Dom Sibley hits maiden Test hundred as England build big lead
Ben Stokes smashed 72 from 47 balls as England reach 375-7 at lunch, a lead of 421
Monday 6 January 2020 16:16, UK
Dom Sibley reached his maiden Test century as England smashed 157 runs before lunch on day four at Newlands to assume total control of the second Test.
The opener started the day 15 runs short of three figures and while he edged steadily towards that milestone, Ben Stokes was taking the South Africa attack apart at the other end.
Stokes blitzed 72 from 47 balls as the tourists sought to take the game away from the Proteas and while the pitch appears to have flattened out somewhat, at 375-7 with a lead of 421, they will be confident that they have done just that.
After Sibley played out a maiden to start the day, the second new ball was available but in a decision he may live to regret, South Africa captain Faf du Plessis opted not to take it.
Stokes took a couple of overs to play himself in but then launched Dwaine Pretorius back over his head for six and followed it up with a reverse sweep for four. The tone had been set and the onslaught continued even after Du Plessis belatedly called for the new cherry.
Kagiso Rabada almost cut it short when he got Stokes to top-edge a pull shot, the ball spiralling high into the legside, Quinton de Kock sprinted from behind the stumps and dived to try and take the catch, but it just evaded his grasp.
Stokes powered on to reach his half-century off 34 balls but in the following over it was all about Sibley. The opener was on 99 and waited patiently for a couple of deliveries before confidently sweeping Keshav Maharaj for four to bring up that first Test ton.
From there, he kicked on with a couple of boundaries and a first six off Maharaj after Stokes' brilliant knock came to an end when he drilled the ball to long on to give the left-arm spinner his first wicket of the innings.
Ollie Pope (3) dragged onto his stumps off Rabada and Jos Buttler, after a brief cameo of 23 from 18 balls, was caught behind trying to ramp Anrich Nortje as England went after quick runs.
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Sam Curran (13no) batted positively alongside Sibley (125no) to take the side through to lunch and there was some encouragement for the England bowlers late in the session as Pretorius got one to spit up off a length to hit Curran - not a sight to please the South Africa batsman.
Watch continued live coverage of the second Test on Sky Sports Cricket.
