LONDON: Alastair Cook batted throughout the opening day of the series to lay a solid foundation for England in the first Test against South Africa at the oval on Thursday. Cook was 114 not out at stumps as England eneded the day with 267 on the board at the loss of three wickets. Ian Bell (10*) was the other batsman at the crease at the end of day’s play.
Earlier, Cook and Jonathan Trott steered England into a strong position after the early loss of captain Andrew Strauss.
The pair came together without a run on the board after Strauss was leg before wicket to Morne Morkel off the fourth ball of the match.
But Cook and Trott were largely untroubled on an easy-paced pitch as they rebuilt the England innings with sensible batting.
South Africa’s highly-rated pace attack was neutralised as a result and the tourists, who are seeking to overtake England as the number one ranked Test team, used spin bowlers for 12 of the 53 overs sent down before tea, including two by part-time off-spinner JP Duminy.
Strauss’s dismissal justified South Africa’s decision to give the new ball to Morkel instead of Dale Steyn. It was the seventh time in nine matches that Strauss had fallen to the tall fast bowler. With Morkel bowling around the wicket to the left-hander, Strauss was trapped on the crease by a ball angled in to him.
Umpire Steve Davis turned down an appeal by the South Africans, who called for a review which showed the ball was hitting the inside of the leg stump. (Agencies)