Johannesburg — Anrich Nortje felt that South Africa’s bowlers did all they could to create pressure against Ben Stokes and Ben Foakes on Friday, but a mixture of skill and good fortune favoured the England batters.
The home team hold a 241-run lead going into the third day on Saturday after centuries from Stokes and Foakes saw England post 415/9 decl. At stumps on Friday, South Africa were 23/0.
The key passage of the day was the period around the lunch break after Nortje’s dismissals of Jonny Bairstow and Zak Crawley in a thrilling opening session had kept the tourists in the game, following a poor performance with the bat on Thursday.
“That was a major time in the game to try and keep that (pressure) on. It’s not going to happen every time that we will get a team out in a session or two,” said Nortje, who finished with 3/83. “That was definitely the ideal time to get more sticks, maybe something happening with the ball or maybe more bounce. As the ball got older it definitely got harder so that was definitely the period to do it.”
After bowling five overs in the opening hour, Nortje didn’t bowl again until 30 minutes after lunch, during which time Stokes and Foakes were able to settle in against South Africa’s two spinners. “Dean (Elgar) had a plan according to what the situation told him,” said Nortje.
“I had good stints from both ends. Whenever we came on as a group it was according to what the thinking was and what the conditions were, and to try and utilise the spinners either from one end or both ends. All in all it was a good wicket to bat on, I don’t think we can go too deep into who bowled when and at what times and whatever. It was a good wicket to play on at this stage.”
South Africa’s under pressure batters will hope that remains the case over the weekend. They need a miracle to dig the team out of the mess it finds itself in after that paltry first innings total of 151.
Between them Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer picked up three wickets - but those all came late in the England innings and doubts remain about whether the Proteas made the right call in picking both for this Test.
“It's a dry wicket, compared to Lord's and you have to go according to the conditions,” said Nortje. Asked if he agreed that picking both spinners was the right move, Nortje replied: “Ya I do, 100%.”
The fast bowler felt he and the rest of the bowlers didn’t get the rub of the green. “Basically in the whole innings the ball missed the edge of the bat and you still felt like you were in (with a chance). They really absorbed the pressure well especially at the start and then slowly but surely built that momentum and that partnership which was key for them.
“Once the ball got older one or two things went their way and then they got the momentum on their side and started playing some shots. They played the situation really well.”
IOL Sport