Konta’s cool as Sakkari to bag

compounded South Africa’s frustrations in an entertaining 10th-wicket stand of 45 from just 27 deliveries.

Morkel had ended Root’s six-and-a-quarter-hour stay – after he hit 27 fours and a six from 234 balls - in the third over of another glorious day, and then struck again almost immediately when Dawson’s recourse to DRS narrowly failed to overturn umpire Sundaram Ravi’s decision.

Root’s stand with Moeen was worth 177 – putting England in an advantageous position, considering they were 17 for two when their new captain first took guard.

South Africa then missed another trick when Vernon Philander’s wish to review an lbw appeal against Broad fell on deaf ears yet would have been successful, with England’s number nine on just four out of 372 for seven.

Little went right for the tourists, in fact, until Rabada bowled Moeen through the gate driving and then won the fifth lbw verdict of the innings with one that kept low to pin Mark Wood on the back foot two balls later.

Broad’s fun was only just beginning, though, and Anderson joined in with a pull for six of his own off Rabada before the number 11 was last out edging an attempted drive behind off Morkel. BRITAIN’S Johanna Konta lifted the curse of the Wimbledon favourite by cruising past Maria Sakkari and into the last 16.

Konta moved top of the billing in the bookies’ estimations on Thursday after previous incumbents Petra Kvitova and Karolina Pliskova had successively failed to justify the tag.

But Konta halted the exodus on Court One as she overcame Sakkari 6-4 6-1 to become the first British woman to make the second week of the singles here since Laura Robson in 2013.

She will face 21st seed Caroline Garcia of France and while Robson had been a surprise runner four years ago, there is now an expectation that Konta can go further.

This was certainly not a vintage performance from the world number seven. Her forehand was often wayward, particularly in the first set, and her serve less potent than usual but it is a sign of Konta’s status now that she still progressed with minimal fuss.

“I’m not particularly aware,” Konta told the BBC, when asked about any growing pressure.

“Everyone is a potential winner here. I’m here to be involved hopefully until the very end but it’s one match at a time. I’m happy to come through today and get ready for a battle coming up next.”

Sakkari, the 21-year-old from Greece, is enjoying a breakthrough season with the help of Andy Murray’s former coach Mark Petchey but she is yet to beat a top-20 player in six attempts and never looked like bucking the trend here.

Garcia, who beat Konta in a final-set tiebreak at Indian Wells this year, will offer a tougher test while Venus Williams, Angelique Kerber, Garbine Muguruza and Victoria Azarenka, with 12 major titles between them, are all still going strong.

But, however optimistic, the favourite tag semed not to weigh heavy on Konta, who sent two dipping backhands past Sakkari for a first-game break and almost had 3-0 only for her opponent to stem the tide.

Sakkari failed to hit a winner until the sixth game, and even that was an ace, but she was quick around the baseline and seemingly happy to hope for the mistake.

Konta obliged too often, with her forehand unusually wild, and she had to save two break points at 4-3 before finally restoring order.

Two demon serves clinched the first set.

The trouble for Sakkari was that if Konta found her range, she would have little to offer in reply, and so it proved as successive breaks in the second set put the Briton 3-0 to the good.

There was some late resistance from Sakkari, who threatened a break back at 4-1, but nothing could stop Konta, who shrieked in delight when a final backhand fired long

A delighted Konta admitted after the and Konta had match she’s had more to cope with the favourite’s tag; the weather made it a struggle, also.

“I’m very happy with that, it was gusty out there and wasn’t easy,” Konta told the BBC.

“I tried to take care of the simple things and compete hard.

“Everyone’s a potential winner here. I am here to be involved until the very end and I am happy to still be here. “The support is amazing. “It’s truly humbling and it’s what we all dream of, to play on the biggest stage”

Garcia was a straight-sets winner over America’s Madison Brengle, the conqueror of two-time winner Petra Kvitova in the previous round.

Former world number one Victoria Aza-