South Africa dismiss England for 165 as Kagiso Rabada takes five wickets

South Africa maintained their stranglehold on the first Test at Lord’s by bowling England out for 165 on the second morning with Kagiso Rabada claiming an impressive five-wicket haul.

Rain halted the tourists’ charge on day one with England struggling to 116 for six and on the verge of posting their lowest total since the new regime of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum set about transforming red-ball cricket in this country.

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

South Africa openers Dean Elgar and Sarel Erwee were handled a tricky 50-minute period to negotiate before lunch but did so to walk off with their side 27 without loss after Elgar successfully reviewed a caught behind off Stuart Broad while Zak Crawley also put down a thick edge from the away captain.

Lord’s was a sea of red with the home of cricket turning ‘Red for Ruth’ for the fourth successive year in memory of Sir Andrew Strauss’ wife Ruth, who died in 2018.

All eyes were on Pope first up and whether he could lead England to a competitive total when he resumed on 61 not out, but he should have been dismissed from the sixth ball of the morning.

Having confidently pulled Rabada for four earlier in the over, Pope edged to first slip only to watch Erwee make a mess of the catching opportunity at chest height.

Erwee spilled the first chance, almost clung onto the second and failed to gather at the third attempt in hilarious fashion while falling backwards.

Pope did not cash in though as he played on at the start of Rabada’s third over to depart having added 12 runs to his