South Africa vs England: Anrich Nortje halts Ollie Pope masterclass to bring Wanderers to life

The Proteas quick tore through England’s middle order to prevent the tourists from stamping their authority on the match

Nortje dismisses Pope to spark a South Africa comeback (REUTERS)

A session of two halves if ever there was one. England racked up the runs in the first hour: 66 picked up in 16.2 overs that took them to 258 for four at drinks. The next 60 minutes were all South Africa, as a collapse of three for just 11 runs decimated the middle order.

Though still early in the match, this was a pivotal morning. South Africa’s four wickets in yesterday’s second session had undone England’s crisp 100 runs in the first.

Resuming on 192 for four, both sides were a good hour away from moving the game along in their favour. Thanks to Ollie Pope, the advantage was very much with the tourists.

The 22 year-old, watchful yesterday, seemed to have made a pact with himself to profit on anything and everything slightly wayward from the Proteas attack. This pitch plays at its truest with cloud cover and Pope used this to cut behind point, jump-cut over point and drive silkily. His half-century – a third score of 50 or more in his last four innings – arrived with the final 28 runs taking just 24 balls.

Even with the dashing, his restraint was also impressive. Anrich Nortje, the biggest threat of the morning, spent a large part of the first hour testing his and Root’s nerve against the short ball, with short leg, leg gully, square leg and two out on the hook for both right-handers. Pope used his wrists to keep the ball down and, on one occasion, bisected both men in the deep.

That stirred Root into action, playing a few Pope classics: the pull through those two out there, the duck-and-ramp to a 147km/h delivery from Nortje. A 47th Test fifty arrived from 87 balls. The century stand coming in the 68th over, from 138 deliveries. As drinks were taken, it was reasonable to speculate if this contest might be done by lunch on day two.

But typically, just as England looked to get out in front, South Africa reeled them right back. With the first ball after drinks, Pope (56) dragged Nortje onto his stumps when trying to leave. Just as it was yesterday, the wicket sprung The Wanderers into life.

Jos Buttler was booed to the crease by a section of fans after his stoush earlier in the series with Vernon Philander. And with that, those in the field raised their game. Even when Faf du Plessis dropped Root on 54 – Nortje the bowler – you sensed another chance would come. Suddenly, the atmosphere in the stands and on the pitch was turning against England. Five runs to Root later, Nortje had his man: this time an edge going finer and straight into the mitts of Quinton de Kock.

South Africa celebrate as Ollie Pope walks off (REUTERS)

The keeper would have another with the very next ball when left-hander Sam Curran reached for one across him and could only streak an edge. The hat-trick ball, which came at the start of Nortje’s next over, was left by Chris Woakes outside off stump.

Those three wickets in the space of five overs were no less than South Africa deserved. They have made a knack of starting days slowly which is why they find themselves 2-1 down in a series they can only draw. What threatened to be a fourth consecutive first session without a wicket was salvaged by an immense second hour’s graft.

They would have liked to have nabbed a fourth when they took the new ball halfway through the 81st over, with four minutes to go until lunch.

That brought with it three boundaries, including a skewed edge from Buttler just wide of third slip which took England to the break on 300 for seven. On the face of it, this is probably still England’s session with 108 scored. But a chance to stamp their authority on the match was spurned.