Live Cricket Score - South Africa vs England, 1st Test, Day 3

That's all from us folks! Do join us for day four. It promises to be a fascinating one ...

Day 3 - Stumps

Two days to go, 255 runs needed, nine wickets in hand - Can England give us one more classic to end 2019? It was a frustrating day for the visitors in Centurion but the final session showed promise of a classic. England are far from favourites but can dare to dream in the first Test. They ended the third day on 121 for 1 in chase of 376. South Africa folded for 272 in their second innings with Rassie van der Dussen became the first player to score a half-century in his T20I, ODI and Test debut.

For the first two sessions, it seemed England had been batted out of the contest. Even before the day could get underway, Jos Buttler became the latest victim of the illness bug and didn't take the field. For close to 90 minutes, van der Dussen and Anrich Nortje fended and blocked and frustrated the visitors. In doing so, they also added 91 for the fifth wicket to take the lead close to 300. There were a few close calls - with both batsmen surviving reviews - but ensured crucial runs were picked up in a fast-scoring first session.

With less than half hour to go, England staged a comeback and struck thrice. But South Africa had already scored 125 in the session and the lead was 300. Amidst all the drama, Joe Root too left the field feeling unwell. Quinton de Kock started his knock with two consecutive sixes against Archer but was rattled by a blow to the fingers in the second session. That also brought his scoring rate down before he fell to Ben Stokes.

Archer put the tough tour of New Zealand behind with a five-wicket haul but bagged a rare distinction as well. He became the fourth bowlers to pick up a five-wicket haul but also leaked runs at more than six an over after Stuart Broad, Dale Steyn and Shannon Gabriel.

With a tall chase ahead of them, England were desperate for a solid opening. Dominic Sibley and Rory Burns scored 92 for the first wicket - the highest opening stand for England this year - but failed to kick on. This then also becomes the third consecutive year where England openers have failed to stitch a century stand. England, with their backs against the wall, needed a complaint opposition as well. And they did find, in van der Dussen.

In the tenth over, Burns was dropped at first slip by van der Dussen when he was on 20. The breakthrough eventually came in the 28th over when Sibley chipped an innocuous delivery back to Keshav Maharaj. His 90-ball grind resulted in 29 runs but his fall also gave South Africa the opening they were desperately searching for. Denly and Burns saw off the day without any further damage to keep the England fans excited and anxious in equal measures.

100 up for England ...