ENG vs SA: Rabada sweeps hosts for 5 wkts!

ENG vs SA: South Africa kept up with their tight grip on the first  Test at Lord’s by bowling England out for 165 on the second morning with Kagiso Rabada claiming an amazing five-wicket haul.

Rain stopped the tourist’s charge at the very beginning as England attempted 116 for six and nearly posted their lowest total since the new regime of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum set about changing red-ball cricket in this country.

While the hosts moved past the 141 they scored here against New Zealand in June, Rabada sent Ollie Pope back to the pavilion early and got five for 52 to end England’s first innings up inside an hour on day two.

Lord’s was an ocean of red with the home of cricket turning ‘Red for Ruth’ for the fourth progressive year in memory of Sir Andrew Strauss’ wife Ruth, who passed away in 2018.

Everyone was focused on Pope first up and whether he could lead England to a serious all out when he continued on 61 not out, however he should have been dismissed from the 6th ball of the morning.

Having unhesitatingly pulled Rabada for four before in the over, Pope edged to initially slip just to watch Sarel Erwee ruin the catching opportunity at chest level.

Erwee spilled the first chance, nearly gripped onto the second and failed to gather at the third attempt in hilarious fashion while falling backward.

South Africa in Tests when Kagiso Rabada has taken a 5 fer

Matches : 9
Matches won : 8
Match lost : 1

Only loss coming vs ENG in Johannesburg 2016 , when SA were bowled out for 83 in their 2nd inns with Broad taking 6 for 17 #ENGvsSA #Cricket pic.twitter.com/OdgS1rrXxY

— Arnav Singh (@Arnavv43) August 18, 2022

Pope didn’t trade out however as he played on at the start of Rabada’s third over to leave having added 12 runs to his overnight total.

Stuart Broad, lined up for a nighthawk role by captain Stokes during last month’s Test with India, did briefly satisfy his charging with two fours off Anrich Nortje ready to take England past the 141 they oversaw here in June.

Rabada again proved too good and showed his variation with slower ball tricking the England number eight, who could chip a simple catch to the visitor’s captain Dean Elgar at point.

ALSO READ: “It’s Fading Out…”: India legend warns the ICC of test cricket’s bleak future

Jack Leach followed team orders in attempting to be aggressive and welcomed Marco Jansen into the attack with two boundaries but soon lost his off stump.

It implied James Anderson, fresh from his 40th birthday celebration, left with England on 164 for nine. Anderson lasted only one ball with Rabada pinning him in front to make sure his name would go up on the Lord’s honour board and give South Africa control.