Tough day for our batsmen but we battled

PAUL FARBRACE felt England demonstrated their battling qualities after an attritional first day of the final Test against South Africa was left evenly poised.

All of England’s top seven batsmen made it to double figures while there were half-centuries for captain Joe Root, who went past 5,000 Test runs in the process, and Ben Stokes at Old Trafford.

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, as England closed on 260-6.

England assistant coach Farbrace, though, was encouraged by the mental strength shown, in particular, by their top order – a trait that has sometimes been called into question after several recent batting collapses.

He told Sky Sports: “I thought it’s been a really tough day for the batters.

“It looks as though it’s a wicket where the bowlers are always in it. I think they bowled really well; Morne Morkel was outstanding, (Keshav) Maharaj has bowled with real control.

“From our point of view I thought we fought really well. We’re really learning to play on a wicket that has done a bit.” ■■Yorkshire’s hopes of a quarter-final place in the NatWest T20 Blast suffered another setback when they failed to complete the double over north group strugglers Durham.

After the previous night’s defeat by Derbyshire, Yorkshire made a hash of chasing Durham’s 157-3, finishing one short on 156-7after they appeared to be coasting.

The turning point came when man of the match Paul Collingwood followed his unbeaten 88 with a run out of Alex Lees.