Steyn Strikes Early Blow for South Africa

Nick Compton and James Taylor, both seeking to re-establish themselves at Test level, hit half-centuries and dug England out of trouble on a rain-hit first day of the first Test against South Africa at Kingsmead on Saturday.

James Anderson may have lost his fight to be fit for the Boxing Day Test against South Africa, but Stuart Broad insists the absence of his new ball partner is “not a hammer blow” to England’s chances.

“My job today was to set the tone from the start and it was great to get the first wicket, especially the England captain as it set the tone for the team and him too”.

Compton did what he does best, batting time for his unbeaten 63, while Taylor was his usual pugnacious self in scoring 70 – his second fifty in as many Tests since returning to the England side.

Both Taylor and Compton produced confident cover drives, showing a keenness to get forward whenever possible, while Taylor also took two boundaries off Piedt’s comeback over and then cracked another brace off the same bowler as the tea interval approached, expertly picking the length from the offspinner, as the mood shifted a little England’s way for the first time.

And in Steyn’s resumed over after the break, during which lunch was taken, Hales fuelled the detractors who feel he is ill-suited to opening in Test cricket with a loose shot outside his off stump that nicked the ball to keeper AB de Villiers.

But Taylor and Compton, who was recalled for his first test in more than two years, brightened England’s prospects significantly with their stand, blunting South Africa’s attack and putting the host on the back foot for most of the afternoon.

Dane Piedt had caught Joe Root napping with his very first delivery, trapping England’s most risky batsman lbw just when he looked to have seen off the Proteas’ chief threats. “The bookmakers -I know we shouldn’t be talking about bookmakers in cricket – they make us underdogs”, said Cook.

“He did exactly what was needed”, said Taylor.

After winning the toss in overcast conditions, South Africa made the flawless start to the series by claiming the key wicket of Cook in the third over as the left-hander was tempted by a delivery outside off-stump from Steyn and edged to Dean Elgar at second slip.

The pair added 125 runs for the fourth wicket and kept the South African attack at bay. His half-century came off 145 balls.

“The ball didn’t do perhaps as much as I felt it would but it was still a good toss to win”, he added.

You can run, but you can’t hide, as they say, and Steyn dismissed Hales soon after the resumption of play.