Jonny Bairstow's outstanding 72 not out helped England recover from 56 for four during a brilliant day's play at Lord's
Preamble: Morning everyone. Yesterday, Geoffrey Boycott said on Test Match Special, was a lovely day's Test cricket, not a great one but a nice one. Nice one. It certainly ebbed and flowed, rumbled along for spells before sparking and England had their share of good fortune with the dismissals of Petersen and Kallis, and their share of Jimmy Anderson bowling jaffas which marginally beat the bat. That fiftysomething partnership between Philander and Duminy put South Africa almost equal in the spoils I would say and there have been a fair few 50+ ones from the Saffers' lower order over the past 12 years. There has been quite a lot of analysis devoted to Stuart Broad's lack of ratpower throughout this series, though there were signs at Headingley that he was getting back towards one of his hot streaks, signs that were absent yesterday as he focused on swing. He did get some but it tended to come floaty and early, from the hand, rather than the late stuff that Anderson effects. Finn's ball to bag Amla was a peach and, though he has that wicket-taking knack, needs more vim in this session.
A special guest will ring the bell for the start of play at Lord's today. It's still not Piers Morgan. It's not Russell Brand on top of a No13 bus "singing" Hey Bulldog. It's Olympic gold medallist shooter Peter Wilson, who took to the gun when his schoolboy cricket career was ended by injury.
Lord's jinx: Cricinfo's S Rajesh has been looking at the failure of certain batsmen at Lord's, inspired by Jacques Kallis's dismissal. It's an interesting list (third table on the page) – Javed Miandad averaged 12.50, Ricky Ponting 18.16, Brian Lara 21.00 and Sachin Tendulkar 21.67. They can't have been overawed so what is it, (odd umpiring decisions apart). The slope?
88th over: South Africa 262-7 (Philander 46, Steyn 21) Two balls left in Steve Finn's over. England have their huddle. There was a lot of conspicuous low-fiving and buttock-tapping among them yesterday, the body language analysts in their medicine show style with the obvious judgment that they are trying to emphasise how united they are as a team. Message to KP!. Finn's last two balls are short of a length and seen out by Steyn.
89th over: South Africa 263-7 (Philander 47, Steyn 21) Duncan Bonnett asks for a weather report. Overcast and humid now, Duncan, spirit of 76 cloudless sky and sunshine this afternoon. Anderson takes this end, Philander deflecting it off his pads for a single. Jimmy greets his great mate Steyn with a bouncer, that flies over the top of his helmet badge then has him fending the next one off his shoulder that cracks into his left glove, trapping it on the handle. He shakes it and tells the physio who had already uncapped his spray to do one and stay off the field. Anderson calls up a short leg and slides two across, a la Finn, for the keeper's leg-side catch but Steyn misses them both.
90th over: South Africa 268-7 (Philander 48, Steyn 25) "Morning Bagchi, morning everybody," writes Josh Robinson in traditional style. "I didn't see a great deal of yesterday's play, concentrating as I was on emailing Smy the demands of my job, but is it possible that the England players' conduct was not so much trying to emphasise how united they are as a team as reflecting a greater sense of unity? Or did they look as if they were trying too hard to make a point?" It did look calculated to me, and Shaun Pollock was giggling away on TMS with his scenario of how they would have reacted had KP made the sort of stops that elicited ar$e taps for Jonny Bairstow. Broad takes over from Finn, Philander takes one after a short delay while Steyn had his ring finger sprayed. Big swing from Broad, hooping away to second slip. Steyn watches one go by then has a big drive at the next that flies between third slip and gully for four.
91st over: South Africa 270-7 (Philander 49, Steyn 26) Anderson is trying to tempt Big Vern into an expansive drive to get to 50 with his first two balls then a shorter one, arrowing into him, which he knocks down to midwicket for a single. Steyn then tips and runs into the covers. "You continue to mention Piers Morgan in your preamble. Can I remind you of I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue's redefinition of common words in The Uxbridge English Dictionary: Countryside (n) : Killing Piers Morgan." Stephen Fry, I believe. I also liked Jihad - the cry of a fundamentalist cowboy.
Wicket!! Steyn c Swann b Broad 26 Broad pitches up outside off stump, a hint of away swing and Steyn can't resist a drive, nicking off to second slip where Swann pouches it thigh high.
92nd over: South Africa 271-8 (Philander 49, Morkel 1) Broad's pace is between 78 and 82 mph, throttling back and laying the trap for the tailenders on the drive. It worked well for Steyn, who tried to be a good citizen then couldn't help himself. Morkel's single off the last ball puts him on strike for Anderson.
93rd over: South Africa 275-8 (Philander 49, Morkel 5) Morkel cuts a ball angled across him and plays it like a bona fide batsman, smearing it into the ground and through third man for four. The sado-masochism of Duncan Haskell might be the other way round judging by his dispatch from the tub: "It feels like this series has readdressed the pleasure/ pain balance that so many of us associate with English cricket. With four days still to play out it's impossible to know what feeling we'll be left with and that's what makes it so exciting. I'm glad it's like this, I first need to suffer to be able to enjoy the thrill - like when I have a bath and leave the hot tap dripping molten tears on to my big toe, that searing pain makes the comfort the rest of my body is experiencing all the more gratifying. Have I shared too much?" Frankly, yes. Anderson bangs it into Morkel, getting him up on his toes but he rides the bounce and plays it competently down to drop in front of gully.
94th over: South Africa 276-8 (Philander 50, Morkel 5) Philander brings up his 50 by hooking to long leg for a single. Broad now has Morkel to have a dart at for four balls, and with the batsman's lack of footwork aims to pin him lbw with inswingers. He clips the pads twice but both are headed down the leg side.
95th over: South Africa 281-8 (Philander 55, Morkel 5) Philander, by contrast with Morkel, is positively Gene Kelly, stepping across and forward to a half volley and spanking Anderson through mid-off for four. Anderson nips the next one into him but he blocks it with bat and pad then has a blacksmith's heave, missing the overpitched delivery outside off, and almost hits himself on the top of his helmet with his bat. A real "wahay" shot, provoking laughter from Mike Atherton and some of the crowd.
96th over: South Africa 281-8 (Philander 57, Morkel 9) More short stuff from Broad smacks into Morkel's glove in front of his chin. "As we prepare for my son Noah's first days at our local primary," asks my friend Peter Lovell. "I was wondering whether your readers have an opinion on how many state school England batsmen there might be between now and his own England debut in 2030?" Let's get burrowing and extrapolating.
97th over: South Africa 292-8 (Philander 58, Morkel 13) Morkel heaves, connects and takes four off Anderson through the gap between gully and third slip that leaves Jimmy gurning . It's obviously a deliberate strategy to target Morkel and Steyn with some sternum rattlers to then set them up for the edge when they pitch up. The last ball of the Anderson's over was a case in point, bowled from round the wicket and swinging in but Morkel stops his drive mid swing and digs it out.
98th over: South Africa 295-8 (Philander 59, Morkel 15) Swann with his George Orwell haircut comes on and bowls a pair of beauties to Morkel, drifting in and spinning away that the left-hander tries to play on the back foot and almost becomes unstuck. "As Claire Rayner no longer answers questions (Ouija enthusiasts excepted)," writes Phil Withall. "I was wondering if you could help. My natural default setting is to "pray for rain" obviously this is not going to maintain the number 1 spot for England. Should I now start praying for Fifa to take over cricket's ranking system thus elevating the England side back to the top?" Lies, damn lies and Fifa's rankings. I once spent a day working out how it worked (for a piece), tried to apply the figures and came up with a different permutation entirely. Common sense was the least consideration.
99th over: South Africa 298-8 (Philander 59, Morkel 18) Anderson has to be due some luck. He has bowled at least five unplayables this morning, all "wasted on thee", and has taken to sarcastically clapping when the batsman connects with the next. "Has your bat got a hole in it grandad?" Angus Fraser once asked Geoff Boycott during one such similar spell. "If you're so good, bowl at stoomps" was Geoff's cleaned up response.
100th over: South Africa 301-8 (Philander 59, Morkel 21) Morkel brings up the 300 off Swann with a shovel drive. "I hate it when England do this," writes Steven Pye. "They draw us in by taking early wickets, and then comes the inevitable lower order resistance. You'd think I would be used to it by now. This match is already reminding me of yet another South Africa recovery at Headingley in 2003." Zondeki and Kirsten. Aagh. Thanks for reminding me. That's when I went grey.
WICKET!! Morkel c Prior b Finn 25 Excellent catch by Prior, his fifth of the innings, as the ball flew off the bottom of Morkel's bat when he was trying to boom a cut shot over the top of slips.
101st over: South Africa 309-9 (Philander 61, Tahir 2) Morkel took four with a tickle down the legside when Finn came back into the attack but succumbed to a buffet long hop. He's got the knack. "I have never got this use of 'oo' as a 'Northern Vernacular'," writes Phil Tyrer. "To me, if you write 'stoomps' as per the Boycott quote, that sounds wrong, like hoop or loom … Surely 'stumps' is correct, unless you're trying not to be a Landahner, and saying 'stamps'." I was copying Simon Hughes's transcription from A Lot of Hard Yakka. He's from Ealing, Geoffrey's from Fitzwilliam.
WICKET!! Philander st Prior b Swann 61 Glorious flight from Swann, lured Philander down the track. He went down on one knee to drive but the ball dipped perfectly, beat the bat and Prior whipped off the stumps with Philander three feet short. South Africa all out for 309.
Some inter-innings emails: "All hands?" writes Tony George. "Glad you mentioned Zondeki. Always makes me smile as it can't be only me that think he had possibly the greatest nickname ever?" Josh "I hate you Henry Higgins" Robinson points out: "Phil Tyrer needs to realise that it's not stoomps as in hoop or loom, but stoomps as in look, as opposed to Luke, unless you're from Merseyside." Anyway. Here come Strauss and Cook.
1st over: England 1-0 (Strauss 1, Cook 0) South Africa 309 Morkel takes the new ball from the Nursery End and Strauss tickles him round the corner to get off the mark first ball. Morkel follows up with beautiful ball jagging away from Cook. He's bowling from the wrong end to the left-handers, says Sir Beef. Tim "Col Pickering" Sanders has more on the north-south divide: "Writing 'stoomps' for 'stumps' is a handy way for southerners to represent the pronounciation of "u" anywhere north of (roughly) Leamington Spa (I read in Stuart Maconie's book Pies and Prejudice that this is geographically where the change in vowel pronounciation happens). It sort of works because of the way that both southerners and Yorkshire folk pronounce words like 'book' and 'look'. Lancastrians confuse things by their consistency in pronouncing the 'oo' in 'book' and 'look' the same as in 'moon' and 'soon'. That makes 'stoomps' sound pretty silly." There you go.
2nd over: England 14-0 (Strauss 8, Cook 6) South Africa 309 Strauss makes hay off the first ball of Philander's over, clipping him up the hill off his pads for four then driving him uppishly with a hint of slice through cover for three. Good, confident start from Strauss this. Several of you have pointed out that we haven't mentioned the follow-on target. We're not going to be so English today but perhaps I ought to as Philander gets Cook to edge, thankfully down through second slip's legs for four then takes two more with a genuine pushed drive. The sun's out.
3rd over: England 16-0 (Strauss 10, Cook 6) South Africa 309 South Africa have a man in catching behind square at about two o'clock, six yards from the bat and Strauss duly plays one down to him. The heavy roller has done its job, Morkel pitching short and Strauss ducking and swaying out of the way but if he'd stood up it would have been nipple high. Morkel fell over in his follow-through, having trouble with the slope and afraid of a warning for running on the pitch.
4th over: England 16-0 (Strauss 10, Cook 6) South Africa 309 Philander's line is all over the place, squirting a couple across Cook towards first slip that he went for but couldn't reach. "At the start of this innings, I am watching the Saffer opening bowlers limber up, and it just feels like the series long personal battles that should develop are not going to mature," writes Hugh Maguire. "It's like eating a young cheese, a nice texture, but no flavour to linger on and yearn for again. It's not as if we've not waited in anticipation for this series for long enough for a tasty match-up." I was sitting in the public library on Thurmon Street just now, skimming through Rogue Herries by Hugh Walpole, and I suddenly came over all peckish.
5th over: England 21-0 (Strauss 15, Cook 6) South Africa 309 Strauss plays a fine shot off Morkel's second ball, leaning forward and clipping him through midwicket for four off the front foot but Morkel responds with another diamond, pitching on the ideal length and fizzing away from the left-hander's bat. That was Andersonesque. Speaking of which, Rupert in Cape Town writes: "Any mention of Anderson bad luck needs to be tempered with Steyn's scant fortunes on the last day of the Newlands test between these sides. I was fortunate enough to be there seeing Dale eviscerate Collingwood for what seemed to be hours on end." Yes, what a spell to Collingwood and Onions, too, I think. This isn't of that standard, a pretty loose opening from Philander and Morkel.
6th over: England 23-0 (Strauss 15, Cook 6) South Africa 309 Philander continues with his over-the wicket line across Strauss but after the roller his slips are perhaps two steps too deep. He bowls four in the perfect spot then drifts on to leg stump and Strauss takes a couple of leg-byes off his thigh pad.
7th over: England 24-0 (Strauss 15, Cook 6) South Africa 309 Edward Matkin takes up the cheese shop challenge. Now Morkel has hit his straps, getting some inswing and movement away off the pitch, Cook edging on to his front pad, killing both the chance of lbw and the ball on its flight through to the slips. "I've no light to shed on the whys and wherefores, " writes Rachael Jack, "But I was living out in Pakistan during the 2007 T20 World Cup when Bumble developed a mini fan club with the sisters in the place I was staying purely based on his pronunciation of loonch." Bumble needs no whys and wherefores.
8th over: England 24-0 (Strauss 16, Cook 6) South Africa 309 Michael Holding suggests that Morne Morkel has Strauss fever. He goes wild at the sight of him and becomes too aggressive, losing control. He points out that Morkel has taken his wicket seven times but feels Steyn should take the new ball.
9th over: England 28-0 (Strauss 19, Cook 6) South Africa 309 Graeme Smith ponders using DRS when Morkel clips Strauss's thigh pad on its way through to De Villiers but decides against it. "Luck plays its part in cricket as it does in life, but bowlers who are described as unlucky usually haven't bowled enough balls at the stumps," opines Gary Naylor. "Not the least of Swanny's advantages over Monty, is that Swanny is at the stumps most of the time – as is Steyn, but not Philander (wide) nor Morkel (high)." Good over from Morkel until the last ball, which is overpitched and turned by Strauss off his toes. They started haphazardly Philander and Morkel but have found their control and targeted Strauss's ribs and his outside edge in the past four overs.
10th over: England 29-0 (Strauss 20, Cook 6) South Africa 309 Steyn takes over from Philander, for one over before lunch. Strauss plays his second with soft hands, steering the ball off the face of the bat to bounce in front of slip. Steyn seems to be carrying a knee injury, doing a one-leg jig after jarring it in his followthrough when Strauss pulls him round the corner for a single to long leg.
WICKET!! Strauss b Morkel 20 Another pearl to follow the early dross from Morkel, pitched on off or an inch outside and cut back in through the gate to knock over off and middle. Bon appetit, Andrew Strauss.
Lunch: South Africa took a while to warm up but the last five overs contained several snorters and jaggers. Strauss looked increasingly uncomfortable. England lunch on 29-1, 280 behind. I'm off for some food but I'll leave you with this rant from Ben Sponviken:
Having just read your over 88 description of contrived English body language I'm going to allow myself a rant. The tyrannical rule of sports psychologists must be ended. This spurious discipline should be limited to two simple goals: encouraging mental disintegration in your opponent and preventing mental disintegration in your own team. Postive 'body language' results from good cricket. It does not produce good cricket. Anyone who thinks, for example, that Warne was the intended audience of all that behind the stumps encouragement from Healy et al is an idiot. It all happens to make the batsman believe he's facing spin bowling that is so good he can't even appreciate it. KP should be out there today and no amount of ar$e patting is going to produce an innings of the sort of quality he was capable of. Strauss should have stared down the team and the media with simple maxim that he may be a ba$tard, but he's our ba$tard. Sorry.
Lunchtime correspondence: "A key gift in life is knowing when to make one's exit, " writes James Debens. "I hope the three-year eulogising of Strauss has given him the perspicacity to realise that he's a drag on the team he obviously loves. Do right by England, chum, and do one." It's another nothing score, James, but the fundamental difference between him, Vaughan, Hussain and Atherton is that I don't think he feels he's come to an end, the pressures of captaincy have not ultimately overwhelmed him and I think the selectors, coach and players want him to stay, which is what he wants. I think they'll give him the tour to India, hoping for a renaissance like Hussain's v Sri Lanka in 2000-01.
"Time for some dreamy minded, lunchtime nostalgia," notes Elliott Carr-Barnlsey. "Looking at that scorecard from 2003, its nice to see the names Trescothick and Vaughan at the top of the order. Such different approaches but always capable of running amok. The leaden footed square clump of Banger's, and the most smooth cover drive from Vaughan. The best exponent of his generation. Looked like it'd been crafted by Ang Lee and rubbed over with baby oil." Wet dreamy minded?
David White addresses the issue of luck in more concise fashion than Ed Smith: "Interesting points about bowlers' luck. Seems to me that over the longer term it's less about luck and more about how they bowl. Andrew Flintoff didn't get nearly as many wickets over his career as he might have had he pitched the ball a foot further up the track. For all his potential, I would say the same applies to Stuart Broad. All to often he's 'bowling beautifully' without getting wickets. I seem to recall Beefy bowled some absolute trash at times but at least he was always trying something and the variation brought about batsman errors – maybe Finn's coming into the same category." Botham made the point himself, saying when Finn bagged Morkel, "sometimes there's nothing more dangerous than a wide long hop".
11th over: England 29-1 (Trott 0, Cook 6) South Africa 309 Two balls left in Morkel's over after a lunch for the players of cauliflower soup, barbecue pork, beef stir fry or sweet and sour red snapper, according to the menu. Trott takes guard after Morkel took Strauss's wicket for the eighth time. Big knock this for Trott, who watches the two balls sail past off stump.
12th over: England 34-1 (Trott 4, Cook 7) South Africa 309 Steyn resumes and immediately brings the first delivery back into Cook while the second holds its line towards the keeper. Cook lets both of them go past. Interesting comparison on Sky between the dismissals of Amla and Strauss, both pinned on the crease by lifters then groping with only a half-step forward and missing when it's pitched up. Trott's off the mark with his favourite shot, punched off his hip for four and would hsve had a second with his on-drive but for Morkel's chain-sawed Sequoia dive at mid-on.
13th over: England 34-1 (Trott 4, Cook 7) South Africa 309 Philander replaces Morkel up the hill and shouts for leg-before. Looks way too high, they don't review and they wouldn't have overturned the umpire as it would have stayed umpire's call, just clipping the bails. Philander is trying for lbw, with Cook's tendency to reach around his front pad to push inswingers to midwicket. Twice he gets him reaching but his line is too wide so Cook lets it hit the pad instead. "Dreamy minded, lunchtime nostalgia sounds to me like a better caption for your main picture," writes Dave Espley. O captain! Your fearful trip is done?
Review: Trott lbw Steyn - given not out. Smith reviews.
WICKET!! Trott lbw Steyn 8 It took them an age to decide to review it and, though Trott looks Kallis-like with incredulity to be given out, he looked plumb, the ball hitting middle and leg.
14th over: England 39-2 (Bell 1, Cook 7) South Africa 309 Trott picks up another four with a perfectly sweet cover drive. Steyn gets the radge on and tries to bounce him but Trott sways inside the line and the ball balloons through to De Villiers. He pitches the next one up and traps Trott with a hint of inswing. Trott was convinced it was missing leg, bowling as he is from the Pavilion End and angling down the hill but it would have clipped leg stump. Trott's head was too far over to off-stump to be sure it was missing I think. In comes Bell at No4 for the first time in three years and gets off the mark with a single through the leg-side ring.
15th over: England 39-2 (Bell 1, Cook 7) South Africa 309 Dread words though they are, South Africa will be trilling about "plans" and "areas" after play with their so far successful variations of lines for each batsman. "So," writes Hannah Marsh. "Not mentioning the follow on score … how do we feel about that now? I'm going tomorrow and am beginning to feel sick with nerves." Ask me after the fall of the next wicket, Hannah. Maiden from Philander.
WICKET!! Cook c Kallis b Steyn 7 Right, that follow on score is 110. Jesus, this is bad. Cook chased a wide one, like Morkel did this morning and Smith yesterday and got a thick edge to the cordon, Kallis this time at second slip.
16th over: England 39-3 (Bell 1, Taylor 0) South Africa 309 Taylor comes in with his cycling helmet. The replay shows what a fine catch that was by Kallis, moving across Petersen at third slip to take it hip-high to his left while not looking at the ball. "I had a free £5 bet this morning on Andrew Strauss top scoring in this innings," writes Steve Pye. "Nice to see the English batsman keeping my hopes alive!". Steyn gives Taylor three bouncers in a row to say "How do, Tich?" then snakes the last across him towards first slip that Taylor leaves. Wicket maiden.
17th over: England 39-3 (Bell 1, Taylor 0) South Africa 309 Bell shows the full face to the first three of Philander's deliveries, tries again to the fourth as it arcs past his edge. This is agonising, watching them exceute their plans for each batsman like Sirens luring them to doom. "So … I'm asking again," says Hannah Marsh. "How do we feel about that follow on score? I'm not feeling too confident now!" I don't know, Hannah, but South Africa recovered from 54-4. I can't see England getting much past 200 but I think they will avoid the follow on.
18th over: England 49-3 (Bell 1, Taylor 8) South Africa 309 But then again … Taylor gets off the mark with a swipe outside off that flies over slips for four but that was a very anxious stroke to one targeting his body again. Steyn goes a bit bananas screaming for lbw for an inswinger that was missing leg by five feet and then Taylor plays an excellent forcing shot on the up and on his toes through the covers for four.
19th over: England 50-3 (Bell 2, Taylor 8) South Africa 309 Bell brings the 50 up with a decent stopped drive. Ranil Dissanayake speaks for many of you, apart from the end, most of you prefer something that sounds almost exactly like luck: "Never you fret! England might be three down for fifty-odd, facing the best bowler in the world with his tail up, but their team spirit couldn't be better... Thank God they dropped the chap who last week was spanking these bowlers like a naughty three year old, eh? Can you imagine how they'd be if KP was in the team? 22 all out? Dagummit."
20th over: England 50-3 (Bell 2, Taylor 8) South Africa 309 An answer from Peter Withey for Pete Lovell, over 96.
Trying to take my mind off the imminent collapse/follow-on, I've been perusing a mixture of Cricinfo and Wikipedia to try and respond to Re Peter Lovell's email in over 96. Looking at the current crop of current and/or potential upcoming England or England Lions batsmen (and a couple of keepers) it doesn't look too promising does it?
Andrew Strauss Private
Alistair Cook Private
Jonathan Trott State (SA)
Kevin Pietersen State (SA)
Jonny Bairstow Private
Ian Bell Private
Matt Prior Private
Ravi Bopara State
Rob Key Private/state
Craig Kieswetter Private (SA)
Eoin Morgan State Roman Catholic (Ireland)
Joss Butler Private
Michael Carberry State
Nick Compton Private
Alex Hales State (grammar)
James Hildreth Private
Joe Root Private
Jason Roy Private
James Vince PrivateHis son's statistically better off trying to make it as a bowler: in the current side Bresnan, Swann, Anderson, Onions, Tremlett and Finn were all state-educated, with only Stuart Broad having attended an independent school. Not forgetting past triumphs such as Gough, Beefy, Flintoff etc, products of the state system all.
Might be interesting to examine why bowling tends to be dominated by people from "ordinary" backgrounds, with the batsmen likelier to have been privately-educated. Batting arguably requires greater resources and intensity of coaching, I guess, which private schools offer more of, but it can't only be that. Panesar counts as both as he attended first a comprehensive then an independent VI Form!
Any thoughts?
Meanwhile Bell plays out a maiden from Steyn, judging when to leave or play it well. C'mon The Ronster.
21st over: England 51-3 (Bell 2, Taylor 8) South Africa 309 Kallis takes over from Philander and starts with a slow whanger that is called wide, deservedly so. He looks much slower than Broad but is hitting similar levels of pace around 78mph. Taylor is untroubled.
22nd over: England 52-3 (Bell 2, Taylor 8) South Africa 309 Steyn goes off the field after his spell and Morkel has his first dart from the Pavilion End. "Is this the shortest England partnership ever?" asks Richard Green. Anyone know? Snare roll and cymbal crash references to time notwithstanding? Single for Bell.
23rd over: England 52-3 (Bell 2, Taylor 8) South Africa 309 Another maiden, this time from Kallis, neither unduly threatening Bell nor giving him any room to push it off the front foot.
WICKET!! Taylor c Smith b Morkel 10 Prodded outside off-stump, taken low by Smith at first slip. We had to wait to see if it was a no-ball or not. It wasn't. 54 for four. Sounds familiar.
24th over: England 56-4 (Bell 3, Bairstow 0) South Africa 309 Morkel greets Bairstow with a waist-high full toss which he fends off into the legside and called no-ball on height, then having read the script on Bairstow Morkel turns to bouncing him. The Yorkshireman sways out of the way of one, ducks the other and almost periscopes the next but gets his hands out of the line and anyway it's a no-ball.
25th over: England 56-4 (Bell 3, Bairstow 0) South Africa 309 Bell leaves one that cuts back and whacks him straight in the Babybel. Yikes. Sara "Finns for Finn" Torvalds says: "I've no idea if Bell/Taylor are the shortest pair, but I've been wondering who the shortest world-class wicketkeeper is. You'd think Sachin didn't really have to think about keeping (even though he's obviously missing a stumping in his otherwise reasonable carreer), but perhaps I'm wrong in thinking long arms are a requirement?" Parthiv Patel is about 5ft 2in but I don't know if he still keeps wicket. Kallis claims another maiden. He's doing the smothering role today, back of a length, heavy ball, arrowed into the body.
26th over: England 56-4 (Bell 3, Bairstow 0) South Africa 309 Morkel's up into the 90s having got a sniff of Bairstow and heard the name Kemar Roach being bandies about by the infield. This is the duffing up phase for Bairstow, then they'll play nice with one outside off and expect him to succumb with the physical threat off. And he does have a swish at a wider one. Welcome to your doctoral viva, Mr Bairstow. Your examiner today is Mr Morkel, aiming things at your head.
27th over: England 64-4 (Bell 10, Bairstow 1) South Africa 309 Runs for bell with three from a steer through midwicket. He's been in for an hour for his six. Bairstow then cashes in with a single. "Cheer up Peter Withey," writes Peter Lovell. "The lowered expectations will work in Jonny Bairstow's favour and you're about to witness the innings of the summer.
Thanks for the statistical advice to turn my son into a bowler but unfortunately there's another set of damning statistics that prevent that from happening - He's a midget. Maybe I'll just have to settle for him being another inarticulate state school England footballer. At least he won't go have to go round patting his team-mates on the bum." Oh he will, Pete. It'll be compulsory by then.
28th over: England 72-4 (Bell 10, Bairstow 9) South Africa 309 Rahul Dravid is in the Sky box with a floppy hairstyle. What a man. Now then. Bairstow cracks a short one from Morkel at head height through slips for four then plays a far more stylish shot with a pick over square leg right off the dead centre of the bat for another.
29th over: England 73-4 (Bell 11, Bairstow 9) South Africa 309 There's a lot of moaning about England's useless batsmen and calling for the heads of Strauss and Flower coming my way. Come on. This partnership is what makes Test cricket great. One batsman trying to demolish doubts about his character and technique, the other who's been down that track more times than you can remember, working like hell against brilliant bowlers to put this poor start right. They might not get there. In fact they probably won't. But it's special to watch.
30th over: England 76-4 (Bell 14, Bairstow 9) South Africa 309 Philander returns and Bell smears two to deep point. Bell's feet are moving well now. "Having just read Pete Lovell's response in over 26, claiming his son to be a midget, I am baffled," writes Peter Withey. "Since his original message read "As we prepare for my son Noah's first days at our local primary," I sort of assumed the child was aged around five. It is therefore understandable if he is still quite short. Despair not, namesake Lovell, children grow! Or does he have some sort of time machine allowing him to ascertain that in 2030 his son will still be the same size?" Well, indeed.
SA Review Bell lbw Tahir? Given not out originally Umpire's call on line and whether it would have hit the stumps so NOT OUT. SA down to one review.
31st over: England 78-4 (Bell 14, Bairstow 9) South Africa 309 Tahir comes on for his first bowl of the match and strikes Bell on the front of the foot. Simon Taufel gives him not out and his decision is upheld but Bell's difficulty in reading Tahir does not bode well. "Rob, it is indeed special to watch," writes Oliver Smiddy. "But which would you rather see – a rookie, clad head-to-toe in protection, scratching about for runs and being worked over by Morkel and co; or a man who's made runs than any other player in the England team, and who, as recently as the last Test, absolutely flayed the South African attack with one of the best centuries in recent memory?" Oh, KP, all the way if it hadn't been for those text messages. Everything else could and should have been discounted but they were dumb and, I believe, merited him being dropped. Two leg-byes off the last ball.
32nd over: England 78-4 (Bell 14, Bairstow 9) South Africa 309 Maiden from Philander, watched and left patiently by Bairstow. "No idea if this email even gets sent, so poor is my internet connection here at Lake Skadar in Montenegro (f5? Ha! Press that and you might lose the whole feed!)," writes Ben Heywood. "But I'd give poor little Boucher-be-sledged Tatenda Taibu at least a podium place on your titchy wicketkeepers list. He's littler than my gran, and she's five foot nowt. Makes James Taylor look hefty …"
33rd over: England 84-4 (Bell 15, Bairstow 14) South Africa 309 Bell takes a single and though Bairstow looked discombobulated by the first ball of Tahir's he faces, he absolutely creams the second for four through the covers. News of Kevin Pietersen, he's going to play for Surrey v Hampshire on Sunday.
34th over: England 88-4 (Bell 16, Bairstow 17) South Africa 309 South Africa don't half take their time getting through their overs. I reckon Smyth's going to have 38 or so after tea till ale o'clock. Philander gets mid-off shining the ball for an age. Bairstow moves ahead of his partner by playing it off his hip and scampering two to square leg. "To answer Oliver Smiddy's completely objective and non-leading question," writes Johs Robinson. "The person I would like to see is the person that the captain, selectors, and (particularly) Andy Flower consider most likely to contribute to the best possible overall team performance over the course of the match."
35th over: England 91-4 (Bell 19, Bairstow 17) South Africa 309 Tahir is exasperated and stifles a scream when Bell misreads his googly and gets away with a thick edge when he'd taken two steps down the track to drive.
36th over: England 91-4 (Bell 20, Bairstow 17) South Africa 309 Dale Steyn returns for Philander. Michael Holding pinpoints Jonny Bairstow's chest guard and thinks it's given him the confidence to wear the ball when they target him. Botham notes that the real change for Bairstow is that he's watched every ball which he didn't do v West Indies. "Is KP from Pudsey rather than Pietermaritzburg?" posits Ian Burch. "I only ask as this sort of back-stabbing and bickering was the norm every season at Yorkshire where there would be some kind of bitter dispute between the players (past and present), skipper, cricket committee and the members. Most of it usually centred around Sir Geoffrey and I expect that KP will follow his lead and appear on a chat show with a sympathetic host in a few weeks time to give his side of the story." On CNN, Ian? Bell faces five of the over, Bairstow the last, ducking beneath Steyn's rather telegraphed bouncer.
37th over: England 92-4 (Bell 20, Bairstow 17) South Africa 309 If you can medal and podium, can you maiden? Yes? Tahir maidens.
38th over: England 94-4 (Bell 20, Bairstow 19) South Africa 309 Last over before tea and the return of Smyth. Steyn digs it in again at Bairstow which he knocks on to his hip via the splice. Next ball is another short one that Bairstow ducks then clips the third off his pads for two to long leg. Graeme Smith is doing the equivalent of repeating everything someone says to you in a squeaky voice - think Windsor Davies in It Ain't Half Hot Mum – by mimicking Bairstow's stance and shots and chatting very loudly about his technique. But he sees out the over and the session.
Tea
Tense, nervous headache? Well you'd better turn the bloody cricket off then, hadn't you? The next two-and-a-half hours are going to be seriously tense. England aren't a million miles from the brink, 94 for four in reply to South Africa's 309, but they are still in this game. This match is starting to vaguely resemble the final two matches of the series between these sides in 1998, a lowish-scoring dogfight in which every run is hard earned and the initiative is like a hot potato. By the end of a long evening session (36 overs) we should have a slightly better idea who is likely to win the match, the series and the world No1 rankings.
39th over: England 94-4 (in reply to South Africa's 309; Bell 20, Bairstow 19) The excellent Morne Morkel starts the evening session, immediately getting the ball up and around Ian Bell's fragrant armpits. A maiden. Bell played watchfully before tea, as he has all series: he has 20 from 83 balls now, and his series strike rate of 24 is comfortably the lowest of his Test career.
"Although not an international, can I get in a tribute to my club wicketkeeper, Bhanu Upadhyayula?" says Ben Mimmack. "He stands barely higher than the stumps but is a demon when standing up to the medium pacers. He's also good for fielding discipline - any throw from the field that comes in more than a couple of feet over the stumps is pretty much guaranteed overthrows.
40th over: England 97-4 (in reply to South Africa's 309; Bell 21, Bairstow 21) Steyn comes around the wicket to Bairstow, with a short leg, a fine leg slip and a plan as old as the hills. Bairstow takes on the short ball, pulling round the corner for a single, and then pushes another later in the over off a relatively full delivery. It's vital that England see off this burst from Steyn.
"'Scuse gratuitous pedantry (yeah, ok, as if my emails ever contain anything else), but I think most of us already have a very good idea indeed of 'who is likely to win the match, the series and the world No1 rankings'," says Josh Robinson. "This being cricket, it's just possible that by the end of the session we'll have a different idea, but at this point South Africa are clear favourites." You say that, but the chaps on Sky reckon these are perfect batting conditions. Us innate optimists certainly aren't writing this game off.
41st over: England 101-4 (in reply to South Africa's 309; Bell 21, Bairstow 25) I didn't see the afternoon session but it seems Bairstow showed plenty of ticker in the face of the inevitable assault. He's getting it from both ends here, although Morkel's attack is less explicit than Steyn. He is over the wicket and bowling just back of a length rather than banging it in. Bairstow defends a few and then pulls thrillingly over square leg for four.
42nd over: England 107-4 (in reply to South Africa's 309; Bell 26, Bairstow 26) England get an overthrow in bizarre circumstances. Bell drove to extra cover, at which point AB de Villiers, thinking the ball was effectively dead, set off after a pigeon that was lurking on the off side. The fielder didn't realise and threw the ball to the keeper's end and England stole a run. That was wonderfully absurd. If England win this match by one wicket the pigeon will surely merit an MBE. Bell gets a lovely boundary later in the over with a crisp square drive off Steyn. That brings up a vital, cool-headed fifty partnership from 113 balls.
43rd over: England 109-4 (in reply to South Africa's 309; Bell 26, Bairstow 28) With the ball not doing much for the seamers, Imran Tahir comes into the attack. Bairstow shows good judgement to leave a delivery just outside off stump and then scampers back for two after a cut to deep point.
"Enough of all this modern cricket," says Brough Cooper. "Tomorrow I face the considerable talents (and even more considerable girth) of Martin McCague on the cricket field. He no longer bothers with trundling in to bowl, content to open the batting and attempt to launch every ball into the surrounding countryside. Would you like an autograph?" Will you ask him if he does adverts?
44th over: England 113-4 (in reply to South Africa's 309; Bell 30, Bairstow 28) Bell follows an outswinger from Steyn, steering it short of and then through the slips for four. England will probably feel Steyn has one more over after this and will be desperate to see him off. This is the sort of situation in which Steyn so often reminds us why he has no peer. Bell defends the remainder of the over. This is terrific stuff.
"Evening Rob, evening everybody," says Guy Hornsby. "I feel your pain given the 34789583 overs still left to bowl today, but this has the makings of a session of real cricket. With so much slap and wallop around there's something beautiful and old-fashioned about a 2.5 run-an-over battle between willow and leather. It's so very 1993. I think we're doing the right thing here. There's still so much time left, and batting out today with none or possibly one down will mean we're still in this game tomorrow if we're close to 200 at the end. We've got a long tail, and this sort of gritty survival could be the making of Jonny Bairstow. The lad's got talent, and he'll have few sterner tests than this in his first few England games. Where's Atherton where you need him? He must be LOVING this in the commentary box."
45th over: England 113-4 (in reply to South Africa's 309; Bell 30, Bairstow 28) Tahir. Bairstow. Maiden. Deal with it. "I enjoyed a lot of those Olympic sports, even warming to the handball and I've been known to watch that game that starts its Premier League tomorrow, but there's nothing quite like hard-edged Test cricket is there?" says Gary Naylor. "How did they get this game so right, so long ago?"
46th over: England 114-4 (in reply to South Africa's 309; Bell 31, Bairstow 28) Bell starts to poke at an outswinger from Steyn and then pulls it back away at the last minute. Steyn is steaming in with his usual hard-faced intent, and almost every ball is demanding a stroke from Bell or Bairstow.
"This is a great match, TMS is almost unbearably tense," says Martin Sinclair. "However, they've played well these two. The ball should be getting old now, so the short stuff should become less threatening, you would hope for BellStow's sake at least. Do you think reverse swing will come into play and at what point?" It'll definitely be after 62.4 overs. Not a ball before, not a ball after. End of, fact, etcetera. Er, I have no idea. You'd think it might reverse in these conditions – it's very hot – although ultimately nobody knows anything.
47th over: England 121-4 (in reply to South Africa's 309; Bell 38, Bairstow 28) Bell plays an inventive stroke, lapping Tahir very fine for a couple. He charges the next ball, driving it in the air and wide of mid off for four. It was a bit closer to the man than he would have intended but not within catching range.
"Can Bell save the day, please?" dearJims Eva Broer. "After seeing him bat at the Oval on the fifth day of the first Test in this series I developed a little crush on him and crushes need feeding otherwise they just peter out."
48th over: England 121-4 (in reply to South Africa's 309; Bell 38, Bairstow 28) The good news for England is that Dale Steyn has been taken out of the attack. The bad news is that we're all doomed Morne Morkel is going to replace him. He'll do so with a new ball, the umpires having changed it between overs. His first delivery is a preposterous snorter, a vicious lifter that Bell did superbly to glove short of the slips. A maiden.
"Completely off topic, but my favorite ever charity cricket match was a World XI vs Norfolk Select side," says Steven Blowers. "The World side had the not inconsiderable talent of Ian Bishop opening the bowling against Wayne Larkins. To me as a 12 year old it looked like he was starting his run up from the boundary. I watched in awe as 6ft 5ins of West Indian fast bowler tormented the batsmen. Needless to say after a few 90mph deliveries he was asked to take it down a notch because the Norfolk openers were having difficulty seeing the ball. Perhaps Strauss and Cook could ask Steyn to dial it down a bit as well?" 'Yeah alright Dale, turn it in.'
49th over: England 133-4 (in reply to South Africa's 309; Bell 38, Bairstow 41) Top stuff from Bairstow, who belts Tahir for three boundaries in four balls: a slightly ugly drag to midwicket, a crisp clip to the same area and then a beautiful flick wide of mid on. He has 41 from 74 balls and has played extremely well under intense pressure on both a personal and team level.
"Is it too early," begins Jamie Jermain, "to start talking about Ronald's inevitable career defining, no-one else made a century this innings, look who's batting at 4 now, Smyth had my back all along hundred?" Editor's note: Jamie Jermain's full address and phone number will be available upon request as soon as Ian Bell is dismissed for 41.
50th over: England 137-4 (in reply to South Africa's 309; Bell 40, Bairstow 42) Bairstow has an absent-minded, angled-batted waft at Morkel, meeting only with fresh air. A single brings Bell on strike and he receives another brutish lifter that he can only steer fortuitously over the slips for two. There was an element of control, in that he realised he was in trouble and so twisted the bat for an uppercut, but there was a bigger element of fortune.
"Steve Finn mentioned it was lush and green yesterday so that means there will be no reverse," says Peter Lovell. "It needs to dry to create an abrasive pitch to scuff the ball to create reverse swing. It might have reversed back in March but not now."
51st over: England 140-4 (in reply to South Africa's 309; Bell 42, Bairstow 43) Tahir lures Bairstow towards the flame and turns one past the outside edge. Bell paddles a couple later in the over. This is such a good contest; cricket for grown-ups. You'd say South Africa are probably still on top, but not by much at all.
"Please, please Rob, stop publishing things about Bell," writes Clare Davies. "Let's all just keep very quiet and then perhaps Fate won't know what we're all hoping. You know what usually happens so stop it, stop it now!"
52nd over: England 142-4 (in reply to South Africa's 309; Bell 42, Bairstow 44) I'd give Kallis a short spell here. It'd be just like him to snare another sucker at a crucial time and then cackle contentedly while everyone celebrates around him. Bell tries to uppercut Morkel, but it's too short and bounces over his attempted stroke. Then Morkel bowls a no-ball. Every run is a precious thing. More and more this feels like Trent Bridge and Headingley 1998.
"Splendid game, and I say that as a South African supporter," says Richard Mansell. "It's a tough, hard-fought match, as it should be, and it could go either way. I don't agree with the writer who said that SA were going to win – it's anybody's. I do think there'll be a result, though, with some much more still to play. That said, I think on balance (or perhaps on paper) SA are the stronger team without the novice batsmen, but I could well be proved wrong."
53rd over: England 145-4 (in reply to South Africa's 309; Bell 43, Bairstow 46) "So much drama in the England team lately that I wonder if anyone has noticed Trott not making any runs," says Dan Minford. "How long before he feels a bit of pressure?" It'll be a while yet. As you say, England have much bigger problems than Jonathan Trott, even though he does average only 32 from his last 15 Tests.
54th over: England 154-4 (in reply to South Africa's 309; Bell 43, Bairstow 55) Bairstow snicks Morkel low through the slips for four to reach a thoroughly admirable half-century, his first in Tests. A number of the England balcony are on their feet and, as Peter Lovell points out, a gentleman called Piers may just have shut his mouth. For a couple of seconds. When you consider the context of Bairstow's innings – his struggles against the West Indies, the man he's replacing, coming in at 56 for four against a magnificent attack in a decider for the world No1 ranking – this has been a wonderful performance. He's got ticker and talent, which is a decent starting point for a young batsman. Three more through midwicket brings up the hundred partnership.
55th over: England 161-4 (in reply to South Africa's 309; Bell 47, Bairstow 58) Kallis is on, an excellent move by Graeme Smith. If one of these two batsmen slice a filthy wide half-volley to slip I may well weep forever more. Bairstow times three more off the thigh through midwicket; on Sky, Nasser Hussain tells us he has made 30 from his last 23 balls. Bell has been more circumspect but he takes advantage of one of those wide Kallis specials, squirting it square for four.
"It's nice that Graeme Smith reads the OBO and all," says Alistair Halton, "but if Kallis snags one we're coming for you." Let's do it. The OBO Fight Club.
56th over: England 161-4 (in reply to South Africa's 309; Bell 47, Bairstow 58) A double bowling change, with Philander replacing Morkel. He starts well wide of off stump to Bairstow, who leaves a few and then almost drags an attempted pull onto his stumps. There are 18 overs remaining in the day. In other news, here's that pigeon business from earlier.
57th over: England 165-4 (in reply to South Africa's 309; Bell 51, Bairstow 58) Bell chases another wide one from Kallis and is beaten, but a delightful back cut for four next ball takes him to a mature and classy half-century from 133 balls. He's playing beautifully.
"God help me for continuing to entertain him," says Tom Hooper, "but today's award for most sycophantic tweet goes to you-know-who, especially in light of the one you linked to as Jonny got his 50."
58th over: England 166-4 (in reply to South Africa's 309; Bell 51, Bairstow 59) Philander is generally bowling a fifth-stump line to Bairstow, attempting to bore him out. This next hour is buttock-clenchingly important; the difference between an overnight 220 for four and 200 for six is definitely 20 runs and two wickets. Honk! Honk with me now.
59th over: England 168-4 (in reply to South Africa's 309; Bell 52, Bairstow 60) Kallis keeps dangling the ball outside Bell's outside off stump. He's like a bloody femme fatale, albeit one with special hair, just waiting to snare another patsy.
"55th over," says Matt Dony. "Hmmm. Smyth. Clearly a pampered public school lad, and soft southern middle-class journo to boot. If it comes to it, my money's on Alistair 'Knuckles' Halton." If you can survive the mean streets of, er, Sittingbourne, a fist-flaunting Guardian reader is nothing to worry about. Let's do this. Let's have a row.
60th over: England 173-4 (in reply to South Africa's 309; Bell 53, Bairstow 64) The game has gone quiet, the result of South Africa's off theory. They will happily do this for the next half hour or so, or until they get a wicket, at which point Steyn and Morkel will be summoned again to raise hell. That line is fine for Philander provided the length is good, but when he drops short Bairstow cuts confidently for four.
61st over: England 178-4 (in reply to South Africa's 309; Bell 58, Bairstow 64) Tahir replaces Kallis. His first ball is a touch too short and flicked brilliantly through midwicket for four by Bell. These are vital runs; England can't just bat time, because the new ball is due after 80 overs and it's far from inconceivable that they will be cleaned up with it, depending on how many wickets have fallen when it's taken. For England, this is the time to cash in.
"Isn't this the Test that England's much-vaunted lower order need to come to the party?" says Chris Goater. "Much was made of the superiority of our tail vs the Saffers, but there's not been much evidence so far. Broad in particular has been a disappointment. With SA's Nos7 and 8 making 61 each, Broad and Swann will need to work hard. Is Finn any good with a bat?" He can clout a ball, but he's below Anderson, which tells a story. As does his first-class average: 6.86.
WICKET! England 178-5 (Bell c Petersen b Philander 58) Ian Bell has gone! Another twist in this marvellous Test match. The fifth-stump line has worked for Philander. Bell was beaten twice in the course of an excellent over, and then went for a drive at a fuller delivery that moved away just enough to take the edge. It flew low to a wide slip position, wher Alviro Petersen took a beautifully unobtrusive catch at ankle height. Bell swishes his bat and shakes his head in frustration. He had worked desperately hard for those 58 runs.
62nd over: England 178-5 (in reply to South Africa's 309; Bairstow 64, Prior 0) There are twelve overs are remaining in the day. There might be a temptation for England to play for the close now, but I suspect Prior in particular will attack.
63rd over: England 181-5 (in reply to South Africa's 309; Bairstow 65, Prior 2) Tahir continues for now – there is bound to be one last burst from Steyn pretty soon – and is worked for a single by Bairstow. Prior then gets off the mark with two to deep point. England's running has been very good in this session. There are 11 overs remaining today.
64th over: England 183-5 (in reply to South Africa's 309; Bairstow 67, Prior 2) "The first rule of OBO Fight Club," says Simon McMahon. "Never, ever, ever, EVER start to hope." As Brad Pitt said in the film, how much can you know about yourself if you've never endured an England batting collapse?
65th over: England 187-5 (in reply to South Africa's 309; Bairstow 67, Prior 6) Morne Morkel replaces Imran Tahir. His first ball is short, wide and dismissed through extra cover for four. A fuller delivery beats the edge later in the over. Ebb and flow, the match in miniature. "Noble of Bell to sacrifice his wicket to Philander to prevent a rumble," says Alistair Halton. "I'd just got my handbag restrapped, too."
66th over: England 187-5 (in reply to South Africa's 309; Bairstow 67, Prior 6) There are nine overs remaining in theory, although play can't go on beyond 6.30pm. Time, then, for one final burst from Dale Steyn. There are final bursts and final bursts. What kind is this to be? Bairstow almost induces a coronary by dragging a drive back onto his pads, and then does induce one by offering no stroke to an inswinger that just bounces over the stumps. A maiden.
"If witnessing an England batting collapse led to self-knowledge," says Peter McLeod, "I'm pretty sure I would have achieved full enlightenment by now."
67th over: England 193-5 (in reply to South Africa's 309; Bairstow 67, Prior 12) This is an excellent battle between Prior and Morkel. A play and miss is followed by a withering square drive for four and a work off the hip for two.
"If Finn really wants to keep his place, he'll learn how to bat properly," writes John Starbuck. "Stuart Broad began as a batsman so it shows one can change, and Anderson learned enough to become something other than a total rabbit. He must have had plenty of experience by now so what might he do if properly coached? Get Sir Geoffrey to have a word or two."
68th over: England 198-5 (in reply to South Africa's 309; Bairstow 68, Prior 16) I wonder how tired Bairstow is mentally. After that dodgy leave in the previous over he started dancing around at the crease, trying to sharpen his focus. The best way to play Dale Steyn, of course, is from the other end, and Bairstow takes a single off the third ball. Prior, who is continuing to attack, misses an extravagant flash at a wider delivery. A steer through the slips next ball brings him his third boundary. Prior has 16 from 22 balls. He doesn't really do backward steps, does he.
"Hmmm, Smith's got a shortish point and a very deep gully in now for Prior, says SB Tang. "I suspect he's employing the same plan Stephen Fleming used to famous effect against Damien Martyn — pack his favourite scoring area in the gully/point region with fielders, bowl wide of off stump and dare him to cut and square drive."
69th over: England 198-5 (in reply to South Africa's 309; Bairstow 68, Prior 16) Bairstow is playing for the close now. He has scored one from his last 19 deliveries and focuses exclusively on defence in that maiden from Morkel.
70th over: England 201-5 (in reply to South Africa's 309; Bairstow 70, Prior 17) Bairstow is almost completely becalmed now. That's understandable so near to the close after a mentally exhausting day, although such an approach is always a little scary for those of a partisan nature. The ball slips out of Steyn's hand during his bowling action. Bairstow considers belting it for four and decides he probably wouldn't like an angry Dale Steyn. He does clip the next ball for a couple to take England past 200.
71st over: England 204-5 (in reply to South Africa's 309; Bairstow 72, Prior 18) Kallis is going to bowl a solitary over before the close. He scares the hell out of me with the ball, and he so nearly draws an edge from Bairstow, beaten as he drives absent-mindedly outside off. Bairstow walks away to square leg to sharpen his focus, stopping just short of slapping himself about the coupon. He'll sleep well tonight.
72nd over: England 208-5 (in reply to South Africa's 309; Bairstow 72, Prior 22) Dale Steyn will bowl the last over of the day. He has a big shout for LBW when Prior whips around a full delivery. Kumar Dharmasena says not out and South Africa rightly decide not to review. It was going down leg. Prior is beaten next ball, fishing where a man should never fish. This is brilliant from Steyn, who must be absolutely shattered yet is storming in like it's 11.02am. He tries for the killer yorker next ball; it's too straight and Prior flicks it fine for four. The following delivery goes past the edge again. A stunning over to end an outstanding day's play. God bless Test cricket. England trail by 101 runs, and both sides will sleep pretty soundly: England because they have recovered from 58 for four, South Africa because the new ball is due in eight overs' time. The man of the day was Jonny Bairstow, who made a lovely 72 not out under all sorts of personal and team pressure. Thanks for your emails; see you tomorrow.