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BSP-14
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South Africa’s fast bowler Nortje halts England progress
JOHANNESBURG, Jan 25, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – England captain Joe Root and rising
star Ollie Pope shared a free-scoring century partnership before fast bowler
Anrich Nortje hit back for South Africa on the second day of the fourth and
final Test at the Wanderers Stadium on Saturday.
England, holding an unbeatable 2-1 lead in the series, were 300 for seven
at lunch.
The first hour belonged to Root and Pope as they added 66 runs to
England’s overnight total of 192 for four. It made their partnership worth
101, with the 22-year-old Pope in particularly good form as he made a fluent
56, his third fifty-plus score in four innings.
But mid-morning drinks brought an immediate change, with Pope chopping the
first ball after the short break onto his stumps as he tried to withdraw his
bat from a fast delivery by Nortje, ending an exhilarating 78-ball innings
which included eight fours.
Root was dropped by Faf du Plessis at slip in Nortje’s next over but fell
to a catch by wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock in Nortje’s following over. Root
made 59 off 108 balls.
Sam Curran was caught behind first ball to give Nortje his fourth wicket
of the innings.
It was the last delivery of the seventh over of a spell by Nortje and he
was given one more over but was unable to complete a hat-trick. Nortje had
figures of four for 93 at lunch.
BSS/AFP/MSY/1707 hrs