bowled 'im, neck and crop! Broad exposes this stumps and Rabada obliges by putting England out of their misery. The Gazelle of Doom tolls the bell, securing a 107-run victory for South Africa after a sweaty old tussle at SuperSport Park
South Africa vs England, 1st Test at Centurion, WTC, Dec 26 2019 - Ball by Ball Commentary
RESULT
1st Test, Centurion, December 26 - 29, 2019, ICC World Test Championship
New
ENG 2nd Innings
Full commentary
end of over 9312 runs • 2 wickets
ENG: 268/10CRR: 2.88
James Anderson0 (0b)
Kagiso Rabada 24-3-103-4
Anrich Nortje 17-4-56-3
1.20pm: Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, Zip-a-dee-ay! South Africa have won a Test - what a wonderful day! The wounded buffaloes have drawn first blood in this series, leaving Root's lions limping on to the Newlands Test with another L against their record. They'll hope to have a fitter group to pick from in five days' time, with an early finish here perhaps aiding recuperation. South Africa, meanwhile, will be aiming to keep their New Year's revolution going down on the Cape, and of course we'll be back for more... until then, Miller's report is the place to start, and stick around for more to come from Firdose and George. Thanks, as ever, for all your comments. From Matt, Miller and myself, it's cheerio for now. Bye!
1pm: Time for the presentations, starting with England captain Joe Root: "Yes, been really tough off the field, had pretty much everything thrown at the group, 10 guys going down ill and credit to everyone they stood up and tried to put in the best performance possible, didn't let anyone down. [Chance of winning?] Absolutely, not been long since we've seen a similar chase from a similar group of players. We got ourselves in a position at lunch, same as Headingley, we were fully confident we could chase, put together partnerships and needed to get through the new ball. [Poor first innings?] Really disappointing but pleasing to see us put in a better performance straight away. [Bowl first?] Think it was 50-50, you get a side 111-5 and you think you're ahead of the game. Maybe a slight opportunity missed but credit to South Africa as well. [Cape Town] Pretty much everyone's been ill, hopefully that's the end of it and we can prepare well and bounce back strong. [Archer five-for] He's a huge talent, he can have a massive impact, still at the start of his Test career and he's going to keep learning and getting better. Great response after New Zealand, shown a lot of character."
South Africa captain Faf du Plessis: "We needed that, the last couple of months have been tough. We worked really hard building up and I thought it was a really good Test. Today the effort was incredible, and the wickets came towards the end. We haven't won a Test in a while, for us this is the start of a new chapter, we want to go up to better things and this is just the start, make sure we keep working hard and doing the right things. The bowling in the whole Test match was very good. Probably day one and two was most in it for the bowlers, both teams bowled well. The sun at SuperSport Park makes it go up and down. The last two days were better for batting, so to keep a strong England team to 2.6 [RPO] for the day was credit, made sure they didn't go anywhere. I thought Anrich Nortje was really good, we expect that from KG but Anrich in his first Test at home - we know he's got a lot of pace but I thought he bowled with great control. Good signs for the Test team going forward. We need new bowlers, with Vern off to greener pastures, now we're going to need one or two more. [Debutants] Really happy with those things, going to the guys and saying that's the best feeling, winning a Test match. First one is emotional. You create a platform for them to feel welcome, and go out and do their thing."
Quinton de Kock is named Man of the Match: "Yeah, the situation, I had to understand how I was going to go about things, I thought they bowled well and made us struggle but it's nice to go out and contribute when the team's in a tough situation. Glad we got over the line. When I went out, I was thinking I should leave well, get into rhythm but I went with what was going at the moment. [Second innings] Obviously Jofra was coming in hard and I had to find a way to counteract that, that was the best way I thought to go about it. [Hand injury?] Finger's all good, got keeper's fingers, just another day in my life. Probably be sore tomorrow but I'll carry on."
2.52pm: Well, it wasn't that close in the end, was it? South Africa held their nerve and eventually the collapse came, England losing their last seven wickets for 64. So Faf du Plessis' team will take a 1-0 lead in the series, ahead of round two in Cape Town next week. Lots to sift through, but clearly England's decision to bowl first backfired on them, and they twice tumbled from promising positions - 142 for 3 in the first innings, and 204 for 3 today. South Africa's good bowling went largely unrewarded in the morning, but they chipped away, with Anrich Nortje particularly impressive at key moments. In the end, the architect of England's first-innings demise, Vernon Philander, was left wicketless but that bonus wasn't enough to get them close. First win in six Tests for South Africa, and a huge boost to du Plessis after the turmoil of recent weeks.
92.6
W
Rabada to Broad, OUT
Stuart Broad b Rabada 6 (6b 0x4 0x6 11m) SR: 100
92.5
2
Rabada to Broad, 2 runs
scooped high into the leg side, shouts of "catch!... but Maharaj can't quite get there! Made a valiant effort running across from mid-on
"6 for 58 runs....England doing England again," chirps Amit
92.4
2
Rabada to Broad, 2 runs
back of a length, straightening on the stumps and thick-edged down to fine leg
92.3
2
Rabada to Broad, 2 runs
dug in short, Anderson humps one away through the leg side on the pull
Out walks James Anderson, wearing spectacles a look of grim resignation. We're still some way off Jack and Ben territory
92.2
W
Rabada to Buttler, OUT
swings it high into the leg side, well held in the deep by Pretorius! Buttler's battle is over, a filthy mow across the line resulting in a steepling top edge towards deep midwicket
Jos Buttler c Pretorius b Rabada 22 (33b 2x4 2x6 53m) SR: 66.66
92.1
6
Rabada to Buttler, SIX runs
steps away, smoked over long-on! Buttler mounts the barricades for one last futile (surely?) act of defiance
Small victories dept: This is the highest fourth-innings score at Centurion
end of over 921 run • 1 wicket
ENG: 256/8CRR: 2.78
Stuart Broad0 (2b)
Jos Buttler16 (31b 2x4 1x6)
Anrich Nortje 17-4-56-3
Kagiso Rabada 23-3-91-2
The physio now comes out belatedly to check over Broad's helmet. We've reached the scheduled point for tea, but they will stay out with a result looming
91.6
•
Nortje to Broad, no run
fast a furious, 145kph/90mph on off stump, Broad keeps it out
91.5
•
Nortje to Broad, no run
slammed in short, Broad wears it on the grille! Tried to get his hands up in time, but that was a ripper
"Proper chainsaw celebration from Nortje," notes Firdose. Stuart Broad trudges out
91.4
W
Nortje to Archer, OUT
no, it's a lifter in the channel, and Archer steers it to slip! Good areas to a No. 9 and van der Dussen holds on to his first catch in Tests. Nortje has another, and the levee is about to break
Jofra Archer c van der Dussen b Nortje 4 (5b 1x4 0x6 6m) SR: 80
Beamer coming?
Miller notes this: England needed 125 runs with three wickets in hand at the fall of Curran's wicket. Which is exactly what they conceded in yesterday morning's session
91.3
•
Nortje to Archer, no run
banged in short and climbing through to the keeper as Archer ducks
91.2
•
Nortje to Archer, no run
length ball, 141kph/88mph on off stump, Archer dabs it towards point
"Since you are publishing none of my comments, I am going to bed early. It is raining here in Thailand." That's just the update I was waiting for, Raj. Unfortunately for England, it's not raining in Centurion
91.1
1
Nortje to Buttler, 1 run
full and straight and squirted out into the covers
end of over 918 runs • 1 wicket
ENG: 255/7CRR: 2.80
Jofra Archer4 (2b 1x4)
Jos Buttler15 (30b 2x4 1x6)
Kagiso Rabada 23-3-91-2
Anrich Nortje 16-4-55-2
"Is it fair to say that the wounded buffaloes have the lions wounded??" They have them on their horns, Gururaj. But this is a four-Test safari, remember
90.6
•
Rabada to Archer, no run
back of a length, seaming away as Archer pokes a little uncertainly in the channel
90.5
4
Rabada to Archer, FOUR runs
slightly short and wide, nicely played by the new man, Archer cutting late into the turf behind point... Hamza have chase but couldn't quite pull it back in before the rope
Jofra Archer is next man in, with Buttler needing an ally
90.4
W
Rabada to Sam Curran, OUT
perfect line, Curran feels for it, feathers an edge! Rabada's the man, finds a good one at 140kph and Curran had to play! De Kock swallows his eighth catch of the match and South Africa creep closer to victory
Sam Curran c †de Kock b Rabada 9 (10b 2x4 0x6 15m) SR: 90
90.3
4
Rabada to Sam Curran, FOUR runs
crunched over backward point, Curran brings out the cudgel! Frees the arms and hits up and over into the unguarded deep
90.2
•
Rabada to Sam Curran, no run
slams in the bouncer, 137kph/85mph and Curran ducks it, taken one-handed high above his head by the leaping de Kock
90.1
•
Rabada to Sam Curran, no run
pushed across the bows from over the wicket, Curran lets it go
end of over 9015 runs
ENG: 247/6CRR: 2.74
Jos Buttler15 (30b 2x4 1x6)
Sam Curran5 (6b 1x4)
Anrich Nortje 16-4-55-2
Kagiso Rabada 22-3-83-1
89.6
•
Nortje to Buttler, no run
length ball, 141kph/88mph and stabbed into the off side
David: "Interesting question though Alan, who will play in the next Test though for SA, Nortje or Ngidi?" A tough decision for the selectors, that one, although I'm not sure Ngidi will be fit until Port Elizabeth. Good problems to have, though
89.5
6
Nortje to Buttler, SIX runs
short ball, nailed on the pull to deep backward square! Went hard and flat for six, never mind the presence of two men on the rope
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