South Africa’s Aiden Markram smashed the very first delivery from Sam Curran over the cover region for a boundary. But some players give it back then and there and Curran did the same.
He removed Markram for 20 after the right-hander tried to play the ball through mid-wicket but gave a catch to Jonny Bairstow.
James Anderson who is playing his 150th Test for England had already scalped Dean Elgar for a golden duck. South Africa lost wickets at regular intervals as Curran returned with figures of 4/57 at the end of Day 1.
While the Proteas lost wickets at one end, wicket-keeper batsman Quinton de Kock held his nerves and scored 95 runs before getting out.
WHO SAID WHAT?
Quinton de Kock
“If we get to 300, it’s 50-50,” he told a press conference after stumps. “Even at the moment it’s 50-50. The wicket will get a little bit more difficult to bat on as the game goes on. When I walked in, until when I got out [in the 72nd over], the ball was still swinging around and it’s still nipping. And the one end has definitely got more bounce than the other.”
“I was trying to show some intent, get my head in the game and compete out there,” De Kock said. “When I started finding rhythm, it started happening.”
I said to ‘Bouch’ that it feels like I am making my debut again. We want to change things. There’s been a lot of talk. Things have been done off the field and we feel re-energised. There is structure and the guys are very happy.”
