Scorecard

AN Cook c de Kock

b Maharaj ....................................... 46 KK Jennings c de Kock

b Olivier ............................................ 17 T Westley c de Kock

b Rabada ......................................... 29 JE Root lbw b Olivier .................... 52 DJ Malan c du Plessis

b M Morkel ...................................... 18 BA Stokes b Rabada ..................... 58 JM Bairstow not out .................... 33 TS Roland-Jones not out ............. 0 Extras b5 lb1 nb1 .............................. 7 Total 6 wkts (90 overs) .............. 260 Bowling: M Morkel 1/58, Rabada 2/52, Olivier 2/72, Maharaj 1/54, de Bruyn 0/18. cut a hangdog figure after his third straight failure at this level.

There were three batting slots up for grabs at the start of the series, which England leads 2-1, and as it winds towards an end there are more questions than answers.

The James Anderson End was formally christened before play but any prospect of the home favourite immediately bowling from it soon disappeared when Root opted to bat first.

It cannot have been a straightforward decision after morning showers left plenty of moisture in the pitch, but the absence of South African seamers Vernon Philander and Chris Morris, both missing with back injuries, may have become a factor.

Assistant coach Paul Farbrace felt that England demonstrated their battling qualities after the attritional first day of the final Test was left evenly poised.

But on a fluctuating day, no one was able to capitalise on their starts, albeit on a pitch that offered assistance to the touring bowlers throughout.