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Cook leads England defence on rain-affected opening day

Cook leads England defence on rain-affected opening day

Alastair Cook led the defence as England were made to toil by South Africa on a rain-affected opening day to the third Test at The Oval. 

England gave away cheap wickets as they collapsed twice in a 340-run thumping at Trent Bridge in the second Test, but former captain Cook provided an excellent example of his staying power on Thursday.

The left-hander made a gutsy 82 off 178 balls as England reached stumps 171-4, a fourth stoppage due to inclement weather bringing an early halt to proceedings.

However, concerns will remain for the hosts after Keaton Jennings went for a duck and debutants Tom Westley (25) and Dawid Malan (1) were comfortably dispatched. 

Vernon Philander was the Proteas' chief tormenter and returned figures of 2-17 from his 12 overs despite suffering from a stomach bug and he will hope to make further inroads on Friday.

Philander forged an early opening for South Africa, working Jennings over before drawing an edge that was taken at third slip by Dean Elgar.

Westley dug in alongside Cook, who survived an lbw review after being given not out to Chris Morris thanks to a slight edge, for a 52-run stand.

However, the debutant fell in the first over after an early lunch was taken due to rain, the Essex batsman impatient with a full, swinging delivery from Morris.

Joe Root's aggression saw him hit four boundaries before Quinton de Kock brilliantly sprung to his right to take a nick from the skipper in his right glove, Philander claiming his second scalp having left the field earlier due to illness.

Cook brought up his 55th Test fifty with a fine drive behind square, but Malan's first Test innings was brought to an end in scintillating fashion when Kagiso Rabada bowled through him with a vicious yorker.

Ben Stokes (21 not out) helped steady the ship and the runs continued to only trickle through for England, his partnership with Cook unbeaten at 51 before the weather ended the action after 59 overs.