Elgar steadies jittery SA at Lord’s

Dean Elgar’s gritty half-century steadied South Africa on the second day of the first test against England at Lord’s on Friday.

Elgar was 54 not out at tea‚ which South Africa reached on 96/2 in reply to England’s first innings of 458. JP Duminy was eight not out.

Ill-disciplined bowling by South Africa allowed England to strengthen their grip on the game after resumed on 357/5 with Joe Root 16 runs away from becoming the first man to score a double century on his England captaincy debut.

But Root edged the 13th ball of the day‚ a rising delivery that was bowled by Morne Morkel‚ and was caught behind for 190 to end a stand of 177 he shared with Moeen Ali.

Root batted for more than six hours‚ faced 234 balls‚ hit 27 fours and a six — and he would have been dismissed for five‚ 16 or 149 on Thursday had South Africa taken their catches or not bowled no-balls.

Two balls after Root went‚ Morkel trapped Liam Dawson in front and England were 367/7.

South Africa would have hoped the end of the innings was in sight‚ but England would add another 91 runs.

Too many of them were smote from deliveries that were pitched too wide and too short‚ particularly by Morkel and Kagiso Rabada.

Rabada bowled Moeen for 87 with a fine inswinger‚ and two balls later he had Mark Wood leg-before.

Again‚ South Africa would have sensed impending relief from their time in the field.

But instead of homing in on the stumps they fed Stuart Broad’s thirst for quick runs with a barrage of flaccid short-pitched deliveries.

Broad took full advantage‚ hammering his unbeaten 57 off 47 balls.

Even No. 11 James Anderson got into the act‚ charging down the pitch to Rabada and hammering a six over midwicket.

Morkel had Anderson caught behind to end the innings and finish with 4/115‚ while Rabada took 3/123.

Vernon Philander‚ who bowled only four of the 18.3 overs South Africa sent down on Friday‚ claimed 3/67.

Heino Kuhn’s debut innings ended after he had faced 14 balls when he edged Broad and was caught at first slip for one.

Hashim Amla and Elgar put on 72 for the second wicket before Amla was trapped in front for 29 by the first ball he faced from off-spinner Moeen Ali.

Elgar has shown patience and discipline in his 137 minutes at the crease in which he has faced 116 balls and hit eight fours.

Broad went to tea with 1/8 from six overs.

- TimesLIVE