South Africa vs England: Nightwatchman Nortje frustrates England

England would have come out on the third morning of the first Test against South Africa keen to see the back of nightwatchman Anrich Nortje.

Nortje came in late on day two after the Proteas top order gave way in a tricky two-thirds of a session but looked far from comfortable in his time at the crease.

Nortje has England tearing their hair out

It appeared to be only a matter of time before Nortje was removed but together with Rassie van der Dussen he scrapped through the first hour against a visibly frustrated England attack.

Sam Curran thought he had his man with a well-directed bouncer, but Nortje reviewed straight away, and replays together with snickometer showed that the ball missed the bat and flicked the nightwatchman’s shoulder through to stand-in keeper Jonny Bairstow.

England’s frustration was made worse by the illness running through the camp, that prevented Jos Buttler from taking the field and saw Joe Root spend time in the change rooms as well.

Nortje was subjected to a trial by bouncer and at one point copped a delivery from Jofra Archer square in the midriff, he was seen icing the area of impact but continued batting.

The frustrating partnership for the fifth wicket saw the pair add 83 to the overnight tally and van der Dussen go to a maiden Test fifty. Van der Dussen played some glorious strokes but it would be his wicket that gave England their breakthrough.

Archer trapped van der Dussen (51) leg before to leave the Proteas 153 for 5 with a lead of 263.

Quinton de Kock left everyone watching in little doubt as to his intent smashing his second and third balls faced over the rope, showing he had been given license to take on the tired and illness ravaged England attack.

After a couple of lusty blows from De Kock, Nortje finally succumbed to Archer, chipping him to short leg. Nortje got a standing ovation for his innings of 40 which gave the Proteas a measure of control over the game.

That brought together the pair of De Kock and Dwaine Pretorius who shared the biggest partnership of the first innings.

Pretorius (7) wanted to get on with things but he flashed a booming drive straight to first slip to give Ben Stokes his first wicket of the Test.

Archer continued the ploy of bowling short to de Kock but the Proteas keeper had no intention of ducking and first hooked the quick over fine leg for six before flat-batting a long hop through mid-on for four in the penultimate over of the session.

South Africa went to lunch on 197 for 7 leading by 300. De Kock (30*) and Vernon Philander (5*) will resume batting after the break. Nortje’s stubborn knock was a bit of a bonus for the hosts and his highest score in Test cricket.