Captain Elgar digs in to lead stubborn fightback

PROTEAS captain Dean Elgar led an inspired fightback on day two of the first Test between South Africa and England at Lord’s yesterday afternoon.

By tea the Proteas had reached 96/2 in reply to England’s 458 all out thanks largely to Elgar’s unbeaten 54, while JP Duminy was on eight.

After the visitors resumed their innings after the lunch interval on 10 for none, opening batsman Heino Kuhn (1) became the hosts first scalp without adding to the score.

Hashim Amla then joined Elgar and they shared in a positive 72-run stand before Amla was trapped plumb in front by Moeen Ali, with Duminy then accompanying Elgar to tea with no further problems.

Earlier in the day ill-disciplined bowling by South Africa allowed England to strengthen their grip on the first Tes.

The home side were finally bowled out just before lunch on 458 with the visitors reaching the break at 10 without loss.

The home side had resumed their first innings on 357/5 with Joe Root 16 runs away from becoming the first man to score a double century on his England captaincy debut.

But Root edged the 13th ball of the day‚ a rising delivery that was bowled by Morne Morkel and was caught behind for 190 to end a stand of 177 he shared with Moeen Ali.

Root batted for more than six hours‚ faced 234 balls‚ hit 27 fours and a six — and he would have been dismissed for five‚ 16 or 149 on Thursday had South Africa taken their catches or not bowled noballs.

Two Morkel balls after Root went‚ trapped Liam Dawson in front and England were 367/7.

South Africa would have hoped the end of the innings was in sight but England would add another 91 runs.

Too many of them were smote from deliveries that were pitched too wide and too short‚ particularly by Morkel and Kagiso Rabada. Rabada bowled Moeen for 87 with a fine in-swinger‚ and two balls later he had Mark Wood leg-before.

Again‚ South Africa would have sensed impending relief from their time in the field.

But instead of homing in on the stumps they fed Stuart Broad’s thirst for quick runs with a barrage of flaccid short-pitched deliveries.

Morkel had James Anderson caught behind to end the innings‚ while Rabada took 3/123. Vernon Philander‚ who bowled only four of the 18.3 overs South Africa sent down yesterday‚ claimed 3/67.

The end of play score unavailable prior to print — TimesLIVE