Look who's back‚ Philander tells Lord's in first Test against England

Vernon Philander wasted no time reminding the Lord’s crowd of his prowess in seaming conditions on the first day of the test series on Thursday.

Philander took a dozen wickets in South Africa’s last test series in England‚ in 2012‚ and claimed a matchwinning 5/30 in the second innings of the deciding match at Lord’s.

On Thursday‚ he took 3/26 to earn the early advantage for the visitors after Joe Root won his first toss as England’s captain and chose to bat despite a green‚ seaming pitch.

The home side limped to lunch on 82/4 with Root 33 not out and Ben Stokes on four.

Philander struck in the fourth over when Alastair Cook prodded a catch to Quinton de Kock.

In his next over Philander trapped Keaton Jennings in front with a delivery that replays suggested had pitched marginally outside the left-hander’s leg stump.

Morne Morkel had Gary Ballance leg-before to reduce England to 49/3 inside the first hour.

Philander returned to dismiss Jonny Bairstow in similar fashion in the third over before lunch.

Precarious though England’s position was‚ it could have been worse.

Root was five not out with the total 31/2 when he hooked Kagiso Rabada to fine leg‚ where substitute fielder Aiden Markram badly misjudged what should have been a straightforward catch.

Rabada also had Root dropped on 16 with the scoreboard reading 59/3‚ this time by JP Duminy in the gully.

Despite his troubles Root has batted aggressively‚ scoring his runs off 56 balls and hitting five fours.

- TimesLIVE