England vs South Africa LIVE: Cricket result from first Test as England thrashed by an innings after batting collapse
England were all out for 149 in the second innings to lose by an innings and 12 runs at Lord’s
England were blown away by South Africa inside three days to lose the first Test of the series by and innings and 12 runs.
The humbling defeat at Lord’s is the first of the new Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum era and puts the Proteas 1-0 up with two Tests to play.
England were firmly behind from the get-go after losing the toss on day one and coming up short with the bat mustering just 165 in the first innings.
A resolute first dig of 326 in reply by Dean Elgar’s tourists put them firmly in control with a lead of 161 on first innings before they comprehensively ran through the hosts’ batting order again dismissing them for 149 with Anrich Nortje’s three wickets doing the bulk of the damage.
Victory was brought up inside six sessions of play and before tea on the third day without them having to bat again. Follow the reaction and analysis from the first Test below:
England 52-2 (trail by 109) - Lees 24, Root 2; South Africa 326; England 165
16th over: I thought we might see Nortje brought on to bowl but Maharaj continues for now. That’s 50 UP for England as Lees flicks one to square leg and the hosts run two. Plenty of work still to do.
A tip and run into the covers then ensures it’s three off the over.
England 49-2 (trail by 112) - Lees 21, Root 2; South Africa 326; England 165
15th over: Root dabs a single before Lees flashes at one outside off, he edges it but it flies through the vacant fourth slip earlier for FOUR! Lees hasn’t looked convincing so far today and has already been dropped of course.
The opener moves on to 20 as he runs two after an off-side push before another slightly ungainly pull that he misses but it goes through to the keeper. Might have got a bottom edge actually but it bounces through to Verreyne anyway. Single from the final ball
England 41-2 (trail by 120) - Lees 14, Root 1; South Africa 326; England 165
14th over: South Africa continue with left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj at the Pavilion End. Lees takes a first-ball single, so Joe Root on strike for the first time. The former skipper runs one with a nice push to extra cover.
Maharaj took two wickets before lunch of course but you wonder if the Proteas will turn to seam from both ends before long?
England 39-2 (trail by 122) - Lees 13, Root 0; South Africa 326; England 165
Back underway after lunch.
13th over: Needless to say, this is a crucial session for England. It’s their last chance to salvage this match - they need a couple of their players to go big. Ngidi bowls the first over post-lunch from the Nursery End.
Lees plays out the first five balls before flicking the final delivery to the leg-side for a single.
England 38-2 (trail by 123): South Africa 326; England 165
Maharaj claimed a wicket with the final delivery of the morning session to increase the pressure on England.
The South Africa spinner pinned Ollie Pope in front for five and while it was called not out on the field, a review confirmed the ball would have hit leg stump with the hosts reduced to 38 for two and still trailing by 123 runs at lunch.
England 38-2 (trail by 123): South Africa 326; England 165
Zak Crawley was unable to arrest his slump in form with Keshav Maharaj claiming the England opener for just 13 before lunch.
South Africa captain Dean Elgar turned to his spinner after only seven overs and it immediately paid dividends.
Crawley attempted to sweep at Maharaj’s second ball and was pinned in front to depart for another low score. It means the opener now averages 16.4 in Test cricket this summer across 10 innings.
It left England on 20 for one, still trailing South Africa by 141 runs.
England 38-2 (trail by 123): South Africa 326; England 165
Broad claimed a third wicket to bring South Africa’s first innings to an end on 326.
Lungi Ngidi went for a six-ball duck after he edged Broad to third slip where Jonny Bairstow took the catch but only after an initial fumble.
Bairstow failed to grab the first effort with two hands but clutched the rebound with his left hand to ensure Broad finished with figures of three for 71 while South Africa held a 161-run lead with England’s openers left with just under an hour to bat before lunch on day three.
England 38-2 (trail by 123): South Africa 326; England 165
Broad backed up his special catch with a wicket of Jansen to reduce South Africa to 318 for nine.
England had deployed a short-pitched mode of attack during the early part of the morning session on day three, but switched tactics for Broad’s second over with the new ball and instantly got reward.
Broad tempted Jansen to drive with a pitched up wider delivery and the Proteas all-rounder edged to Zak Crawley at second slip to fall two short of a maiden fifty in Test cricket.
England 38-2 (trail by 123): South Africa 326; England 165
England made the perfect start to day three when Stuart Broad produced an unbelievable catch to send Kagiso Rabada back to the pavilion for three.
Matthew Potts opened up from the Nursery End and Rabada took on his third ball of the day but saw his lofted pull through the leg side plucked out of the air by Broad at mid-wicket.
Broad’s one-handed grab mid-air reduced South Africa to 289 for eight, but promoted number six Marco Jansen was still at the other end unbeaten on 41 off 57 balls.
LUNCH! England 38-2 (trail by 123) - Lees 11*, Root 0*; South Africa 326; England 165
So, another session that you have to say South Africa won. That wicket before lunch really hurt England and they’ve got a mountain to climb - still trailing by 123 runs. Can Joe Root save them again?
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