ROLAND SPLAT
Seamer Toby marks debut by ripping heart out of Proteas batting
DEBUT dazzler Toby RolandJones gave South Africa both barrels in a sensational opening spell to put England firmly in control of the third Test.
The Middlesex seamer ripped out the Proteas top order with four wickets for 15 runs in 24 balls to completely turn the game and the series England’s way.
With Ben Stokes scoring his fifth ton earlier in the day to take England to 353 all out, RolandJones’ spell from the Vauxhall End was the catalyst behind South
Africa’s collapse to 126-8, with uncertainty over Vernon Philander’s participation after he was taken to hospital with a viral illness.
Roland-Jones knocked over the South Africa top four, producing an absolute snorter to get rid of Hashim Amla for just six, which is 305 fewer than he managed on his previous visit to the Oval.
“This is the moment every young kid dreams of, representing your country and I’m no different,” said Roland-Jones (above, celebrating the dismissal of Quinton de Kock with wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow). “The way things unfolded was certainly not something I’d pictured, but I felt in nice rhythm and enjoyed bowling from that end and things seemed to catch fire from there. “It was as seamer-friendly as you’re going to find I think. “The wicket had some help in it and the guys batting had to work through some tough periods.” Roland-Jones has waited
patiently for his chance to show what he can do at the highest level of the game and, boy, did he take it with both hands.
At 29 he is no spring chicken, but what he lacks in youthful exuberance he more than makes up for in a hardmatch edge and well-honed skill.
Brought up on the flat pitches of Lord’s he has a knack of getting good players out and despite not offering express pace, has enough gas to make a difference at this level.
And when it comes to conditions that suit seam bowling – as was the case yesterday – the likes of Philander and James Anderson have proved pace is not everything.
Sadly for the visitors Philander could not really show off his full repertoire beyond the five more overs he sent down in the morning.
His 2-32 from 17 overs across the two days was an even more impressive effort given that he was kept in the hospital overnight on a drip because of a stomach bug.
Had he been around to take advantage of the second new ball, perhaps Stokes would have found life even tougher, but the Durham allrounder showed real patience and responsibility to marshal England’s innings to a decent total.
Stokes was smart in his shotmaking at times, but when he could free his arms he still did so, clattering Keshav Maharaj for three successive sixes to bring up his ton, including one six which was caught by Faf du Plessis only for the South Africa skipper to tumble backwards and touch the ropes.
“It was the hundred that I’ve worked the hardest for,” said Stokes.
“I came off on the first day and didn’t feel great, I played and missed at a lot and I had to stick in there with Cooky.
“We knew we had to work through the hard times and it would be tougher for guys coming in. I was in a positive frame of mind but they didn’t give us too much to feed off.
“When it came to the sixes, Jimmy asked, ‘What you going to do?’ I said, ‘Wallop’.”