Cape Town – Ben Stokes takes five catches and Joe Root scores his forty-fifth test 50 on the 3rd day of the Second Test vs. South Africa.
At the stunning Newlands cricket ground, Ben started 2020 where he left off in 2019 with yet more heroics.
This time around, it was Ben’s catching, and not his batting, that earned the plaudits. He entered the record books by becoming the first England fielder to take five test match catches in a single innings.
Fielding at second slip, Ben caught du Plessis, Pretorius and Nortje off the bowling of James Anderson (5-40). His catching also saw the end of Hamza (off Chris Broad) and van der Dussen (off Tom Curran).
This is not the first time Ben has claimed a record at Newlands. In January 2016, he became the fastest England player to score a double century (163 balls).
South Africa were all out in their first innings for 223. Leaving them 46 runs in arrears of England’s first innings total of 269.
England consolidated in their second innings. Joe Root claiming yet another 50 (7 fours). In partnership with Dom Sibley (85no), Joe added 116 runs for the third wicket.
With his score on 61, Joe was caught by du Plessis off the bowling of Pretorius.
At the close of play, England were 218-4 with Ben and fellow Phoenix family members Jos Buttler and Chris Broad still to bat.
(Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images)