MANCHESTER: Keegan Petersen and Rassie van der Dussen batted through the afternoon session to take South Africa to 141 for three in their second innings, still trailing England by 123 runs at tea on day three of the second Test at Old Trafford.

Petersen is not out on 42 and Van der Dussen, who is batting with a broken finger, has 41. The pair have put on an unbeaten 87 runs for the fourth wicket after England took three wickets in the morning session.

It has been slow going, with 118 runs scored in 56 overs on the third day. But South Africa are desperate to build a lead to make England bat again and give themselves a chance in a game that the home side have dominated from the first ball.

After a difficult morning for batting, the wicket has flattened out to a degree and it was largely a session of toil for the home bowlers, though they will see the new ball in 15 overs time as a chance to make further inroads.

The visitors resumed on their overnight 23 without loss and captain Dean Elgar was the first out for 11 when he was bowled by James Anderson with a superb delivery that crashed into off-stump.

In doing so, the England seamer became the joint highest wicket-taker among fast bowlers across all formats, drawing level with Australian Glen McGrath on 949 scalps.

Opener Sarel Erwee never looked comfortable at the crease but made his way to 25 before he edged Ollie Robinson to wicketkeeper Ben Foakes.

Aiden Markram’s wretched time with the bat continued when he was caught by second slip Zak Crawley off the bowling of Stuart Broad.

Markram scored six having been bowled by Broad off a no-ball in the seamer’s previous over. He could not take the life given.

England are seeking to level the three-match series after South Africa won the first Test at Lords by an innings and 12 runs.

Scoreboard

SOUTH AFRICA (1st innings) 151ENGLAND (1st innings) 415-9 decl.SOUTH AFRICA (2nd Innings):S. Erwee c Foakes b Robinson 25D. Elgar b Anderson 11K. Petersen not out 42A. Markram c Crawley b Broad 6R. van der Dussen not out 41EXTRAS (B-8, LB-2, NB-6) 16TOTAL (four three wkts, 65 overs) 141TO BAT: K. Verreynne, K. Maharaj, S. Harmer, K. Rabada, A. Nortje, L. NgidiFALL OF WKTS: 1-33 (Elgar), 2-39 (Erwee), 3-54 (Markram).BOWLING: J. Anderson 12-3-27-1, O. Robinson 13-3-39-1 (5nb), J. Leach 19-11-19-0, J. Root 5-2-16-0, S. Broad 10-3-22-1 (1nb), B. Stokes 6-2-8-0.

Published in Dawn, August 28th, 2022