Cape Town, Jan 3:
Ben Stokes gave his wicket away three runs short of a half-century to start off another England batting collapse on the opening day of the second test against South Africa on Friday.
Stokes spooned a catch to mid-off on 47 and England went from 185-4 to 262-9 at stumps to take little reward from winning the toss and batting first at Newlands.
The collapse followed similar slumps in the first test, when the tourists lost 7-39 in the first innings and 7-64 in the second to lose the series opener by 107 runs.
Ollie Pope resisted to stumps with his 56 not out and last-man James Anderson was with him on 3 not out. They had clung on at the end of the day to add valuable runs after England was 234-9 when Stuart Broad’s stumps were rearranged by a yorker from quick bowler Kagiso Rabada.
Stokes, who made a career-best 258 at record pace on his last visit to Newlands four years ago, appeared to have momentarily swung the momentum of the opening day with his six fours and a six in a 58-run stand with Pope.
Five of England’s top seven batsmen made promising starts in the Cape Town sunshine but didn’t follow through: Dom Sibley was out for 34, Joe Denly for 38, captain Joe Root for 35, Stokes for his 47 and Jos Buttler for a quickfire 29 off 27 balls – exciting but not what England needed. (AP)
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