South Africa vs England, 1st Test - Live Cricket Score, Commentary
Series: England tour of South Africa, 2019-20 Venue: SuperSport Park, Centurion Date & Time: Dec 26-Dec 30, 10:00 AM LOCAL
Nortje 3-56(17 ov)
91.6
Nortje to Broad, no run, good follow up delivery. 145kph full delivery at the stumps, Broad manages to keep it out
91.5
Nortje to Broad, no run, Broad has a smile on his face and is even having a word with Nortje. he wouldn't have been doing either had he been caught. Short ball right at the throat, Broad hops and brings his hands up but still cannot make contact, the ball hits the helmet grill and drops into the off-side
91.4
Nortje to Jofra Archer, out Caught by van der Dussen!! Edged and gone. Buttler had too much confidence in Archer as he picked the single off the first ball and left him with five deliveries. Nortje softened him up with a bouncer and then kept the short of length delivery in the channel around off, Archer's feet don't move as he tries a waft and the outside edge flies to Rassie. de Kock does not dive across him and he manages to hold on to his first catch. South Africa inch closer. Jofra Archer c van der Dussen b Nortje 4(5) [4s-1]
91.3
Nortje to Jofra Archer, no run, and there comes the bouncer from Nortje, too short and Archer had ample time to duck under it
91.2
Nortje to Jofra Archer, no run, back of a length around off, Archer stays beside the line and knocks it to point
91.1
Nortje to Buttler, 1 run, 144kph good length ball at the stumps, Buttler hangs back and gets a leading edge to cover. He was closing the bat face once more and with the ball doing all sorts of things it is dangerous
89.6
Nortje to Buttler, no run, on a length and around off, Buttler gets behind the line and taps it to point
89.5
Nortje to Buttler, SIX, South Africa need to be careful with Buttler. They cannot afford to bowl to his strengths. Banged in short and even though Nortje has the extra pace, Buttler is well in control of the hook, he does not bother to keep it down as he sends it soaring over backward square leg for half a dozen
89.4
Nortje to Buttler, no run, in the air and wide of short leg. Was there an inside edge? Yes. Nips back in and has Buttler jumping in the crease, the edge hits the pad and lobs to the left of the fielder
89.3
Nortje to Buttler, FOUR, crunched! The sweet sound when ball made contact with the made was enough evidence that it was struck well. Back of a length just outside off, Buttler rides the bounce and punches it through the open cover region
89.2
Nortje to Sam Curran, 1 run, on a length around off, Curran shuffles across and bunts it to the vacant cover region
89.1
Nortje to Sam Curran, FOUR, edged and four! Bisected second slip and gully expertly. Back of a length outside off, Curran looks to force it through the off-side but the outside edge flies away in the gap. Even a third slip might not have helped there
87.6
Nortje to Sam Curran, no run, 143kph full delivery around off, Curran pushes it meekly to mid-off
87.5
Nortje to Sam Curran, no run, 141kph good length ball on off, Curran camps back and defends it to Nortje, who sticks his leg out and deflects it to mid-off
87.4
Nortje to Sam Curran, no run, Nortje has looked the best bowler for South Africa today. Once more goes past the outside edge. Back of a length slanted in and holds its line, Curran plays for the incoming angle and is beaten
87.3
Nortje to Sam Curran, no run, angled in from round the wicket and Curran is rushed into bringing his bat down, ekes out an inside edge onto the pad and the ball rolls to the right of short leg
87.2
Nortje to Root, out Caught by de Kock!! Is that the game? With the way South Africa are celebrating they certainly think so. Nortje has his arms up in the air as he goes off on a celebratory run and the rest of members catch up with him. A very poor shot from Root. He has been vulnerable outside off in the past few months and Nortje has exploited that. Feeds a good length ball outside off which could have easily been left alone, but instead Root prods forward and goes feeling for the ball, the outside edge carries at a nice height for de Kock. A dejected England captain walks back to the pavilion. He will be cursing himself for playing that reckless shot. Root c de Kock b Nortje 48(101) [4s-8]
87.1
Nortje to Root, no run, 139kph back of a length outside off, Root lifts his bat and lets it go
69.6
Nortje to Root, no run, and now the short ball to finish the over. The line could have been better as Nortje bowled it well down the leg-side. Root ducks and allows it to go through to the keeper
69.5
Nortje to Root, no run, length ball around off, Root pushes it away to the off-side
69.4
Nortje to Root, FOUR, that's inexperience for you. Nortje gets greedy and bowls it too full and on the stumps, Root stays put and flicks it nonchalantly past square leg for a boundary
69.3
Nortje to Root, no run, on a length and around off, Root steers it to second slip who jumps and fields it
69.2
Nortje to Root, 2 runs, and now the leading edge! After bowling it short, Root's weight was on the backfoot and Nortje smartly bowled this one much fuller. Root went for a flick but ended up closing the face of the blade early and the leading edge takes it wide of cover. It was in the air for a bit but it was well wide of the fielder
69.1
Nortje to Root, no run, short ball down the leg-side, it makes Root jump but he did well in the end to keep it down and works it away wide of the keeper
67.6
Nortje to Stokes, no run, that's a very optimistic appeal from Nortje. He soon realised that and bailed out of it. He ends up being too straight this time, Stokes misses the flick and de Kock collects it down the leg-side. Nortje went up in appeal for an edge to the keeper but the umpire ignored him
67.5
Nortje to Stokes, no run, back of a length delivery around off, Stokes tucks it away to square leg
67.4
Nortje to Stokes, no run, beauty! Gets this one to angle back into Stokes and then it straightens off the deck, Stokes pushes at it inside the line of the ball and it rips past the outside edge
67.3
Nortje to Root, 1 run, another delivery on a short of length, it had width and Root dabs it to third man
67.2
Nortje to Root, no run, short of length delivery attacking the body of Root, he jumps in the crease to get behind the line of the ball and defends it back with a straight bat
67.1
Nortje to Root, no run, on a fuller length and targeting the stumps, Root flicks it straight to backward square leg
61.6
Nortje to Root, no run, 145kph bouncer on the stumps, Root ducks and allows it to sail over him
61.5
Nortje to Stokes, 1 run, this time he had the room and hence connects with the pull, played along the ground to deep square leg
61.4
Nortje to Stokes, no run, ungainly from Stokes. Short of length delivery on off-stump, he did not have the room to play the pull, all cramped up but still tries to execute the shot, misses and the ball flies over the stumps
61.3
Nortje to Stokes, no run, 148kph good length ball on off, Stokes offers a straight bat in defence
61.2
Nortje to Stokes, no run, edged and safe. On a length and around off, Stokes prods across and defends with soft hands, the outside edge goes on the bounce to the left of second slip, Faf dives across to make the stop
61.1
Nortje to Root, 1 run, nasty! The variable bounce from Nortje causing a problem or two. This one climbs up from back of a length and strikes Root on the top glove, luckily for him the ball lobs wide of short leg and rolls to backward square. Stokes races across and though Root dropped his bat, he makes it in comfortably
59.6
Nortje to Root, byes, FOUR, that's hit a big crack. Banged in halfway down outside off, Root ducks as a precautionary measure even though it is not close to him, the crack makes the ball climb up and beat a flying de Kock and Rassie
59.5
Nortje to Stokes, 1 run, straying on the pads, Stokes flicks it to deep square leg and opens his account
59.4
Nortje to Stokes, no run, good length ball close to off, Stokes blocks it solidly to cover
59.3
Nortje to Stokes, no run, 145kph away angler outside off, Stokes lifts his bat and lets it go
59.2
Nortje to Root, 1 run, on a length and outside off, Root prods forward and angles it to third man
59.1
Nortje to Root, no run, 144kph keeps low from back of a length but Root has it covered, right behind the line to defend it to short leg
57.6
Nortje to Root, no run, wrapped on the gloves. Nortje has a long stare at Root. Kicks up from back of a length and Root is not expecting that, fends it by almost turning his back and is struck on the bottom glove. South Africa and Nortje must look at keeping a short leg
57.5
Nortje to Root, no run, 144kph short of length that keeps rising, Root plays it well, hops up and removes his bottom hand off the bat handle to soften the impact, the ball drops safely into the on-side
57.4
Nortje to Root, no run, the men at slip have their hands on their head as Root squirts an inside edge behind the wicket. He was not sure whether to play or leave, in the end leaves his bat hanging around off, the ball kisses the inner half and rolls back to de Kock
57.3
Nortje to Root, no run, quick bouncer, but Root ducks under quicker
57.2
Nortje to Root, no run, nips into the thighs, clipped to square leg
57.1
Nortje to Root, no run, crisp forward push, getting to the pitch of this seeming half volley, but a tumbling mid-off cleans up
55.6
Nortje to Root, no run, that's a good leave. Nortje goes wide of the crease and angled it in, Root had most of his off-stump covered as he let go, the bounce also ensured it flew over the stumps
55.5
Nortje to Root, no run, on a length and barely bounces outside off as Root lets it through to de Kock
55.5
Nortje to Root, wide, 144kph high bumper that almost sails over everyone, de Kock could only make a half stop with his leap. The umpire calls it a wide for height
55.4
Nortje to Root, no run, back of a length just outside off, Root hops across and pats it to point
55.3
Nortje to Root, no run, 142kph expected bouncer right at the batsman, Root watches it all along and sinks underneath it
55.2
Nortje to Root, no run, 144kph angled in from back of a length, Root is solidly behind the line to defend
55.1
Nortje to Root, FOUR, South Africa won't mind Root playing his favourite shot - back foot punch. This is an uneven surface and that shot will be dangerous. This time though Root rides the bounce and crunches it in front of square on the off-side
53.6
Nortje to Root, no run, 140kph, tightens up on off, having Root get stoopy in front, bat-pad stuck
53.5
Nortje to Root, FOUR, the third man pinch. Root jumps on this, and when airborne as just enough room on this to open up his bat and run past the second slip
53.4
Nortje to Root, no run, 145kph, yea, it was only a matter of time. Bouncer. Ducked
53.3
Nortje to Root, no run, 142kph, rides this back of a lengther, opens his bat and dabs away towards backward point
53.2
Nortje to Root, no run, 143kph, cuts back in on off, Root continues crouching off the back foot in his defences
53.1
Nortje to Root, no run, 141kph, thick inside-edge on his back foot block, square leg
51.6
Nortje to Root, no run, hmmmm. It's a classic new batsman syndrome this, from an hour of nothingness to three balls of everything. It's sightly short, something Root wants to cut, for extra bounce now to take it over
51.5
Nortje to Root, no run, 144kph, a scooter. It's quite full in the first place, but Root compulsively hangs on his back foot and very awkardly looks to push away from his body then
51.4
Nortje to Root, no run, 144kph, near yorker, has Root stooping in a hurry to jam it out
51.3
Nortje to Root, no run, big LBW appeal, and you'd think why -- it's smashed Root's thighs while he is jumping. But he's beaten for seam here, one that jags in big past his defence
51.2
Nortje to Rory Burns, out Caught by Rabada!! Yes. Yes. Yes. Burns' weakness to bouncers is well-documented, and that one time, THAT ONE TIME, he doesn't leave, he ends up looking at sea. It's a decent line too, cramping out the room near the head as Burns falls into the trap of hooking. Only a top-edge, only to short cover. Rory Burns c Rabada b Nortje 84(154) [4s-11]
51.1
Nortje to Rory Burns, no run, 143kph, neat. A quick climb-up off a shorter of a back of a length, and a quick sway
16.6
Nortje to Rory Burns, FOUR, that is bread and butter for Burns. Anything too straight and the Surrey man is just too good. He picks this one from off and middle and flicks it through mid-wicket, the timing ensures Paterson does not hunt it down
16.5
Nortje to Rory Burns, no run, fuller and outside off, Burns offers a straight bat in his push to mid-off
16.4
Nortje to Sibley, 1 run, 145kph good length ball on off, Sibley wrists it to the right of mid-on
16.3
Nortje to Sibley, no run, 144kph bouncer outside off, Sibley goes down and sways out of the line
16.2
Nortje to Sibley, no run, back of a length outside off, Sibley lifts his bat and lets it go
16.1
Nortje to Sibley, no run, short of length around off, Sibley stands tall and defends it to the slip cordon
14.6
Nortje to Sibley, no run, the line for Sibley is well outside off. It is the second time he has fished at one that he could have left. Back of a length and outside off, Sibley has a nothing poke and is lucky not to have edged it
14.5
Nortje to Sibley, no run, 143kph short of length outside off, Sibley hops a bit and drops it safely into the off-side
14.4
Nortje to Rory Burns, 1 run, back of a length delivery leg-lined, Burns tucks it to fine leg
14.3
Nortje to Rory Burns, no run, oh! Burns is not comfortable with the short of length delivery. He is not sure whether to duck or play, in the end gets into a tangle and fends it off the glove into the off-side
14.2
Nortje to Rory Burns, no run, angled across the left hander from a length, Burns shoulders arms
14.1
Nortje to Rory Burns, no run, 147kph bouncer close to off, Burns ducks to evade but leaves his bat hanging. It didn't miss by much
12.6
Nortje to Sibley, FOUR, poor delivery to end the over. Strays on the hips, Sibley uses the pace of Nortje and tickles it fine
12.5
Nortje to Sibley, no run, 145kph short of length delivery outside off, Sibley has a needless poke at that and is beaten on the outside edge. He could have easily left that through but instead goes chasing a long way away from the body
12.4
Nortje to Sibley, no run, once more the back of a length stuff is not troubling Sibley, he easily keeps it out with a straight bat
12.3
Nortje to Sibley, no run, 147kph short of length delivery and Sibley is comfortable sitting on the back foot, blocked to mid-on
12.2
Nortje to Sibley, no run, 148kph back of a length delivery angled in, Sibley turns it to mid-wicket
12.1
Nortje to Rory Burns, 1 run, uses the angle going across him and knocks a single into the cover area
10.6
Nortje to Rory Burns, no run, back of a length around off, Burns goes on his toes and defends into the off-side
10.5
Nortje to Rory Burns, FOUR, Nortje is feeding to Burns's strength and the England opener is feasting on them. Full and slanting into the pads, Burns clips it with all of the left-handers elegance through the same mid-wicket region
10.4
Nortje to Rory Burns, no run, 146kph speared in near the blockhole, jammed out to mid-on
10.3
Nortje to Rory Burns, no run, angled in from round the wicket, Burns offers a straight bat on the push to mid-off
10.2
Nortje to Rory Burns, FOUR, freebie and Burns ensures it is made to pay. Full delivery on middle and leg, Burns leans forward transfering his weight into the flick and placing it through the vast open spaces through mid-wicket
10.1
Nortje to Rory Burns, no run, 142kph short of length delivery, Burns gets on top of the bounce and defends it back
8.6
Nortje to Sibley, no run, harmless back of a length delivery outside off and Sibley ignores
8.5
Nortje to Sibley, no run, good length ball outside off, Sibley defends with soft hands to backward point
8.4
Nortje to Sibley, no run, oh! 146kph short of length delivery that lifts sharply, Sibley was hoisting his bat up and had to make sure he gets it way up so that the ball does not catch it on the way to de Kock
8.3
Nortje to Sibley, no run, back of a length outside off, Sibley covers his stumps and lets it pass
8.2
Nortje to Sibley, no run, 146kph fullish delivery, Sibley drags the forward push to mid-on. The ball hit the bat rather the other way round and hence Sibley was not able to find the middle
8.1
Nortje to Sibley, no run, 143kph spray down leg, Sibley has no chance of meeting with the glance
6.6
Nortje to Sibley, no run, wide of the crease and angled in, Sibley is right behind the line to defend
6.5
Nortje to Sibley, no run, shortens the length outside off, Sibley carefully dabs it to point
6.4
Nortje to Sibley, no run, fuller than a good length and hits the bat hard as the speedgun shows 147kph, rolls in front of point and Burns wants a single. Sibley rightly sends his partner back
6.3
Nortje to Sibley, no run, 146kph good length ball on off, Sibley offers a straight bat in his block
6.2
Nortje to Sibley, no run, the unplayable line from Nortje and Sibley has no answers. Angled in from back of a length and gets it to hold its line, Sibley plays for the incoming angle and is beaten on the outside edge
6.1
Nortje to Rory Burns, 1 run, gentle back of a length delivery at 138kph, Burns taps it to cover and crosses over
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