Anderson, Ali keep pressure on as SA crumble under pressure

James Anderson and Moeen Ali collected six wickets between them to put England on top after two days of the fourth Test against South Africa at Old Trafford on Saturday.

The visitors were 220/9 at stumps in reply to England’s first innings of 362, a deficit of 142.

Anderson took 4/33 with off-spinner Moeen claiming 2/57.

England resumed on 260/6, and slumped to 312/9 inside the first 10 overs.

Kagiso Rabada struck first for South Africa in the fifth over by inducing a drive by nightwatchman Toby Roland-Jones that was caught at cover.

Four overs later Rabada found Moeen’s outside edge, and Faf du Plessis tumbled to take the catch at second slip.

Seven balls after that Morne Morkel bowled Stuart Broad with a pearler of an inswinger that hit the top of off stump.

South Africa seemed set to snuff out England’s innings efficiently, but Jonny Bairstow and Anderson reversed the trend with a last-wicket stand of 50.

Bairstow, who scored 33 of his runs off 73 balls on Friday, doubled that effort on Saturday — clipping 66 off 73 balls.

He was trapped in front for 99 trying to sweep left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj.

Rabada took 4/91 and was denied a five-wicket haul when Quinton de Kock dropped Bairstow on 53.

South Africa openers Dean Elgar and Kuhn were separated after only three deliveries when Elgar was leg-before to Anderson for a duck.

Hashim Amla hit four fours in his 30, which ended when he was caught behind down the leg side off Roland-Jones.

In the fourth over before tea Heino Kuhn, who scored 24, edged Moeen to slip, where Ben Stokes scooped a low catch. 

Temba Bavuma lasted until the 10th over after tea, when he an Anderson inswinger and was bowled for 46 — South Africa’s top score.

Theunis de Bruyn edged Anderson to second slip to go for 11 and South Africa crashed to 189/8 when Quinton de Kock was caught behind off Broad.

De Kock’s 24 came off 66 balls, his slowest test innings in which he has faced 20 balls or more.

South Africa would have been in far deeper trouble had England performed better in the field.

They dropped three catches and suffered a missed stumping and a botched runout.

But there was no mistake with what became the last delivery of the day, bowled by Broad, which Rabada slashed to gully to be superbly caught by a diving Stokes for 23.

Morkel was alone at the crease at the close on 18.

 - TimesLIVE