The Cricketer look at the main talking points as England and South Africa face off on day three of the third Test
This cannot be considered to be a high-quality day of cricket at the Kia Oval, when both sides let themselves down in the batting department, sometimes weren't perfect with the ball and missed chances in the field.
So it isn't tough to identify the outstanding moment of the day. Indeed, there weren't many.
Joe Root played a loose shot off Marco Jansen, going hard at a wide one, flashing the ball to third slip.
It was there that Keegan Petersen moved to his right, drew two hands towards the ball, and clung on magnificently. It was a fine catch, not just in the context of the match, but due to the pace that it travelled.
Ben Stokes had a day of two halves (Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Even if Ben Stokes does not go on to become a particularly successful England men's Test captain, the way he has carried himself over the last few days should not be forgotten.
The passing of Queen Elizabeth II at 96 could have occurred any time, but that it did so during a Test means he was thrust into the forefront of sport's response.
Cricket could have done what football opted to and hidden away, but instead, it came up with a fine tribute to Britain's longest-reigning monarch.
As talks were ongoing regarding the future of the Test, Stokes took to Twitter to urge the sport to "play in her memory".
Speaking to Sky Sports before play, he spoke of the honour he felt playing in the immediate aftermath of the Queen's passing.
"She was someone who dedicated her life to the nation, someone that we take incredible inspiration from and we are honoured to be able to walk out on the field in memory of the Queen," he said.
"We know how much the Queen loved this sport, and the show must go on. I'm sure she'll be looking down on all the sport that's still going ahead over this weekend and that we're going out there in her honour. I'm very pleased and proud we can do that."
This is what real leadership looks like.
Ben Foakes (Alex Davidson/Getty Images)
The nature of Bazball is while there will be excitement and fireworks, there will also be moments that leave you with your head in your hands. The evening session was very much the latter.
England were 84 for 2, trailing by 34 with eight first-innings wickets remaining. They could have taken a vice-like grip on the Test, grinding down South Africa's pace attack and giving themselves ample time to bowl themselves to victory.
Instead, Bazball prevailed and their middle order fell with some bizarre batting that presented the tourists with a route back into the contest.
Stokes' knock was the most baffling, a nine-ball six that included a boundary and some ugly shots. Before eventually being dismissed by Anrich Nortje, he played an appalling drive that was missed by Dean Elgar.
So instead of heading into day two in the ascendency, England had to share the spoils. Entertainment is the priority over results, clearly - "we don't play for draws" - so we have to accept there will be some messy outcomes along the way.
Since Ben Foakes' debut in 2018, no wicket-keeper to have played 15+ matches has a lower catch percentage in Tests. #EngvSA pic.twitter.com/mRd500wvIy
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) September 10, 2022
One of the few errors during England's bowling display came via the gloves of Ben Foakes, who spilt an edge off Marco Jansen.
To be fair to the Surrey wicketkeeper, the ball moved one way and then another, like a Cristiano Ronaldo free-kick, before catching him on the glove and going to ground.
In isolation a tough chance, but there is evidence of a wider issue with many people's first choice behind the stumps.
According to data compiled by CricViz, since his Test debut, Foakes has only taken 82.4 per cent of catches (of those to play at least 15 Tests) - the lowest of anyone.
Helpfully, he is averaging 33.30 with the bat though at an unspectacular strike rate of 48.75 (an increasingly relevant stat in the McCullum age).
Probably only when that figure starts to drop will the questions start regarding his place. It isn't like England are short of options.
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