England vs South Africa, 1st Test at London, ENG v SA, Aug 17 2022 - Match Result

4.15 pm That's that then. Lord's is behind us, much, much, much quicker than anyone could have anticipated, including the victorious captain! We will see you again in time for the second Test. Lots of analysis and reactions yet to come. Do send in your questions for Polite Enquiries as well for for Firdose and Vish. For the moment, bye from Binoy, Alan and myself. See you around.

Kagiso Rabada gets the Player of the Match award : "Always special to contribute to a team success. For us to get over the line, especaily at Lord's, is really special. I didn't even know about the stats. All I try and do is repeat my processes and get into the contest and do what's best for the team and for myself. (Biggest learnings since 2017) You always pick up skills along the day. The pitches here are different, bowling with the Duke's ball is different. It's about adjusting your lengths, and getting used to the ball. (On the seam attack) I will leave you guys to name that. (On Maharaj) Exactly., Kesh has been an outstanding performer for us down the years. Those two wickets really helped us, and nobody expected that from him. Looking forward to Manchester."

Dean Elgar: "Didn't think, especially waking up this morning. We thought they'd bat hard and get a big lead. When it was our turn to bowl, we had to put the ball in the right areas. The guys did a great job. Very grateful with a young side. I have got a great think-tank behind the scenes. Good coaches who give great advice. As things work out, with Kesh getting a few wickets. And bringing Anrich who bowls at the speed of light. I am just looking to get better as captain. (On his partnership) Having Sarel around helps. He's an experienced cricketer, and a great team-mate. He is a pretty fiesty character. We'll enjoy tonight, it is Friday after all. We won't rush it, because we need to let the young guys take in the moment."

Ben Stokes: "We can't think too much about what was talked about in the pre-match, but we can't think about it and that will affect what happens in the next game. Captains before have also been criticised for the way the teams have played. This is not a wake-up call or anything, but we haven't executed our plans well. South Africa have played better. (On not having played red-ball cricket in the lead-up) I don't want to make excuses. Maybe there was a case for some of the guys to get a first-class game, but I don't want to be talking about it. (Next game) Probably win the toss."

Greg: "I had tickets for tomorrow - haven't been to a test match since 2019. I'm not sure gutless, brainless collapses are the way to keep the public engaged. But credit where it's due - South Africa have an excellent bowling attack and they've ruthlessly outperformed England here."

Peter: "If you add up the total overs the match didn't even last 2 days. Without the rain this would be England's second two-day defeat in as many years (India the other at Ahmedabad). This also came a week after the Lions, which perhaps wasn't even a second string England team given the players that are playing in the hundred, racked up almost 700 and beat South Africa by an innings. Serious questions to be asked!"

3.56 pm The presentation isn't long from us.

Sampath says this is just the fourth time England have lost by an innings at Lord's. The last time around was in 2003, to a familiar opponent!

AP: "To give context to just how much South Africa outplayed England in terms of basic test cricket methodology - taking as many balls as needed to bat your opposition out of the game is the way to win a test match. England, in 2 innings and using 20 wickets, did not even bat out as many overs as South Africa did in 1 inning. Time for the drawing board for ENG, you would have to say. The aggressive ODI type style of attack in a test match only works when the conditions allow for it."

"Test cricket is so beloved because of its intricacies, its changes of pace, the different strategies deployed as conditions and opponents vary. A simplistic and narrow-minded approach - whether singularly defensive or attacking - is going to fail as often as it works. And if the opposition have worked you out as a one-trick pony, it will fail more often than that. And if Test cricket becomes as simplistic as England seem to want it to be, it will cease to be interesting and it will die." --- You do make some valid points, Graham. Though England could look back on the first two days and say they had their moments, but just failed to seize them. Also the batting woes have been around for a while. They were probably just getting papered over by some cases of individual brilliance. But yes, they will need to re-evaluate how they want to play this superb South African unit.

PD: "Well that was embarrassing from England - in Boycott's words, my mum could bat better than that!"

3.49 pm Well, well, well. Quite clearly all the pre-match chatter was not just a case of talking the talk. South Africa have done well to back it up with a professional performance. This game has been done and dusted in about two-and-a-half days, remember, with most of day 1 rained out. Their bowlers have been superb, the captaincy has been consistently good, and when they were required to dig in and get some runs on the board, pretty much everyone chipped in for the visitors. Lots for England to think about ahead of the second Test.

Full one coming, surely...

Jacko: "And don't forget the ENG batters are undercooked thanks to the absurd schedule this summer." --- True, Birmingham came more or less on the back of the New Zealand series

John: "This is not Bazball - it's just rubbish batting. England gave up on this match at 6 wickets down and are having a happy, laughing slog time. - full of smiles at every mistimed shot landing safely. Entertaining? - maybe. But no respect for the game or their caps"

LenS: "Looks like SA have Planball!"

Ashish: "Also Deb to Akshat's question - Yes England are not chasing last and this is where the the pitch in this innings has got some juice. Overall as well this pitch was more helfpul to the bowlers than what was offered during NZ and Ind matches." --- Yes. I don't think there's too much of a difference in conditions, to be honest. But yes, there's been a lot more help on day one of this Test

Prinesh: "Slightly disingenuous to say "most importantly first time this summer that England have had to bat first"? Surely most important, is the quality of the bowling?" --- Let's call it a tie, then. And yes, taking no credit away from South Africa, as I have said about 10 times today!

Akshat: "In your opinion what have the SA bowlers done different to the Indian bowlers to keep bazball on a leash? Or is because of the difference in the 2 pitches?" --- A bit better attack in terms of variety. An experienced captain who has marshalled his resources well. And most importantly, first time this summer that England have had to bat first

"Our batting has fallen off a cliff in the last 2-3 years. If two of Root, Bairstow and Stokes fail, we have nothing. Bazball is great when it comes off (NZ and India this summer), but its only covering the mess that is our red ball technique." muses John