Test Cricket
Stokes and Pope put England in the driving seat
Ben Stokes and Ollie Pope heaped misery on South Africa’s bowlers with centuries before England spinner Dom Bess added to the suffering with two Proteas’ wickets late on day two of the third Test.
South Africa: 60 for 2 (Dom Bess 2-12), trail England: 499 for 9 declared (Ollie Pope 135*, Ben Stokes 117, Keshav Maharaj 5-180) by 439 runs.
Ben Stokes is easily the best cricketer in the world right now and in 22-year-old Ollie Pope, England have another potential world-class player. The pair inexorably ensured the outcome of the third Test against South Africa, and the series, is firmly in England’s grasp after both scoring centuries on a painful second day for the hosts at St George’s Park on Friday.
Stokes and Pope resumed the rain-delayed second morning on 38 and 39 respectively with the score at 224 for four and quickly asserted their dominance over South Africa’s wilting bowling unit.
By the time England captain Joe Root declared on 499 for nine, Stokes had scored 117 and Pope was not out on 135. They had shared a fifth wicket stand of 203 runs. It was crushing for South Africa, who ended day two on 60 for two despite a 50-run opening stand between Dean Elgar and Pieter Malan.
The platform Stokes and Pope built has put the tourists in a position where losing this Test is nearly impossible. The best the Proteas can hope for is eking out a draw to keep the series tied at 1-1 going into the fourth and final Test at the Wanderers next week. That outcome, however, is a long way off, given South Africa’s fragile batting lineup.
Elgar was bruised but unbeaten on 39 at the close after some hostile fast bowling from Mark Wood in the gloaming. Off-spinner Dom Bess accounted for Malan (18) and Zubayr Hamza (10) to back up the wonderful batting performance on a pitch that is starting to offer more and more turn.
Pope scored his maiden Test ton as he became the youngest England centurion since Alistair Cook in 2006. It’s early in his Test career but it will be staggering if Pope doesn’t go on to become one of the best in the game.
His array of shots matched those of Stokes, who himself is a once-in-a-generation player. Stokes can destroy a bowling unit, or rip through a batting order with his sharp seam bowling like no other player in the world. There isn’t a better all-rounder, especially when you add his incredible slip catching to the mix, than Stokes.
The pair were all class with Stokes playing more aggressively in the morning while Pope showed great maturity in not trying to keep up with his senior partner. Pope played his own game as Stokes took the attack to the Proteas’ bowling unit as he has done in every Test this summer.
There was a distinct lack of edge from Kagiso Rabada on day two following his impressive performance on day one after he learned he had been suspended from the fourth Test because of an over-exuberant celebration when bowling Root on day one. It is a ridiculous sanction for celebrating a fine ball and spell on a flat pitch. It’s no wonder Test cricket is in crisis if this is the punishment for showing some emotion.
Slow left-armer Keshav Maharaj toiled manfully on day two after bowling 32 overs on day one with only the lone wicket of Joe Denly to show for his efforts. In the end, he finished with five for 180 in 58 overs after another marathon session of bowling.
But it was the Stokes and Pope show as the pair scored 111 in the morning session. Stokes moved from 38 to 95 by lunch and then reached his ninth Test century, and third against South Africa, with a punch into the covers off the 174th ball he faced.
Stokes fell when he cut the ball to backward point off Dane Paterson, giving the slippery seamer his first Test wicket. It was about 100 runs too late for the Proteas, though.
Pope struggled for some time as he approached three figures before reaching the milestone with a four, driven through long-on off Anrich Nortje. It was a classy stroke for a classy player who did his bit to put England in a supreme position in the match, and the series. DM