UPDATE 1-Cricket-Gritty Elgar settles S Africa after early England strikes

Opener Dean Elgar struck a gritty unbeaten half-century to quell an early England charge as South Africa posted 141 for three at tea on second day of the second test at Newlands on Saturday. The home side had earlier bowled England out for 269 in their first innings and after a flurry of early set-backs, have steadily chipped away at the deficit to trail by 128 runs after negotiating the afternoon session without losing a wicket.

Elgar has a reputation as a dogged accumulator of runs and played to type to move to 77 not out, his 14th test half-century to go with 12 hundreds. He has put on an unbeaten 101-runs for the fourth wicket with Rassie van der Dussen (46 not out), who has ridden his luck after overturning a leg before wicket dismissal on review, survived being caught off a no-ball from the bowling of Stuart Broad and was then dropped in the slips by Ben Stokes.

The pair have repaired an innings that was in trouble when South Africa crashed to 40 for three as Broad (2-25) produced a superb spell of bowling with the new ball. He had debutant opener Pieter Malan caught by Joe Root at first slip for five, the South African providing no footwork in his maiden innings on his home ground.

Zubayr Hamza (5) could only fend a Broad delivery to Stokes at second slip, before seamer James Anderson removed South Africa’s captain Faf du Plessis (1), also caught by Stokes. England were rampant at that stage, but the home side have managed to get a foot back into the game and leave it evenly poised after five sessions.

England resumed their first innings on 262 for nine at the start of the day but Anderson (4) was caught by Van der Dussen at first slip off Kagiso Rabada (3-68). Ollie Pope finished the innings not out on 61, his second test half-century in seven innings and his quality at the crease will be a real boost for the tourists in a series that has so far seen both battling line-ups show plenty of frailties.

South Africa won the first test in the four-match series in Pretoria by 107 runs. (Reporting By Nick Said; Editing by Toby Chopra and Christian Radnedge)