England vs South Africa: Alastair Cook stands tall in England mess and other talking points from a rain curtailed first day at the Oval

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  • Cook once again shone for England.

    Hosts England took on South Africa in the third Test of the four match series at the Oval on Thursday. England’s Joe Root won the toss and elected to bat first in overcast conditions on the Oval pitch hosting its hundredth Test match.

    Root will be left wondering if he made the right call as Faf du Plessis’ men pegged the hosts back at 171 runs for the loss of four wickets before rain brought a premature end to the first day’s play.

    There was plenty to talk about on a hard day’s grind for England as we look at three key stories of the match so far.

    ENGLAND’S BATTING WOES CONTINUE

    The hosts had come in for some criticism time and time again for their recklessly aggressive batting approach and the poor showing at Nottingham has only served to enforce it. England’s batting card after Thursday’s play will only go on to strengthen the criticism against them.

    Keaton Jennings was all at sea before his third over dismissal for a duck in a repeat of his horror showing in the first innings at Trent Bridge. Debutant Tom Westley showed some grit along with Alastair Cook after the fall of Jennings but he was snared at third slip after swinging hard at a delivery he could very well have left alone.

    Root could do nothing about the excellent delivery from Vernon Philander as he was caught behind magnificently by Quinton de Kock for 29 runs.

    The second debutant Dawid Malan will not want to watch the replays as Kagiso Rabada knocked out his middle stump with an in-swinging yorker after scoring a solitary run.

    PROTEAS’ BOWLERS CONTINUE NOTTINGHAM SHOW

    The South African pace trio resumed their excellent form in the second Test to put the hosts on the back foot throughout the day. Philander has been a menace all series and he looked his threatening best in his first spell which claimed Jennings before a stomach bug forced the seamer off the field.

    While Cook and Westley looked determined against Rabada and Morne Morkel in a 52-run stand, Chris Morris found some movement to break the partnership. He had Westley chasing a delivery outside off-stump to gift a simple catch to the South Africa skipper at second slip.

    Philander returned to the field after his morning troubles and he wasted no time in removing the dangerous Root. A peach of a delivery on off-stump had the English skipper brilliantly caught by an outstretched de Kock.

    Rabada then got in on the act with a searing yorker which sent back Malan’s middle stump a good distance on the Oval ground.

    COOK SOLIDITY STANDS TALL IN ENGLAND MESS

    While questions continue to be asked about England’s batting technique, Cook’s old school approach is a delight to the eye for the cricket purists among the nation. While he has not been at his usual best in recent times, on Thursday, Cook stood tall like a mountain against the relentless South African pace battery.

    The Essex man survived the early onslaught with some gritty orthodox batting to finish the day unbeaten on 82 runs. He could only watch from the other end as his partners fell one by one but he looked to be getting back to his best by the time rain interrupted the day’s proceedings.

    Cook brings up half century number 54 of his Test career.

    Cook brings up half century number 54 of his Test career.

    He was characteristic in leaving deliveries he did not need to play forcing the South African bowlers to bowl to his strengths as he quietly went about in building a solid innings.

    The other English batsmen will do well to take a leaf out of Cook’s book on how to build an innings as the former skipper added some semblance to England’s madness.

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