Zondo and Jansen rebuilding Proteas innings after familiar top order collapse at the Oval

10 September 2022 - 14:29
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South Africa's batter Khaya Zondo plays a shot during the first session of the third Test against England at The Oval, in London.
South Africa's batter Khaya Zondo plays a shot during the first session of the third Test against England at The Oval, in London.
Image: BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images

England seamer Ollie Robinson took four wickets and had the Proteas top order batting line-up in all sorts of trouble as the visitors went to lunch on 69/6 in the series-deciding third Test at the Oval on Saturday.

At the end of the morning session, Khaya Zondo (21 off 52) and Marco Jansen (17 off 34), who came together in the 12th over, steadied the ship for the Proteas adding 33 for the seventh wicket.

This was the start of the third and final Test match after day one was abandoned without a ball being bowled after rain had the final say on Thursday.

This was followed by the death of Queen Elizabeth, which saw the England and Wales Cricket Board postponing the second day of play to honour Britain's longest-serving monarch.

When play got under way on Saturday morning, England, having won the toss and asked the Proteas to bat on Thursday, had the visitors rattled as they lost five wickets inside the opening hour while scoring just 32 runs.

Robinson uprooted captain Dean Elgar’s off stump for 1 before James Anderson had Sarel Erwee caught behind by Ben Foakes for a four-ball duck and just 15 minutes gone in the morning session.

Things got worse for the visitors as they lost Keegan Petersen, bowled by Robinson for 12, and the total on 21-3.

However, the English speedsters were not done yet, as Ryan Rickelton struck two boundaries on his way to 11 before he was caught behind by Foakes off Broad.

Robinson added two more wickets to his tally when he accounted for both Kyle Verreynne (0) and Wiaan Mulder (3), caught by Foakes to leave the Proteas struggling on 36 for 6 inside 12 overs.

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