England vs South Africa: Proteas on back foot after Dean Elgar’s ruesome decision to bat first

International sportsmen are never big on outwardly regretting decisions, but you suspect Dean Elgar might return to his hotel tonight quietly rueing, even if only to himself, his decision to bat at the toss.

After a welcomingly slack bowling performance by England in the series’ opening Test at Lord’s last week, South Africa decided to reciprocate here with their own act of generosity, inserting themselves under cloudy Manchester skies and letting England’s bowlers have a good go at them.

In truth the South African spirit of generosity began before the toss, the decision to drop Marco Jansen in favour of second spinner Simon Harmer seeming particularly curious, given the former’s performance at Lord’s and the success of the tourists’ seam attack there in general.

South Africa’s decision to play two spinners no doubt influenced their decision to bat first, hoping for an advantage bowling last in the Test. On the evidence of the first day, they have not been a judicious pair of choices.

England’s batters looked a little shell-shocked after their humbling at Lord’s, the Bazball balloon well and truly burst by the pace of Anrich Nortje and the precision of Kagiso Rabada, so they must have been delighted to find themselves in the field at the start of play, pouching catches behind the wicket and watching opposition batsmen forlornly trudge off the pitch instead of themselves.

An outstanding performance with the ball!

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