ENG vs SA: Did Not Wake Up This Morning Thinking That I'd Be Doing A Press Conference At This Time – Dean Elgar After Beating England In First Test

South Africa Test skipper Dean Elgar on Friday took a cheeky remark against England after his side triumphed over England in the first Test by an innings and 12 runs at Lord’s.

South Africa could add just 37 runs on the morning of Day 3 after Stuart Broad and Matty Potts ran through the tail-enders.

Marco Jansen, who started with the overnight score of 41, missed his maiden Test half-century by two runs. Anrich Nortje’s resistance in the end, scoring 28 off 42 balls, including four boundaries, helped the tourists gain a lead of 161 runs.

Dean Elgar & co thrashed Bazball with superior bowling

South Africa put the hosts right under pressure with early wickets in the second innings. Keshav Maharaj pinned Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope in front of the stumps before Lungi Ngidi forced Joe Root to edge one toward Aiden Markram at second slip.

It was all left to Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes, the two influencers of Brendon McCullum’s Bazball approach, to bail the home side out of the muddle.

It did look like Bairstow would just stamp his authority on Kagiso Rabada & co with the way he displayed intent in a couple of shots.

Just before the Yorkshire man could repeat his recent onslaught against New Zealand and India, Elgar brought Anrich Nortje into the attack.

Although Bairstow slapped Nortje for a couple of fours, the South Africa pacer was persistent with his lengths, and it paid when he induced the outside edge of the batter.

There were some hopes that England would at least set up a target with the 55-run alliance between Stuart Broad and Stokes. The former was blazing guns against the formidable South Africa bowling attack. He launched Nortje, with a no-look hook shot, for six over long leg.

Rabada dismissed Stokes and Broad as England were bowled out for 149 in the second innings.

It was a pretty special squad performance: Dean Elgar

Elgar, who was vocal about not falling in the trap of Bazball ahead of the Lord’s Test, expressed amusement over the match wrapping in three days.

“I did not wake up this morning thinking that I’d be doing a press conference before five o’clock,” Elgar said.

“It was a pretty special squad performance. We haven’t left any stone unturned so far and hopefully, we don’t go into a comfort zone … no, well – I’m definitely not going to let us go into a comfort zone, because I know what complacency can do in international sport.

“But we need to enjoy these moments, we did it at a really unique place and it’s special for a lot of guys that haven’t experienced Lord’s before,” he added.

The second Test between England and South Africa will begin on August 25 at Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester.

Also Read: ENG vs SA: Mohammad Kaif Slams ‘Bazball’ After South Africa Defeats England In First Test