SA bounce back with three wickets

04 August 2017 - 18:12 By Telford Vice in Manchester
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Keshav Maharaj of South Africa in action.
Keshav Maharaj of South Africa in action.
Image: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images

South Africa reeled in three England wickets to edge ahead in the fourth Test at Old Trafford on Friday.

At tea on the first day the home side were 147/4 after choosing to bat first. Joe Root was 34 with Ben Stokes one not out.

South Africa were rocked before the toss when Vernon Philander and Chris Morris pulled out, both with lower back strains. They were replaced by Theunis de Bruyn and Duanne Olivier.

England retained the XI who won the third Test by 239 runs at The Oval on Monday to take an unassailable 2-1 lead in the series.

Keaton Jennings might have been out to the 10th ball of the match and before England had a run on the board, but Kagiso Rabada couldn’t right himself from his follow-through quick enough to take what would have been a fine catch after the ball looped upward by way of the batsman’s outside edge and pad.

The error cost 35 runs, which was how many England had scored when Jennings edged Olivier and was caught behind for 17 — the only wicket that fell before lunch.

But the visitors had a better second session, claiming three wickets inside 19 overs and two of them in 19 balls.

Left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj snapped up the first of them in the eight over of the second session when Alastair Cook drove at a delivery that did not turn and was taken behind for 46 to end a stand of 57 the opener shared with  Tom Westley.

Westley went next, for 29, also caught by wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock — but with a stunning dive and one-handed grab to snare the edge garnered by Rabada.

Seven balls before tea Dawid Malan drove at a wide delivery from Morne Morkel and was caught at second slip for 18.

 - TimesLIVE

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