De Kock leads SA fightback

Quinton de Kock fell five runs short of his century after dragging South Africa out of early trouble to 277 for nine at the close on the opening day of the first Test against England at Centurion Park on Thursday.

England took a wicket with the opening delivery of the four-Test series and had their hosts teetering on 111-5 after lunch but De Kock’s belligerent innings brought South Africa back into the match.

James Anderson marked his 150th cap and return to the England attack with the first-ball wicket of opener Dean Elgar, setting the tourists up for early domination of an inexperienced home side seeking to halt a run of five successive Test defeats.

Sam Curran’s skilful bowling earned him figures of 4-57 and Stuart Broad returned from illness to claim 3-52.

But De Kock wrestled the initiative away from England with an innings that combined early aggression, as he sought to impose himself on the bowlers, with later circumspection.

He reached his 50 off 45 balls with some ferocious hitting before digging in to try to tire out the England bowlers on a hot day.

He fell agonisingly short of a sixth Test century as he feathered an away swinger from Curran through to wicketkeeper Jos Buttler for 95 off 128 balls.

De Kock featured in an 87-run sixth-wicket stand with 30-year-old debutant Dwaine Pretorius, who made 33, and 47 runs for the seventh wicket with Vernon Philander who was 28 not out at the close.

SCORES IN BRIEF

SOUTH AFRICA: First innings 277 for 9 (Hamza 39, Du Plessis 29, De Kock 95, Pretorius 33, Philander 28 not out; Broad 3-52, Curran 4-57)