For England, Jofra Archer was the pick of the bowlers in the second innings finishing with a five-wicket haul, his first in overseas conditions, by giving away 102 runs.
England's Rory Burns watches the ball after playing a shot during the third day of the first Test cricket match between South Africa and England at The SuperSport Park stadium at Centurion near Pretoria on December 28, 2019. (Photo by MARCO LONGARI / AFP)
A gritty 77 not out from Rory Burns has kept England well in the chase of 376 runs against South Africa in the first Test match of the four-match series at SuperSport Park in Centurion.
On Day 3, England ended on 121 for 1, needing 255 more to win with Burns and Joe Denly (10*) batting at the crease.
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On Saturday, South Africa managed to add 125 runs in the morning session thanks to some slack bowling from England which undid the good effort that was put in in the final session of the previous day. Rassie Van der Dussen scored a fifty on his Test debut and shared a 91-run stand with nightwatchman Anrich Nortje.
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England fluffed their lines and length throughout the first session with the casualties of a virus epidemic that has caught the side claiming two more members in captain Joe Root and Jos Buttler. Root eventually took the field but could do little as South Africa inflated their lead to 376 runs by the end of their innings.
For England, Jofra Archer was the pick of the bowlers finishing with a five-wicket haul, his first in overseas conditions, by giving away 102 runs.
Meanwhile, during their chase, the three Lions got a superb start as burns and Dominic Sibley (29) stitched 92 runs for the first wicket before Sibley departed on the ball of Keshav Maharaj. However, the duo of Burns and Denly have done well to keep England in the driver’s seat.
Brief scores: South Africa 284 and 272 (Rassie Van der Dussen 51, Vernon Philander 46; Jofra Archer 5/102) vs England 181 & 121/1 (Rory Burns 77 n.o., Dom Sibley 29; Keshav Maharaj 1/16)
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