Bairstow falls for 95, England reaches 277-8

LONDON (AP) — Jonny Bairstow fell five runs short of a maiden Test century at Lord’s on Saturday, as England reached 277-8 at lunch to trail by 32 runs on day three of the third Test with South Africa.

After a spell of 14 balls without scoring — all deliveries by Morne Morkel — Bairstow was clean bowled by the South African paceman. His knock of 95 included 13 fours.

Resuming on 208-5, England survived for half an hour until Matt Prior fell to the first delivery with the new ball, from Vernon Philander.

Dale Steyn took the other wicket when he removed Stuart Broad.

Prior’s dismissal squandered a promising start by England. Having reached 27 he was needlessly aggressive against the new ball and slashed Philander straight to Jacques Kallis at second slip.

Broad played fluently but was out for 16, fending a Steyn delivery to Hashim Amla at short leg.

It might have been worse for England, but Graeme Swann successfully referred an lbw decision when he was on 12 and replays showed Steyn’s delivery would have passed over the stumps.

Bairstow’s innings had almost ground to a halt once he’d entered the nineties and after a tortuous spell of 45 minutes he fell to a ball from Morkel that crashed into the off and middle stumps.

The capacity crowd nevertheless gave the 22-year-old batsman a standing ovation as he walked off.

Anderson suffered a painful blow on the elbow in the last over before lunch, bowled by Morkel, but he was fit enough to face the final two balls of the session.

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