England survived a top-order collapse on day five as the second Test against South Africa ended in a draw.

Resuming on 16-0, a second innings lead of 18, the tourists lost their top four cheaply and then fell to 116-6 as Dane Piedt dismissed both Ben Stokes (26) and James Taylor (27).

But Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali held the home side at bay before bad light ended play with England on 159-6.

Shortly after the match, Hashim Amla stepped down as South Africa captain.

The 32-year-old, who succeeded Graeme Smith as permanent Proteas skipper in July 2014, leaves the role having led in 14 Tests, winning four, drawing four and losing six.

His 707-minute 201 in South Africa’s first innings was one of the reasons why a draw was always the likely result after four days dominated by the bat on a flat Newlands wicket.

But England made hard work of it, as the loss of early wickets gave South Africa hope of levelling the series after the tourists’ victory in the first Test in Durban.

For the first time in the match, cloudy conditions in the morning offered something for the bowlers and the home side took advantage.

Captain Alastair Cook was the first to go, feathering his second ball from Kagiso Rabada down the leg side and into the gloves of Quinton de Kock, followed soon after by fellow opener Alex Hales, brilliantly caught one-handed at third slip by the diving Chris Morris off Morne Morkel.

Cook’s eight means he has now scored just 42 runs in his four innings so far this tour, while Hales’ dismissal further highlights his fallibility outside off stump.

Joe Root and Nick Compton rallied slightly, adding 36 for the third wicket but both fell as they were gaining momentum – the former bowled by Morris for a run-a-ball 29 before the latter chipped Piedt to short mid-on to depart for 15.

After smashing a record-breaking 258 from 198 balls in the first innings, Stokes was required to demonstrate a more disciplined side to his game along with Taylor but both fell to Piedt in quick succession after a stand of 30 – Stokes misjudging a sweep to Morkel at deep mid-wicket and Taylor gloving a rising delivery to Temba Bavuma at short-leg.

The depth to which England bat was their saving in Cape Town, chiefly in the shape of Bairstow, who followed his 150 not out in the first innings with an unbeaten 30 during a stand of 43 with the equally resolute Moeen (10 not out).

The stand was not without its scares, the most notable of which was a stumping of Bairstow off spinner Dean Elgar, over which the video umpire took an age before deciding the Yorkshire player had made his ground by a toe’s length.

Having survived to tea, during which light rain briefly fell, the pair were only required to bat six overs of the evening session before bad light brought an early end to the match, with 59 eventful overs having being bowled in the day.

Meanwhile, Respected BBC cricket commentator Jonathan Agnew has come to the defence of the wicket prepared at Newlands for the second Test between the Proteas and England.

Agnew took to Twitter just before tea on the fifth and final day yesterday asking not only for ‘respect’ for Test cricket, but that good pitches are not condemned as ‘roads’ or flat tracks and criticised before the full duration of the Test had passed.

After only 13 wickets fell on the first four days of the Newlands Test, a change in weather conditions on the fifth day saw England grimly hanging on in their second innings.— Cricinfo.

You Might Also Like

Comments