Pacers give England early advantage

England claimed early honours of the Boxing Day Test as they reduced South Africa to 79 for 3 in Centurion at Lunch on the opening day on Thursday (December 26).

James Anderson, playing his 150th Test, struck with the first ball after England opted to field. Anderson bowled a loosener, down the leg side, and Dean Elgar managed to glove the delivery to the 'keeper. There wasn't plenty in the track for the bowlers but just enough to keep them interested. While Stuart Broad kept things tight, Sam Curran too struck in his first over.

In the tenth over, Markram edged the third ball but it fell just short of second slip. Curran then slipped one into the pads and Markram nonchalantly flicked the delivery to midwicket. At 32 for 2, South Africa needed a period of caution. Zubayr Hamza, though, refused to go into his shell and kept finding the boundaries to keep the score moving.

In Jofra Archer's fourth over, the 17th of the innings, he collected two boundaries to take the team's score past fifty. While the first one was creamed past cover, the next one was drilled down the ground as Hamza put on an early exhibition of front-foot play. That, however, didn't last long as he was dismissed by Stuart Broad in the 22nd over of the game. Broad got a length delivery outside off and Hamza poked at that one to be caught at second slip.

Faf du Plessis and debutant Rassie van der Dussen saw off the session from there on.

Source: Google News

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Fast bowling • England cricket team • England cricket team • Boxing Day Test • South Africa national cricket team • Centurion, Gauteng • James Anderson (cricketer) • Test cricket • Cricket ball • England cricket team • Leg side • Dean Elgar • Delivery (cricket) • Wicket-keeper • Bowling (cricket) • Stuart Broad • Sam Curran (cricketer) • Cricket ball • Fielding (cricket) • Aiden Markram • Fielding (cricket) • South Africa national cricket team • Zubayr Hamza • Archery • Stuart Broad • Fielding (cricket) • Faf du Plessis • Rassie van der Dussen •