South Africa vs England: Ben Stokes' late burst builds momentum in second Test

England reached 317-5 in the second Test against South Africa at Newlands

England batsman Ben Stokes (Getty Images)

New Year’s resolution still intact. England might have preferred to go about it in a slightly different fashion, but the point is that they have kept it. Determined that 2016 should not be the roller-coaster ride of emotions and results that typified 2015 – up and down they went like the Duke of York’s mob, the only certainty that if there was an up, a down would follow – they had to mean business immediately.

Having ended on a resounding rise, victory by 241 runs in the opening Test of this series, they arrived in Cape Town feeling understandably satisfied with life. What was important was to continue where they finished only three days earlier. This year it would be different.

And, eventually, yesterday it was. A score of 317 for 5 from 87 overs at the close of the first day of the Second Test against South Africa illustrated their intent.

The evening was illuminated by a dashing innings of 74 not out from Ben Stokes, who ensured that there was no squandering of opportunity. England scored 150 in the final session from 31.4 overs. Stokes and Jonny Bairstow had put on 94.

Initially entrapped by familiar snares, it might have gone either way for the tourists. On a lovely day which was matched by the Newlands surface, it took them an age (comparatively speaking, of course, with the year so fresh) to create a distinct advantage. But their depth of batting and what amounted to a second- string bowling attack was a combination designed to help the cause.

By the close, South Africa were not quite on their knees in the evening sun, but a sequence of fielding errors and men lining the boundary began to reveal the story of the day. It would be handy if one of the England team, probably Stokes, could complete the team’s first hundred of the series today.

Four of the five batsmen to fall were in when they were dismissed, in the sense that by then it was probably much easier to continue occupying the crease than getting out. With an attack bereft of three of its four main practitioners – Dale Steyn, Kyle Abbott and Vernon Philander, all of them with injuries either short- or long-term, or uncertain – South Africa responded vigorously for two sessions following the dismal exhibition in Durban, which was as short of heart as of skill.

In the 20-year-old Kagiso Rabada, playing his first Test at home after three somewhat desultory appearances in India late last year, they might just have a fast bowler for the ages. He took the first Test wicket of the year, the England captain, Alastair Cook, no less, and two more in successive balls either side of tea.

He is quick and slippery, and his short ball, as several England batsmen discovered, is a handful. There are many hopes riding in this country on Rabada. The game here needs heroes, and not least it needs black African heroes.

After losing four successive tosses, Cook was probably due to see the coin come down in his favour. Aware doubtless that eight of the most recent 10 wins at the ground had been achieved by the side bowling first, he needed a millisecond to decide to bat.

The pitch was bare, dry and looked like a batsman’s dream. It was soon revealed to possess some pace and carry, invariably heartening components in any surface for batsmen, bowlers and spectators. The chances are that no one will fall asleep waiting for something to happen.

Cook was off the mark to the first ball of the match, while it took Hales 14 balls to score his first run. The new ball was taken by the admirable Morne Morkel and the debutant, Chris Morris. To a discernible tingle of anticipation, Rabada was on in the seventh over and immediately dispatched for two fours.

He had to wait until his sixth over for reward, when he persuaded Cook to drive at a ball outside off stump. It went low and wide to third slip, where Morris plunged to his left and took an extremely alert one-handed catch. It was the first wicket and first catch of the year and, early in the piece though it is to be delivering such verdicts, there will not be many better in the next 363 days.

Early in the afternoon, Hales reached his first Test fifty. It was a pleasant enough affair, and he looked as though he was obstinately bent on trying to construct a proper Test innings and not some fancy-dan, post-modern version.

Nick Compton was much more animated than he had been in Durban, energised perhaps by a different surface and his splendid start in that First Test.

Hales was out just as the afternoon was taking shape, steering Morkel to slip. It looked as though England would go into tea without further mishap until Rabada was given his second spell.

He might have had Joe Root with a peach of a short ball which the batsman made a late decision to leave. The ball climbed on him, took his bat but fell short of an onrushing AB de Villiers at slip. De Villiers was back on fielding duty after South Africa’s selectors had decided after one match that expecting their prime batsman also to keep wicket was inadvisable.

In the last over before the break Rabada produced another fast, short ball, which Compton injudiciously hooked. The contact might have been solid but it flew low to mid-wicket, where Temba Bavuma completed a tumbling catch.

Off they went for tea, and as soon as they came back, James Taylor essayed a foolish drive at a ball drifting away and was caught behind. Rabada was on a hat-trick. It was not to be, though, and Root and Stokes repaired this damage until Root, having passed fifty for the 14th time in 27 innings, played an airy drive.

It could have gone either way thereafter. But two hours later the signposts were pointed towards England.