ENG vs SA 1st Test: South Africa’s Rabada and Nortje rock England on Day 1
ENG vs SA 1st Test: The first day of the first Test at Lord’s on Wednesday came to an early conclusion due to heavy rain, with Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje doing the damage as England fell to 116-6.
After being cleared from an ankle ailment, Rabada quickly got rid of both openers Alex Lees and Zak Crawley for a return of 2-36 in 12 overs.
Nortje also claimed three wickets, including that of the English captain, Ben Stokes, who was one of eight South Africans playing in their maiden Test in England.
Only Ollie Pope provided sustained opposition with a score of undefeated 61 before rain began to fall an hour after noon and turned into a downpour that drenched the outfield.
After weeks of oppressive heat in England, the inclement weather on Wednesday limited the number of overs that could be bowled before the players departed the field early in the second session.
But even so, the Proteas’ pace attack had more than enough time to destroy England’s top order.
Under their new leadership team of captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum, the home team entered the game with a perfect record of four victories in as many Tests.
Since South Africa captain Dean Elgar won the toss and choose to field on a green-tinged pitch under cloudy skies, none of those triumphs can be earned by chasing down objectives in the fourth innings.
Elgar’s concerns about England’s ability to maintain their aggressive batting style against an attack. That has assisted South Africa in moving to the top of the World Test Championship standings quickly proven to unfounded.
Lethal fast bowler Rabada, 27, dismissed struggling fellow opener Crawley for nine. After he nicked a ball that snuck away low to Aiden Markram at second slip. He then had left-hander Lees caught behind for five.
After Crawley’s departure, he had a dismal Test average of 26 from 47 innings. That is poor for a specialist batter.
Star batsman Joe Root was unable to stop the damage. And the former captain of England bowled out for eight runs. By towering left-arm paceman Marco Jansen on a big inswinger.
Although Root challenged the ruling of Indian umpire Nitin Menon, replays showed the ball would have struck the leg stump.
During England’s most recent Test, a seven-wicket victory over India at Edgbaston last month. Jonny Bairstow scored 106 runs and went unbeaten on 114.
Nortje, with England now 55-4, bowled him between bat. And pad for a five-ball duck as he attempted to drive on the up.
Pope reached fifty in 69 balls, but Nortje squared up Stokes to dismiss the all-rounder for 20. With the final delivery of the session, leaving England on 100-5 at the break.
Soon after, wicketkeeper Ben Foakes played on to express fast Nortje for six, turning it into 116-6.
Pope was now batting with the tail, but weather prevented the Proteas pace attack from further punishing England. Only Lungi Ngidi had yet to take a wicket.
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