Roland-Jones continues dream debut

LONDON: Toby Roland-Jones saw his dream debut continue as he completed a five-wicket haul to end South Africa’s belated resistance and ensure England enjoyed a 178-run first innings lead in the Third Test at The Oval yesterday.

Temba Bavuma’s accomplished half-century led the visitors’ fightback on the third morning of the 100th Oval Test but when Roland-Jones dismissed him for 52 to finish with debut figures of 5-57 off 16.4 overs, South Africa were dismissed for 175.

England’s openers, seeking to press home the advantage with the four-match series tied at 1-1, then stretched the overall lead to 198 as Alastair Cook and Keaton Jennings made it to an early lunch on 20-0 with the rain coming down.

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 for’ in a Test debut first innings.

Little Bavuma, who came in with the South Africans in disarray at 47-4 on Friday, demonstrated considerable calmness and real spirit to ensure they made a decent recovery from their worst plight when 61-7 on Friday evening.

He was given support from Morne Morkel, with a stubborn 39-ball 17, and last man Vernon Philander, who was deemed fit to bat after being discharged from hospital following tests for the stomach ailment that had kept him off the field for much of the first two days.

Bavuma, who ensured the follow-on was avoided with a lovely cover driven four, survived a tough chance when on 40 off Stuart Broad when Ben Stokes could not hold on to his flying attempt in the gully.

Otherwise, he always seemed in control, going past 1,000 runs in Tests before going on to his halfcentury off 111 balls with eight boundaries.

James Anderson eked out Morkel, caught at slip, before Roland-Jones, who had earlier been given the first crack at landing his ‘five for’ by captain Joe Root, was recalled for a second spell and had Bavuma caught behind by Jonny Bairstow. Reuters