Morkel dismisses England for 303, Broad strikes rattle South Africa

England rattled South Africa in the first Test on Sunday with Stuart Broad’s two wickets putting the top-ranked team in deep trouble before they recovered to 55/2 in their first innings.

South Africa were still 248 runs behind England’s first-innings total of 303, with opener Stiaan van Zyl and captain Hashim Amla removed by Broad, who had 2/8.

England were earlier all out for 303 in their first innings as South Africa fast bowler Morne Morkel took four wickets in the morning session, including two in two balls. That score was put into context and could turn out to be a solid total yet given South Africa’s struggles.

Nick Compton frustrated South Africa for more than six hours over the first two days to top score for England with 85 off 236 balls.

Scoreboard(At tea)

England (1st innings): A. Cook c Elgar b Steyn 0, A. Hales c de Villiers b Steyn 10, N. Compton c De Villiers b Morkel 85, J. Root lbw b Piedt 24, J. Taylor c De Villiers b Steyn 70, B. Stokes c Duminy b Morkel 21, J. Bairstow c Elgar b Abbott 41, M. Ali c De Villiers b Morkel 0, C. Woakes lbw b Morkel 0, S. Broad (not out) 32, S. Finn lbw b Steyn 12. Extras: (1b, 3lb, 1w, 3nb) 8. Total: (in 100.1 overs) 303.

FoW: 1-3, 2-12, 3-49, 4-174, 5-196, 6-247, 7-253, 8-253, 9-267.

Bowling: Steyn 25.1-5-70-4, Abbott 22-4-66-1, Morkel 26-5-76-4, Piedt 16-2-63-1, Zyl 2-1-2-0, Elgar 7-2-22-0.

South Africa (1st innings): S. van Zyl b Broad 0. D. Elgar (batting) 22, H. Amla c Bairstow b Broad 7,. AB de Villiers (batting) 26. Extras: 0. Total: (for 2 wkts, in 19 overs) 55. FoW: 1-0, 2-14. Bowling: Broad 5-3-8-2, Woakes 4-0-14-0, Ali 3-0-14-0, Finn 5-1-12-0, Stokes 2-1-7-0.