It wasn’t to be for the Proteas on day two of the second Test against England in Manchester on Friday as the hosts turned over a huge 241-run lead, thanks largely to the 173-run stand created by Ben Stokes and Ben Foakes, who batted for most of the day.

There were some moments in the morning session, however, when Anrich Nortje claimed the scalps of Jonny Bairstow (49) in the 34^th over, followed by Zak Crawley (38) in the 36^th over, breaking their 91-run partnership that was solidified on day one.

England were still behind by four runs at the time and South Africa still had an opportunity to make a breakthrough, but then on came Stokes and Foakes, who couldn’t crack easily on the day from there on. 

“There was definitely a period of the day, that was a major time of the game, where we got the wickets, but to try and keep that [up]; it’s not going to happen every time we get a team out in a session or two,” said Nortje, who, despite a tough day out for the South Africans, took decent innings figures of 3/82.

“It was definitely the ideal period to try and get more sticks – maybe something happening with the ball, maybe a bit more bounce, whatever it may have been – but as the ball got older it definitely got a bit harder.

“Most of the time we were trying to go for good and hard lengths, maybe to try and hit the stumps, get an LBW or the nick of in, but with more bounce it’s harder to hit the stumps most of the time.

“We tried to bowl our best balls I suppose, so I don’t think there’s anything really to change. They did bat well as well.”

That England did, but a favour of fortune did swing the way of the hosts when some close beamers at the start of the day had come close to finding their batsmen’s edges. 

But like Nortje emphasized, the conditions had changed as the day wore on, which again questions whether it was the right call from skipper Dean Elgar to bat first.

“At the start [of the day] it felt like there were opportunities,” Nortje said. “Basically the whole of the innings the balls missed the edge of the bat here and there, and you still felt like you were in it.

“But they really absorbed the pressure very well, especially at the start, and they slowly but surely built that momentum and partnership, which was key for them. They played the situation really well.”

South Africa’s openers – Elgar (11*) and Sarel Erwee (12*) – are currently at the crease ahead of day three.