Dan Lawrence made a strong case for a recall into the Test squad after hitting 97 from 97 balls to put England 279 for three at the end of day two against South Africans, who had made 433.
Lawrence’s most recent Test outing for England was against West Indies in March but a hamstring injury a month later sidelined him.
Since then Harry Brook, who yesterday was 64 not out and batting nicely with Ben Duckett, has piled on the runs for Yorkshire, putting him ahead of Lawrence, who has played 11 Tests, in the England pecking order. The pair are battling for a place in Brendon McCullum’s Test side but it is Brook who has made the 14-man squad to face South Africa next