South Africa v England: 2nd Test, Day 3. Ben Stokes Lights-up the Test. South Africa Grind Towards a Draw

 

South Africa v England: 2^nd Test, Day 3

Ben Stokes Lights-up the Test. South Africa Grind Towards a Draw

 

January 4^th 2016

 

As luck would have it, I missed most of Day 2 travelling. This was sufficient to ensure that it was one of the greatest ever days of Test cricket.

There has been a lot of criticism of Ben Stokes on this tour. Some of it has been fair – he has been far too inconsistent, both with bat and ball and has sometimes let aggression get the better of common sense – however, he has also shown glimpses of a Botham-like ability to make things happen when he tempers his aggression with judgement. The suggestions though that he has done nothing to earn a place in the England side are absurd.

There has also been a lot of criticism by comparison: Ben Stokes cannot hold a candle to Jacques Kallis who was a genuine great. Kallis’s record (292 wickets @ 32.7 and 13289 runs @ 55.4) speaks for itself. There was though a suspicion, born out by the statistics, that he was particularly keen to fill his boots against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, particularly to pick up some easy wickets. Take out matches against these two opponents and his numbers are still impressive (12210 runs @ 52.9, 253 wickets @ 35.4 and a strike rate of 75) but, particularly on the bowling side, somewhat less imposing. Kallis was an exceptional bat, who was a more than useful bowler. He also had the benefit of a career eighteen years long, whereas Ben Stokes is barely two years into his career. He also has not had the chance of padding his statistics with matches against those weakest of opponents. Comparing the records of the two at this stage is also absurd.

On Day 2, Ben Stokes launched the most savage attack possible on an inexperienced South African bowling line-up, as South Africa conceded 312 runs in a ball under 39 overs. England’s 629 was made at a staggering 5-an-over. Had Stokes not carelessly run himself out, the fastest ever 300 in Test cricket – a mark that Alistair Cook was willing to let him go for before a declaration – was looking a near certainty. As it was, he had to be content with the second fastest double century ever, after Nathan Astle’s astonishing innings against England.

Ben Stokes may never produce such an innings again, although he also managed a brutal 158 in the first match of this tour, suggesting that he is getting used to the demands of batting at this level. However, lest we get over-excited, his 47 wickets have come at 41.2 (strike rate, 69) and his batting average is 33.9 (3 centuries). He adds balance to the side, but is no better than a fourth seamer and his career batting average barely justified promotion to #6. Time and a another two years will tell if he is to develop into England’s first genuine all-rounder since Ian Botham.

While all hell was being let loose at one end, Jonny Bairstow did not try to compete and just set quietly about batting his way to his maiden Test century, getting to 150 by the declaration. Bairstow is another whose place is questioned as not being good enough in either discipline to justify his place. This innings will have done his confidence a world of good – and, hopefully, silenced the critics for a time.

With the follow-on target 430 – South Africa’s best effort, by some distance, in the previous eight Tests had been 248 – van Zyl decided that batting suicide was the best option. 7-1 in the third over after a crazy run-out was not a great start. South Africa though batted with grim determination and made the pitch look flat and the bowling flatter. Jimmy Anderson’s return has not been a great one: off colour with the ball and dropping a vital chance: time will tell whether or not the decision to recall him was the right one in the context of the series. England can only speculate what the match position would have been had three chances not been missed – almost certainly they would be closing on a second win.

South Africa have ground through the day losing just one wicket, showing the application that has been so missing recently. 212 runs in 87 overs, was in sharp contrast to the previous day, but it was what the side needed, with run transfusions to revive Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis.

The match is not yet safe for South Africa, but England need a minimum of two wickets in the first hour to retain any real interest. There is little sign of where they might come from: the big turn of Day 1 has disappeared and things are not quite happening for the bowlers.

Day 2 to England

Day 3 to South Africa

Key Player so far: Ben Stokes

Key Player on Day 4: Hashim Amla.