Rain wins after Cookie crumbles
Jennings in Test of nerve to save his England skin
ENGLAND stayed in control against South Africa at a rain-hit Oval yesterday as Toby Roland-Jones completed his five-wicket haul on debut.
Under-fire Keaton Jennings also rode his luck at the top of the order on day three as he looks for a score to save his Test career.
One England player who did not have a good day, though, was ex-captain Alastair Cook (left) who was bowled by a stunning delivery from Morne Morkel for seven, as the hosts finished on 74-1, with a commanding lead of 252.
James Anderson, who took the first wicket of the day, praised Roland-Jones for his display. He said: “I’ve been very impressed. It’s not often you see a debutant settle as quickly as he did.
“He looked very comfortable, he knows his action and his game and it’s a perfect pitch for him.
“He’s a very intelligent cricketer and fully deserved his five wickets.”
KEATON JENNINGS was battling hard to save his England career last night as rain came to South Africa’s aid in the third Investec Test.
Four hours were lost to the weather on a day when just 34 overs were possible, but England are still well placed to take a 2-1 lead in the four-match series.
Jennings, dubbed a ‘walking wicket’ in this series, was 34 not out at the close of day three with England in total control on 74-1. Tom Westley is 28 not out.
Joe Root’s team lead by 252 runs after Toby Roland-Jones became the first England bowler to take five wickets in an innings on debut since Graham Onions in 2009.
Roland-Jones followed up his early four-wicket burst on Friday with the final wicket of the South Africa innings, top-scorer Temba Bavuma for 52.
He fully deserved his standing ovation after helping to skittle the Proteas for 175 in reply to England’s competitive first innings of 353.
Roland-Jones has given himself a huge push towards the Ashes tour party in the winter that could yet be at the expense of fellow Middlesex seamer Steven Finn.
He was only playing because of a heel injury to Mark Wood and he well and truly took his chance, exploiting the gloomy overhead conditions to finish with 5-57.
England still have Wood and all-rounder Chris Woakes to return but Roland-Jones has done himself no harm at all with this display.
Jennings came to the crease yesterday with his confidence at rock bottom after the first innings when he was caught at slip for a duck but rallied with a fighting effort.
Early on he did little to alter the feeling he is seriously struggling but managed to survive.
Having made just two, he edged Vernon Philander for four through fine leg off the inside edge.
Then next ball he got an outside edge to third slip but Dean Elgar failed to hold on to the chance at head height and the ball ran away for another fortunate boundary.
Former South Africa skipper Graeme Smith, also a left-handed opener, said in his BBC radio commentary that Jennings was so upright “it’s as if someone has stuck a pole in his back”.
Those runs, though, gave the Durham opener a launchpad and he then crunched two more confident fours through point and cover off Kagiso Rabada.
At the other end he saw his opening partner Alastair Cook bowled by a crackerjack delivery from Morne Morkel that pitched on middle from an around the wicket line and left him. Cook made just seven and it was the 11th time in his Test career that he had fallen to Morkel. He will also have to wait another year to score his 1,000th Test run at The Oval.
The old ground in South East London is hosting its 100th Test and Cook almost marked the occasion with his own landmark.
Jennings survived another scare on 33, though, when he was given out lbw by Joel Wilson. But after a consultation with non-striker Westley he smartly opted to review.
The television replay clearly revealed the ball from Rabada pitched outside leg stump and would probably have bounced over the stumps as well.
How vital that review might prove – if Jennings had walked off without challenging the umpire’s decision he may never have been seen in an England team again.
Westley, meanwhile, was in positive mood once again like in the first innings when he made a brief but bustling 25.
The Essex man will be hoping to build on his latest start and help to consolidate his England place after replacing broken finger victim Gary Ballance.
Earlier, South Africa began the day requiring a further 28 runs to avoid the follow-on, which they were able to do.
A stand of 47 between Bavuma and Morkel for the ninth wicket frustrated England.
The pint-sized Bavuma had a streak of luck on 40 when his thick edge was dropped by Ben Stokes in the gully off Stuart Broad but it was a fantastic effort diving full-length to his left.
And it was a resilient 50 from Bavuma in challenging batting conditions against the rampant Roland-Jones.
Jimmy Anderson removed Morkel to end a partnership of 47 but the Lancashire paceman said: “The weather hasn’t helped. Hopefully that will improve and we can concentrate and bat until tea tomorrow and have a day and a session to bowl them out.
“There have been signs of some uneven bounce and some keeping low and signs of deterioration and seam movement. I don’t see that changing much.
“So we need to play properly for a bit and hopefully speed up towards the end.
“Keaton has dealt with the ball keeping low very well and seeing how he dealt with that tricky period might just be what he needs.
“Morne Morkel bowled a great spell so for him to get through that was a good effort.”
Bavuma said: “You can see why Roland-Jones had been given his England debut. He looks like a good bowler.”