England remain in driving seat despite rain-affected day at The Oval
Keaton Jennings survived a couple of scares against his native South Africa as England maintained their grip on the third Test at The Oval yesterday.
England were 74-1 in their second innings, a lead of 252 runs at stumps on a gloomy third day where rain meant only 32 overs were bowled.
Jennings was 34 not out and Tom Westley, one of three debutants in England’s XI, was unbeaten on 28 in what is the 100th Test at The Oval.
Jennings, born and raised in Johannesburg, is the 11th man tried as an England Test opener alongside Alastair Cook since Andrew Strauss retired in 2012.
And he was under pressure for his place after a run of low scores, including a zero in the first innings of this match.
Earlier, Temba Bavuma’s gutsy 52 helped South Africa avoid the follow-on.
His innings was the cornerstone of the Proteas’ 175 all out.
That left them 178 runs behind England’s first innings 353 that featured Ben Stokes’s 112 and former captain Cook’s 88.
Toby Roland-Jones, who had removed all of South Africa’s top four in a sensational debut display on Friday, had Bavuma caught behind to end the innings.
Middlesex seamer Roland-Jones finished with figures of 5-57 in 16.4 overs.
In the process he became just the sixth England cricketer, and first since Graham Onions in 2009, to take five or more wickets in a debut Test bowling innings. South Africa resumed on 126-8, still 28 runs shy of avoiding the follow-on.
Bavuma was 34 not out and Morne Morkel unbeaten on two, with this four-match series in the balance at 1-1 and the continued overcast conditions again favouring the faster bowlers.
South Africa were bolstered by knowing Philander had been passed fit after a night on a hospital drip that followed a second day’s play from which the all-rounder was largely absent.
Bavuma ensured South Africa avoided the follow-on by driving a Broad half-volley through the covers for four.
But a valuable ninth-wicket partnership of 47 ended when Morkel (17) nicked Anderson to Cook at first slip.
Bavuma’s edge to the third man boundary off Roland-Jones saw him complete a hard-earned 50 off 111 balls, including eight fours.
But Bavuma was out soon afterwards, edging a good length Roland-Jones ball to wicket-keeper Jonny Bairstow.
England lost Cook shortly after lunch when he was bowled by an excellent delivery from fast bowler Morkel for seven. Westley followed his first-innings 25 with another promising effort.
Left-hander Jennings was on 33 when given out lbw to fast bowler Kagiso Rabada. But his review of umpire Joel Wilson’s decision showed the ball had pitched just outside the leg stump.