Philander dents England, but Cook stands tall

Vernon Philander again proved to be England's bugbear, but Alastair Cook kept South Africa's bowlers at bay in the third Test at The Oval on Thursday (July 27).

England was 171 for 4 at stumps, having won the toss, with 31 of the scheduled 90 overs lost to poor weather on the first day of the 100th Test at The Oval.

Philander was incisive, picking up 2 for 17 in 12 overs, including five maidens, despite a stomach bug. That followed his man-of-the-match display with both bat and ball in South Africa's 340-run victory in the second Test at Trent Bridge last week - a result that left the four-match series level at 1-1.

Cook, the former England captain, was unbeaten on 82 at stumps after having spent more than four-and-a-half hours at the crease. Ben Stokes was 21 not out.

Although the overcast conditions and green-tinged pitch promised to assist pace bowlers, Joe Root, the England captain, sprung a surprise and opted to bat.

But it was not long before South Africa drew first blood. Keaton Jennings was repeatedly beaten outside off stump by Philander and edged to Dean Elgar at third slip for a nine-ball duck.

Tom Westley, one of three England debutants, joined Cook with the home side 12 for 1. The 28-year-old right-hander, selected after a finger injury ruled out the struggling Gary Ballance, opened his account with a composed legside four off Morne Morkel.

England was 62 for 1 at lunch, with Cook 34 not out and Westley on 24. Four balls after the break, Westley (25) nicked a Chris Morris delivery that curved away to Faf du Plessis at second slip.

Root then made 29 before he edged an excellent Philander ball that moved away off the seam and was brilliantly caught one-handed by Quinton de Kock, the wicketkeeper, diving across first slip.

Kagiso Rabada, returning after being banned from the second Test for swearing at Stokes in the series opener at Lord's, joined the party too. The paceman produced a superb inswinging yorker that knocked Dawid Malan (1), another of England's debutants, off his feet before crashing into middle stump.

That left England in a spot of bother at 120 for 4, but Cook and Stokes didn't allow the South African bowlers to inflict any further blows.