South Africa vs England 2nd Test, Day 4 preview: Tourists on their way to level series

England finished Day 3 at Newlands on 218/4. With a lead of 264, they are likely to go for quick runs and press for a declaration with a lead of 450, sometime in the second session. With Dom Sibley at the crease (on 85) and Ben Stokes, Ollie Pope, Jos Buttler, and Sam Curran to follow.

The England batsmen – Sibley, Zak Crawley (25), Joe Denly (31), and Joe Root (61) – demonstrated that there are few demons at the wicket even at this stage. They did not repeat their first-innings mistakes: they did not play loose shots, handled Kagiso Rabada (1/41) and Vernon Philander (0/12) well, and chose the right balls to play their strokes.

Rabada struck first, but only in the 11th over, that too off an outstanding catch by Quinton de Kock, who flew to his right to send Crawley back. Denly hung around for over two hours before top-edging a pull off Anrich Nortje (2/36).

Till this point South Africa had kept the runs down, going for just over 2 an over. Root’s arrival changed that. Root’s controlled acceleration rubbed on to Sibley; the pair added 116 at more than 3 an over.

Dwaine Pretorius (1/34) got finally got Root in the dying moments of the day. Eight balls later, Nortje had nightwatchman Dom Bess (0) caught behind down leg – a decision Faf du Plessis acquired through referral. It was de Kock’s seventh catch of the Test.

Earlier in the day, it took England 4.2 overs to pick up the last two wickets. James Anderson, now 37, got both Rabada (0) and Nortje (4) to finish with 5/40.

Key players

Faf du Plessis (South Africa): In the past, du Plessis has demonstrated his ability to mastermind chases, take on bowlers, or go on an ultra-defensive “blockathon”. He will need to be at his best to pull off something unlikely for South Africa.

Ben Stokes (England): England need quick runs, a task for which there are few options better than Stokes. Once he is done with all that, he will have to assume his other responsibility, as a partnership-breaker.

Brief scores

England 269 (Ollie Pope 61*; Kagiso Rabada 3/68) and 218/4 (Dom Sibley 85*, Joe Root 61; Anrich Nortje 2/36) lead South Africa 223 (Dean Elgar 88, Rassie van der Dussen 68; James Anderson 5/40) by 264 runs.

Prediction

England to set South Africa 450 and pick 3 or 4 wickets by stumps.