short and Root has to sway out of the way, which he does. There is a bit of lift, if not pace, in this pitch. He ends the over switching back around the wicket. Why? A maiden, anyway.
OVER 56: ENG 199/4 (Root 27* Pope 27*)
Vernon Philander, in his last Test match, starts from the other end. There's nearly a chance off the fourth ball - the ball is wide and Pope cuts just short of backward point for four. I say nearly, it was nowhere near being caught. That shot was quite Root-ish, really. For a second I thought it was Root.
OVER 55: ENG 195/4 (Root 27* Pope 23*)
Pope nudges one behind square on the leg side for a single to get the day's first runs. The Barmy Army give their traditional rendition of Jerusalem at the start of the day's play. Root lifts a cut over point for two, up in the air but no man there.
Play about to get underway on day two
Beuran Hendricks to finish off his 14th over to Ollie Pope. Four balls to go.
What can England do from here?
It's a decent platform. Zak Crawley thought that 300+ would put them well in the game. Can Pope and Root kick on here? You would say they need to if England are to make that sort of total. They aren't exactly blessed with a lower order drowning in runs at the moment...Jos Buttler could do with a few of them.
Amended hours of play
First session: 8.45-10.45
Second session: 11.25-13.40
Final session: 14.00-16.00
So, hopefully no overs lost because of this. There may be a few at the end of the day because of bad light but realistically it's an 80 over day assuming no further interruptions.
Confirmation of an 8.45am start, UK time
Umpires have confirmed a 10:45 start to today’s play. Hello day 2! It’s gonna be a good one! �������� #ProteaFire#SAvENGpic.twitter.com/7UjES1wC2o
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) January 25, 2020
It could be a 8.45am start
We are waiting on confirmation for that, though.
Inspection underway
It does not appear to be raining at the moment so hopefully news (and play) pretty soon.
More on the Ben Stokes incident yesterday
Stokes gestured to the fan and shouted at him as he walked up the tunnel after being dismissed for two having played a poor shot and edged to slip. He was on Friday night still waiting to hear if he would be punished by the match referee.
In the meantime, why not give Scyld Berry's day one verdict a read?
Getting excited - or even feeling remotely optimistic - about England batsmen has not been a frequent occurrence in the last couple of years. But Ollie Pope - who resumes on 22 not out today - has given us cause for hope.
So far Pope has scored no more than 22 in the innings after his maiden Test century in Port Elizabeth, but it has borne out Sir Geoffrey Boycott’s assessment of Pope as “a little gem.” England were wobbling at 157 for four wickets when South Africa’s bowlers belatedly found the right length for this bouncy pitch, and together Joe Root and Pope administered a slap which put them back in their place and reasserted England’s supremacy.
Click here for more on Pope and the rest of England's batting order which was solid before a little wobble yesterday.
So, it's currently a bit wet out there
The covers are on. An inspection is due at 8am GMT but it hasn't rained that recently so fingers crossed for a not-too-delayed start.
England ask for more security
England have asked for increased security at the Wanderers. Ashley Giles said: “members of our support staff were subjected to personal abuse during and after the day’s play. We have requested to the venue to ensure security and stewarding are enhanced”
— Nick Hoult (@NHoultCricket) January 24, 2020
Good morning
Welcome to our coverage for the second day's play in the fourth and final Test between England and South Africa, from The Wanderers, Johannesburg. The opening day's play yesterday was an intriguing one, curtailed though it was.
We got near enough two full sessions, one of which was dominated by England's opening batsmen, who took their team to 100 without loss at the Tea interval. That was the first time that England put on 100 runs for the first wicket in three years in Tests. In many ways it's astonishing but it so many others it is not.
Crawley, despite taking a bang on the head from an Anrich Nortje bouncer, made his maiden Test 50, finally being dismissed for a well-earned 66. The second session, though, saw South Africa come back into the match with four wickets before captain Joe Root and Ollie Pope fought back with an unbeaten stand of 35 in just 9.1 overs after the dismissal of Ben Stokes.
Stokes's dismissal - or rather what happened as he walked off the field of play - was both the day's biggest flashpoint as well as talking point. Stokes edged Nortje to slip for 2 but was then involved in an altercation with a fan as he walked off.
Here's what our man at the ground, Nick Hoult, had to say about it.
It is understood the fan ran down from the top of the stand to swear at Stokes for being ginger. Eyewitnesses said he compared Stokes to ginger-haired pop singer Sheeran, who is a big cricket fan and publicly backed Stokes to win the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award. England have asked for increased security after a number of players and support staff were abused by the crowd. Stokes gestured to the fan and shouted at him as he walked up the tunnel after being dismissed for two having played a poor shot and edged to slip. He was on Friday night still waiting to hear if he would be punished by the match referee.
Stokes later apologised for the incident.
I wish to apologise for my language after my dismissal. I should not have reacted in that way. 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. Will tempers flare again on day two? Can England stamp their authority on this game with a good performance from the lower and middle order?
England will resume on 192/4 with Root on 25 and Pope on 22. We'll be here for the day's play.