Root in the runs again as England take command

It was not one that was coveted by New Zealand’s buccaneering – and now retiring – captain, Brendon McCullum.

And while Broad was unable to rip through South Africa in the same manner in their own back yard, with Anderson out injured, he was nothing short of magnificent and played “absolutely gorgeous cricket” in the words of England great and BBC Test Match Special pundit Geoffrey Boycott.

South Africa (1st innings): S. van Zyl b Broad 0.

Steyn sustained the injury bowling at the start of England’s second innings and will be sent for scans after play finishes.

Fellow left-hander Gary Kirsten was the most recent to perform the feat before Elgar, making 100 not out in a total of 239 against Pakistan in Faisalabad in 1997/98.

The home side did not help themselves as Elgar shelled Compton on 11 at second slip and wicketkeeper AB de Villiers spilled Root on six.

Stuart Broad revealed England’s tactic to AB de Villiers was to play to the strengths of the world’s most unsafe batsman, a gamble that came off just as he looked to be “taking the game away” from the tourists. We came up with a 7-2 field plan, saying nearly that you can hit your good shots but we want you to hit them to fielders and frustrate him a little bit.

South Africa were reduced to 156 for seven.

Off-spinner Moeen Ali took the fourth wicket when he bowled Faf du Plessis.

The Proteas closed on 137 for four – a healthy deficit of 166 – but there were chances that begging too.

But then Broad got rid of Stiaan van Zyl and Hashim Amla with his new ball spell and then claimed AB de Villiers in his second spell to put an end to a threatening partnership of 86 for the third wicket between De Villiers and Dean Elgar.

While England’s seamers bowled a fuller length than South Africa’s had, Moeen Ali held up one end more steadily than hitherto, as he had pledged.

Moeen’s dismissal of J-P Duminy was either a soft or a classic dismissal, when Duminy pushed forward and edged an offbreak to slip. But, de Villiers took time and patiently knocked the ball with Dean Elgar.

Stuart Broad dismissed Temba Bavuma second ball of the day to again set the tone for the England bowling attack at Kingsmead.

Root looked busy at the crease and made 24 off 37 balls, including a pulled six off Abbott. South Africa’s team manager, Dr Moosajee, who advanced the explanation, can be believed as he is also their team doctor who has taken the Hippocratic oath. There were no tears to any of the muscles or tendons or ligaments so we are treating it as a shoulder spasm or stiffness at the moment. A team manager who is also the doctor, knowing the physical state of his team, must be useful. Broad celebrated exuberantly as De Villiers trudged off.

With discipline and patience, he anchored the innings and was England’s first hero of the series.

Earlier, Hales had been less than alert to danger again, when Nick Compton turned for a second run off Dane Piedt.

If the drops were an indication of how low the mood in the South African camp was then the sight of Steyn coming back on to bowl just an hour after going off complaining of pain in his right shoulder was a sign of their desperation.