The day belonged to 22-year-old Dom Bess as the handy off-spinner picked up his first five-wicket haul in Test match cricket.
England began the day with a fiery spell from Mark Wood who continued where he left off the night before with some electric pace. The man of the moment Dom Bess came of age when he dismissed South Africa’s top 5 batsmen starting with Dean Elgar who nicked off to Ollie Pope who took a fantastic agile catch at short-leg.
The same fate awaited captain Faf du Plessis as he danced down the wicket to meet the ball and a cruel inside edge carried the ball again to Ollie Pope at short-leg. Finally, Rassie Van Der Dussen was next to fall, attempting to cut the ball through the off side he only managed an inside edge onto his own stumps thus completing Dom Bess’ first 5-fer in Test match cricket.
He becomes the first England spinner to take 5 wickets in an innings since 1968. Quentin de Kock arrived at the crease and looked confident as he played some sumptuous on-drives. He was riding his luck after being dropped no less than three times, all of which by England’s best fielder Ben Stokes. The first one came from the bowling of Joe Root, second by Dom Bess and lastly in the second last over of the day from Joe Denly.
Night watchman Anrich Nortje stuck around for 132 deliveries which may be crucial as there is rain forecast tomorrow. He finally fell to the bowling of Stokes who only started bowling after 60 overs had gone. Towards the end of the day Vernon Philander built a strong partnership with Quentin de Kock who looks in fine nick as he passed his half century with assurance.
The pair only need 92 more runs to avoid the follow-on which England will be desperate to enforce with an uncertain forecast set to cut the play short by a considerable margin. South Africa ended the day on 208-6 with a bit of a fightback towards the end of the day, however, England will be the far happier side out of the two.
Cricket is electric 