Carse replaces Baker and dowses the explosive run rate from the Football Stand End, conceding only a single off the bat, tapped to mid-on, and a leg-bye when his slower ball pins Markram on the pad as he had a flick at it, beaten by the lack of pace.
Archer is flirting with 90mph and bowling a very tight line to the left-handed Rickelton. Smith, fielding at square leg, makes a smart stop. Gloves or no gloves he has got good hands. Archer tempts Markram into an expansive drive before the ball tails away from his blade.
Brook continues with Baker as if thinking a baptism of fire will do him good. I hope so. Not everyone’s as resilient as Brook or McCullum. Markram marmalises him for three boundaries, two through cover off front and then back foot, one rifled back between bowler in his followthrough and the stumps.
Just the single off Archer’s over. The contrast at each end is stark. South Africa are also wary of Archer and brutally dismissive of the rookie, looking to lay down a marker for the series.
Full and wide to Rickelton who gets off the mark with a drive pinged through extra-cover for four. An ironic cheer from the short-changed Yorkshire crowd when Baker racks up a dot ball and a sincere one when he then finds the edge but Rickelton’s soft hands drop it in front of Root. Another straight one is manna from heaven for Rickelton and he flicks it sweetly for four.
