South Africa build a slender lead against England in 3rd Test

LONDON, Sept 11 (AFP): South Africa captain Dean Elgar led from the front as the tourists built a slender lead in the third and deciding Test against England at the Oval on Sunday.
The Proteas were 70-1 in their second innings, 30 runs ahead, at lunch on the fourth day of this curtailed match.
Elgar, South Africa's most experienced batsman, was 35 not out and Keegan Petersen was unbeaten on seven after England captain Ben Stokes struck with just his third delivery of the match to remove Sarel Erwee.
In a three-match series level at 1-1, South Africa have so far managed just one individual fifty -- Erwee's 73 in their innings and 12-run win in the first Test at Lord's.
But in the 35-year-old Elgar they have a batsman who has scored nearly 5,000 runs in 79 Tests, including 13 hundreds, at an average just shy of 40.
That experience was on display as he took advantage of anything short and wide, rather than risk a drive that might have led to an edge to a packed slip cordon, while twice cutting Anderson for four through a vacant point region.
Erwee made 26 during a sound opening stand of 58 with his skipper as the sun started to shine in south London.
But Erwee was undone when paceman Stokes brought him forward with a ball that swung late to find the outside edge. Joe Root, diving forward at first slip, held a fine catch.