Philander strikes as Cook defies South Africa

LONDON: Vernon Philander again proved a thorn in England’s side as Alastair Cook held firm against South Africa on Thursday’s first day of the third Test at The Oval.

At tea, on a rain-marred day, England were 149 for four after winning the toss.Former captain Cook was 72 not out after more than four hours at the crease. Ben Stokes was unbeaten on 10 in what is the 100th Test at The Oval.

Philander, meanwhile, had superb figures of two wickets for eight runs in nine overs, despite a stomach bug.

England had a setback soon after captain Joe Root won the toss and elected to bat despite the overcast conditions and green-tinged pitch that promised to assist the Proteas’ pace attack.

The under-pressure Keaton Jennings was repeatedly beaten outside off stump by Philander and it was no surprise when the South Africa-born opener eventually edged the seamer low to Dean Elgar at third slip for a nine-ball nought.

Tom Westley walked out to join Essex team-mate Cook with England 12 for one.

England were 62 for one at lunch, with Cook 34 not out.But Westley had added just one to his interval score when, four balls after the break, he edged a Morris delivery that curved away to South Africa captain Faf du Plessis at second slip.

Star batsman Root then made 29 before he edged an excellent Philander delivery that moved away off the seam and was brilliantly caught one-handed by wicket-keeper Quinton de Kock. Kagiso Rabada produced a superb inswinging yorker that knocked Dawid Malan off his feet before crashing into middle stump. Malan departed for only one run.

England won toss

England 1st Innings

A Cook not out         72

K Jennings c Elgar b Philander         0

T Westley c du Plessis b Morris       25

J Root c de Kock b Philander 29

D Malan b Rabada     1

B Stokes not out      10

Extras (b7, lb3, w2)  12

Total (4 wkts, 52 overs)      149

To bat: J Bairstow, M Ali, T Roland-Jones, S Broad, J Anderson

Fall: 1-1, 2-64, 3-113, 4-120

Bowling: Morkel 12-3-35-0; Philander 9-5-8-2; Rabada 13-4-32-1; Maharaj 7-1-16-0; Morris 11-1-48-1 (2w)

South Africa: Dean Elgar, Heino Kuhn, Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock (wkt), Faf du Plessis (capt), Temba Bavuma, Vernon Philander, Chris Morris, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Morne Morkel

Umpires: Aleem Dar (Pakistan), Joel Wilson (West Indies) TV umpire: Kumar Dharmasena (Sri Lanka) Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (Sri Lanka)