The Proteas fought back to reduce England to 192/4 before bad light stopped play on day one of the fourth and final Test, writes Khalid Mohidin from the Wanderers.
Rain disrupted action on the first day of the fourth Test at the Wanderers, as fans and media alike waited for play to get underway.
The teams walked on at 1:20 pm and aimed to give the Bull Ring a decent day of cricket.
The Proteas were asked to bowl first. As Vernon Philander ran in from the one end in his last Test match, debutant Beuran Hendricks ran in from the other, as both players gunned for quick opening wickets.
That was not on the cards as Faf du Plessis rotated his bowlers desperate for a breakthrough, but Zak Crawley and Dom Sibley got stuck in to build a solid stand.
The pair strung together England’s first opening partnership since Chennai 2016, when 103 was put on by Alastair Cook and Keaton Jennings.
They broke a 70-innings drought without a 100+ opening partnership.
After Tea, England aimed to extend their dominance. But Hendricks, who was looking close to the money the entire first session, finally got a well-deserved maiden Test wicket to send Sibley back to the changing room for 44.
Vernon Philander then removed England’s other opener, Crawley, after a solid 66 to bring out No 66, Joe Root.
Rain disrupted action on the first day of the fourth Test at the Wanderers, as fans and media alike waited for play to get underway.
The teams walked on at 1:20 pm and aimed to give the Bull Ring a decent day of cricket.
The Proteas were asked to bowl first. As Vernon Philander ran in from the one end in his last Test match, debutant Beuran Hendricks ran in from the other, as both players gunned for quick opening wickets.
They did receive some sort of movement, as expected, but no wicket to back them up as the altered first session drew near.
That was not on the cards as Faf du Plessis rotated his bowlers desperate for a breakthrough, but Zak Crawley and Dom Sibley got stuck in to build a solid stand.
The pair strung together England’s first opening partnership since Chennai 2016, when 103 was put on by Alastair Cook and Keaton Jennings.
They broke a 70-innings drought without a 100+ opening partnership.
After Tea, England aimed to extend their dominance. But Hendricks, who was looking close to the money the entire first session, finally got a well-deserved maiden Test wicket to send Sibley back to the changing room for 44.
Vernon Philander then removed England’s other opener, Crawley, after a solid 66 to bring out No 66, Joe Root.
Dane Paterson then gave himself a pat on the back after taking out Joe Denly (27) with a scrumptious outswinger that was edged to slip.
Anrich Nortje, for the third time in the series, dismissed the dangerous Ben Stokes to put England 4 down for 154.
England finished on 194/4.
Photo: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
