Elgar leads South Africa fightback to 141-3 vs. England

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — Dean Elgar led South Africa’s fightback and Rassie van der Dussen survived four scares to stay with him as the home team recovered from 40-3 to 141-3 at tea on Day 2 of the second test against England on Saturday.

Veteran fast bowlers Stuart Broad and James Anderson injected new life into England in the morning session with three quick wickets to leave South Africa on 60-3 at lunch.

Opener Elgar kept England at bay in the second session with 77 not out while van der Dussen was 46 not out. Their partnership was worth 101 and had cut the deficit to 128 after England made 269 all out in its first innings.

Van der Dussen survived a series of chances. He was given out lbw but successfully reviewed the umpire’s decision. He was caught off a Broad no-ball. He was dropped in a tough chance for Ben Stokes in the slips and also saw another edge drop just short of Stokes.

England had the upper hand before lunch, with Broad striking twice, helped by a dazzling diving catch by Stokes in the slips. Anderson followed up with the wicket of South Africa captain Faf du Plessis. That was arguably England’s best session of a series that has been characterized by off-field illness and injury crises for the tourists.

England’s revival was led by its two most experienced players.

Broad, in his 136th test, removed South Africa debutant Pieter Malan for 5 with an edge to captain Joe Root at first slip. The England paceman then removed Zubayr Hamza for 5 in his next over, thanks to Stokes’ lunge to his right at second slip to scoop the ball up inches off the ground.

Anderson, who marked his 150th test in the first match when England had little else to celebrate in defeat, dismissed du Plessis for 1 and Root’s side was buoyant. This time Stokes accepted a regulation catch.

Both teams are fielding inexperienced batting lineups and the four-test series may come down to which one of them finds its feet quickest.

Compared to the nearly 300 tests of experience of England’s opening bowlers, the top three batsmen had only 15 appearances between them coming into the game. Add to that No. 6 Ollie Pope, who ended 61 not out to top score in the first innings, is playing just his fifth test.

South Africa quick bowler Kagiso Rabada wrapped up England’s innings at the start of the day by having No. 11 Anderson caught at first slip. England added seven runs to its overnight score and failed to get to 300 for the third time in three innings in the series.

England’s batting struggles on tour have been exacerbated by issues of illness and injury. As many as 11 squad members fell ill with a flu-like bug in the buildup to, or during, the first test.

Pope was one of them and missed the game as a result while half the lineup that did play in Centurion were also sick at some point. The team also lost opening batsman Rory Burns and fast bowler Jofra Archer to injury in the run-up to the second test.

Burns’ freak tour-ending ankle injury sustained playing soccer in a warm-up at training forced Zak Crawley, with just one test appearance, into an already struggling lineup. He had to open for the first time in test cricket.

South Africa’s batting also hasn’t reached significant heights — or 300 — this series.

Malan is making his debut as an injury replacement. No. 3 Hamza, South Africa’s replacement for retired great Hashim Amla, is playing his fourth test and No. 5 van der Dussen played test cricket for the first time in the series opener.

Elgar, resisting in typically gritty fashion, and van der Dussen were left to hold South Africa’s reply together with just one more recognized top-level batsman in Quinton de Kock to come. Amid the struggles of the batsmen this series, van der Dussen is heading for a second straight half-century.

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