South Africa head for lunch at 27-0 after bowling England out for a meagre 165
South Africa maintained their stranglehold on the first Test at Lord’s by bowling England out for 165 and then batting to 27 runs without loss before lunch on the second morning.
Kagiso Rabada claimed an impressive five-wicket haul and made made sure of the hosts’ meek first innings total, before Sarel Erwee and Dean Elgar stood strong at the crease to withstand England’s bowling attack of James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Matthew Potts.
England struggled to 116 for six at the end of day one and were on the verge of posting their lowest total since the new regime of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum.
South Africa openers Dean Elgar and Sarel Erwee head into lunch on day having knocked 27-0
The Proteas’ bowling attack continued to hurt England as the hosts were bowled out for 165
While the hosts moved beyond the 141 they scored here against New Zealand in June, Rabada sent Ollie Pope back to the pavilion early and picked up five for 52 to bring England’s first innings to an end inside an hour on day two.
Lord’s was a sea of red with the home of cricket turning ‘Red for Ruth’ for the fourth successive year in memory of Sir Andrew Strauss’ wife Ruth, who died in 2018.
All eyes were on Pope first up and whether he could lead England to a competitive total when he resumed on 61 not out, but he should have been dismissed from the sixth ball of the morning.
Ollie Pope was the only bright spark for England in the first innings and was dismissed for 73
Having confidently pulled Rabada for four earlier in the over, Pope edged to first slip only to watch Sarel Erwee make a mess of the catching opportunity at chest height.
Erwee spilled the first chance, almost clung onto the second and failed to gather at the third attempt in hilarious fashion while falling backwards.
Pope did not cash in though as he played on at the start of Rabada’s third over to depart having added 12 runs to his overnight total.
Broad, lined up for a nighthawk role by captain Stokes during last month’s Test with India, did briefly live up to his billing with two fours off Anrich Nortje able to take England past the 141 they managed here in June.
Tailender Jack Leach tried to fight back with 15 off 17 but was soon bowled by Marco Jansen
Rabada again proved too good and showed his variation with a slower ball fooling the England number eight, who could only chip a simple catch to the tourists’ skipper Dean Elgar at point.
Jack Leach followed team orders in trying to be aggressive and welcomed Marco Jansen into the attack with two boundaries but soon lost his off stump.
It meant Anderson, fresh from celebrating his 40th birthday, walked out with England on 164 for nine.
Anderson lasted only one ball with Rabada pinning him in front to ensure his name will go up on the Lord’s honours board and give South Africa control.
Stuart Broad thought he had Elgar caught behind but the decision was changed upon review
Soon after the visitors came out to bat, captain Elgar surviving two scares.
He was given out caught behind to Broad on seven, but reviewed immediately and the ball was shown to be just grazing the pad instead of bat.
Elgar was also dropped in the slips by Zak Crawley, who got a hand to a hard pushed drive but was unable to hang on.
