• Ben Stokes was out just before lunch on the first day of the first Test at Lord’s.
• Kagiso Rabada takes 2-26 in nine overs for South Africa.
• England’s score dropped to 55-4, with all four batsmen out for less than 10 runs.

Ben Stokes was out just before lunch on the first day of the first Test between England and South Africa on Wednesday at Lord’s. This put his team in a dangerous position at 100-5.

South Africa’s fast bowler Kagiso Rabada once again showed how good he is by getting rid of England’s openers Alex Lees and Zak Crawley after Proteas captain Dean Elgar sent England to bat.

Guys and gals Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow, two of England’s best batsmen, were then taken out by Marco Jansen and Anrich Nortje. All four batsmen were out for less than 10 runs, and England’s score dropped to 55-4.

With the last ball of the morning session, Nortje bowled a straight ball to Stokes (20), who was then caught in the slips. With 51 not out, Ollie Pope was the only batsman who didn’t give up.

Rabada was not sure if he would be able to play in the first match of the three-Test series because he had hurt his ankle, but the 27-year-old showed no signs of pain and took 2-26 in nine overs.

England came into the game having won all four Tests they had played since Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum took over as team leaders.

All of those wins came from chasing down goals in the fourth innings. That can’t happen in this game because Elgar won the toss and chose to play on a green-tinged pitch under cloudy skies.

Lees, a left-handed batsman, was caught behind for five runs, and Crawley was out for nine after nicking a ball that went low and straight to Aiden Markram at second slip.

Star batsman Root couldn’t stop the collapse from getting worse. The former England captain was out lbw for eight after being hit by a huge inswinging ball from left-arm pacer Jansen.

Root looked over Nitin Menon’s call, but replays showed that the ball would have hit the leg stump.

Bairstow had made 106 and an unbeaten 114 in England’s most recent Test, which was a seven-wicket win over India at Edgbaston last month.

But as he tried to drive on the up, Nortje bowled him between the bat and pad for a five-ball duck, and England is now 55-4 after 17 overs.

Pope hit a fifty in 69 balls, but South Africa won the session.

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