Dominic Sibley and Joe Root put England in control before South Africa strike late

Visitors lead by 264 runs with six wickets in hand in Cape Town Test on Sunday

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA - JANUARY 05: England batsman Dom Sibley drives towards the boundary watched by Quinton de Kock during Day Three of the Second Test between South Africa and England at NewlandsShow more

England lost two wickets in the final two overs of the day's play but still held the upper hand in the Cape Town Test against South Africa on Sunday.

The visitors reached 218-4 by stumps with opener Dominic Sibley batting on 85 and captain Joe Root out for a well-made 61 after they had dismissed the Proteas for 223 earlier in the day. England, who made 269 in the first innings, now lead by 264 runs with six wickets in hand.

England went sitting comfortably on 217-2 with just a handful of overs to go. Seamer Dwaine Pretorius drew an edge from Root off a ball that hit a crack and the chance was safely taken by Faf du Plessis at slip. In the last over of the day, quick Anrich Nortje got nightwatchman Dom Bess to edge behind to the keeper.

At the top of the order, Joe Denly was out for 31 caught off a top-edge trying to hook a short ball from Nortje. He was caught at fine leg by Pretorius. Opener Zak Crawley was the only England batsman to fall before lunch, caught behind off Kagiso Rabada for a quick 25.

Still, it's England who will begin the fourth day on top as their lead is already nearing 300 on a challenging pitch. 
Earlier in the day, Ben Stokes and James Anderson reached personal milestones to help England fight their way back into the series.

Stokes equaled the world record for a fielder with five catches in South Africa’s first innings. Anderson took 5-40 to finish off the innings.

Anderson’s five-wicket haul was his 28th in Test cricket, now the most by an England player after overtaking Ian Botham. Anderson is alone in seventh on the all-time list.

Stokes took all his five catches at second slip to become the 12th fielder — not including wicketkeepers — to take five in an innings. Australia’s Steve Smith was the last player to do it in Tests. His five catches also came at the Cape Town ground in 2018. No fielder has taken more in a Test innings.

England needed just over four overs to end South Africa’s first innings at the beginning of the day. Anderson had Rabada caught behind for a duck off the first ball of the day.

England’s most successful Test bowler wrapped up the innings when Nortje sliced a thick edge to give Stokes his record-equaling catch.

South Africa thought they had the upper hand after England’s first innings but were 215-8 overnight in their reply and added just eight more runs for the last two wickets.