SA under siege as Stokes, Pope score centuries

England declared their first in nings on 499 for nine after Ollie Pope and Mark Wood slammed 73 runs in 8.4 overs off a tired South African attack after tea on the second day of the third Test at St George’s Park on Friday.

Pope finished on 135 not out, while Wood thrashed five sixes in making 41 off 23 balls being caught on the long-on boundary off Keshav Maharaj, who fin ished with 5/180

Earlier Ben Stokes scored 120 just two days after being named the world’s best cricketer, Stokes underlined his talismanic role for England with a typically flourishing century, accelerating the run rate after the tourists were 224/4 overnight.

Pope was even quicker to his 50 in the morning session but more circumspect after lunch, before making a maiden ton to underline his potential. He was on 106 at the tea interval.

Stokes and Pope added 203 runs for the fifth wicket.

Stokes’ century came off 174 balls. He went past 4,000 runs and became only the seventh Test player to reach that figure and take 100 wickets, achieving the milestone in fewer Tests than England great Ian Botham.

Pope survived scares – when he was given out lbw on 75, but successfully reviewed, and again on 84 with an attempted stumping – before reaching his ton off 190 balls just before tea.

SA debutant Dane Paterson got the prized wicket of Stokes, his a maiden Test victim.

It was another grinding day in the field for SA who began the day with the demoralising news that top bowler Kagiso Rabada would be suspended for the last Test of the series at the Wanderers.

Rabada was given another demerit point for robustly celebrating the wicket of England captain Joe Root on Thursday.

● For full report go to dispatchonline.

All-rounder underlined his talismanic role for his country