Elgar holds firm against England after Amla blow
7 July 2017 5:32 PM GMT
South Africa captain Dean Elgar showed he too could lead from the front as he dug in to make an unbeaten fifty on the second day of the first Test against England at Lord's, here on Friday.
But the Proteas lost star batsman Hashim Amla for 29 and at tea were 96 for two in reply to England's first innings 458 — a deficit of 362 runs.
Elgar was 54 not out and JP Duminy eight not out.
Both Elgar and England skipper Joe Root, who made a commanding 190 earlier on Friday, were leading their respective countries in a Test for the first time.
But Elgar's appointment appears to be temporary given regular Proteas captain Faf du Plessis is expected to be back for next week's second Test of this four-Test series in Nottingham, after missing the opener to be with his wife following the birth of their first child.
Stuart Broad, who'd earlier frustrated South Africa with an unbeaten 57, had Test debutant Heino Kuhn out for just one when the 33-year-old opener edged to former captain Alastair Cook at first slip.
Elgar, however, displayed his customary resilience and it was somehow typical that he went to a 90-ball fifty with a controlled edge down to third man off all-rounder Ben Stokes — his eighth four.
Amla, so often a thorn in England's side, helped Elgar add 72.
But, having been deprived of the strike, he was lbw to a sharply turning off-break from Moeen Ali.
England resumed on 357 for five, with Root, who made the most of being missed several times to lead a recovery from 76 for four, 184 not out and Ali 61 not out. England twice lost two wickets for no runs in three balls on Friday yet still got beyond 450, however, thanks to a rapid last-wicket stand of 45 in 27 balls between Broad and James Anderson.
Root's innings was already the highest score by an England captain in his first Test in charge, surpassing Cook's 173 against Bangladesh in 2010.
Root had added just six to his overnight score when, in sight of what would have been his second Test double century at Lord's, he edged fast bowler Morne Morkel to wicket-keeper Quinton de Kock.
The 26-year-old Yorkshireman walked off to a standing ovation from a capacity and sun-drenched crowd,
having batted for over six hours, facing 234 balls including 27 fours and a six.
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