England vs South Africa

South Africa resumed on 126 for eight, still 28 runs shy of avoiding the follow-on, in what is the 100th men’s Test staged at The Oval. Stuart Broad said it was the fastest spell of bowling he had seen from Stokes, and compared the pace and hostility to Flintoff in his pomp. His second decision was too late and he could only guide the ball in to the hands of Root at second slip, gone for five from 37 deliveries.

Roland-Jones, the 29-year-old Middlesex seamer who had ripped through the Proteas’ top four on Friday in his first 33 balls, became the first England bowler since Graham Onions against West Indies at Lord’s in 2009 to take a five-wicket haul in a Test debut first innings.

The all-rounder was a first-innings centurion for good measure in a match England are strong favourites to win after the tourists reached stumps on 117-4 in pursuit of a notional world-record target of 492. “But we’ve got two fighters still at the wicket at the moment, in Elgar and Bavuma, so hopefully conditions are similar tomorrow and we can get them out early on”. Since January 2015, he has been far and away the stand-out South Africa opener not least because he has played the most matches.

He yorked De Kock with a beauty and Du Plessis shouldered arms to his first delivery and was nailed lbw.

Jennings added another 14 runs to his overnight score before he was caught in the gully from the splice of the bat, having been surprised by a lifter from Kagiso Rabada. The conditions on offer on England have nearly accentuated that and I think he has found his length.

After Root rejected his final chance for a declaration before tea, taking a conservative attitude to a lead of 442, Moeen Ali was run out by a direct hit at the non-striker’s end from Temba Bavuma, who dashed in in from deep midwicket as Moeen sauntered a second run.

“(But) it’s not backing up what England are saying with Joe Root, saying we are going to play positive, aggressive cricket.

Tom Westley’s position is now more secure. The game at this level is more about temperament than technique and he does seem to have the character for the job. He’s such a great competitor and he has that steely, focused look about him. I don’t think he would be fazed by sledging either. To find three of them, all a little squeamish with nerves, searching for dressing room pegs in only the third Test of the summer, was a sign of England’s problems.

As people may remember, I was pretty dismissive of him in the past in regards to both his keeping and batting – I once likened him to a performing seal on The Verdict after one performance behind the stumps!

“It’s probably one of those (hundreds) I’ve worked for the hardest”, said Stokes. Root slumped back in a dressing room chair, disconsolate and, like many before him, watched Cook dig England out of a hole.