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:
WICKET! Jansen c Crawley, b Broad 48 - South Africa 318-9
88th over: And England finally get another WICKET! Broad pitches one up, just outside off and Jansen drives. It finds the edge and Zak Crawley safely pouches it at slip.
Jansen falls just short of his 50. Out for 48 off 79 balls
South Africa 318-8 - Jansen 48, Nortje 20; England 165
87th over: Ben Stokes continues but bowling to a more conventional field, so presumably pitching the bowl up. Lovely shot punched down the ground by Nortje and it races away for FOUR!
That’s a better use of the short ball, slightly unexpected as it rears up at Nortje and he’s forced up into the air, rocking back and manages to fend it down.
South Africa 314-8 - Jansen 48, Nortje 16; England 165
86th over: Spoke too soon. Short-ball field remains and Broad comes round the wicket. Nortje pulls a delivery into the off-side and they run three before Jansen pushes a single.
Ah, now a field change. Three slips, six men on the off-side and Broad coming over the wicket. One more single comes. The lead is now 149 - this is not going to plan for England.
South Africa 309-8 - Jansen 47, Nortje 12; England 165
85th over: This slightly bizarre strategy doesn’t seem to be working - England have got so many good swing bowlers sitting unutilised. But the short stuff continues from Stokes.
Three singles off the over it finally looks as if Stuart Broad will be entering the attack. Will he be bowling short? Surely full and swinging it?
South Africa 306-8 - Jansen 47, Nortje 10; England 165
84th over: There has to be an argument to start bowling a little more conventionally, i.e fuller, with the new ball doesn’t there? I know the bouncers worked last night but this feels like a slight waste of a fresh cherry and South Africa are dealing with it well.
Jansen nudges a single off Potts before Nortje flashes at one that is in the air for a long time but bounces short of a sprawling Zak Crawley and goes for FOUR! That’s also 300 UP for the Proteas and a couple more singles come before three off the final ball as Potts is forced to chase the ball almost all the way to the boundary off his own bowling. Huge gap in front of square on the off-side.
South Africa 296-8 - Jansen 45, Nortje 2; England 165
83rd over: Stokes is still bowling and he gives away the first bye of the innings, slipping to leg and Ben Foakes does well to get something on it to prevent the boundary. He really is a superb wicketkeeper (hence the no byes until now).
Jansen then prods one for a single and Nortje sways out of the way of a bouncer.
South Africa 294-8 - Jansen 44, Nortje 2; England 165
82nd over: Thought we might see Jimmy Anderson here but Potts continues for now and Nortje fends one off his hip for a single. Quite a defensive field for a new ball, although there are two slips at least - a show of respect to Jansen’s batting ability.
Potts beats the bat a couple of times but doesn’t find the Jansen’s edge.
South Africa 293-8 - Jansen 44, Nortje 1; England 165
81st over: Yep, new ball taken by England. Can they polish off these final couple of wickets? Jimmy Anderson appears to be warming up in the field but Ben Stokes continues from the Pavilion End for now.
Second-ball single from Jansen before more short stuff at Nortje. He jabs a bat at one that loops over the slip cordon and they take a run.
South Africa 291-8 - Jansen 43, Nortje 0; England 165
80th over: Matty Potts continues and concedes just one single to Jansen nudged through mid-on. The plan is clearly to bowl short to Nortje - a brave plan given that he’ll have the ball in his hand at some point soon and has serious pace - but he comfortably survives.
Looks like the new ball will be taken now.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments