On a day when social media was dominated with reaction to “unsavoury” comments, and to a lesser extent, Chris Gayle’s interview with Mel McLaughlin, which ruffled some feathers, we were most relieved when it was not all doom and gloom for the South African batsmen on Day 3 of the second test against England in Cape Town.

Play resumed with Proteas Captain, Hashim Amla and AB De Villiers at the crease with the overnight score on 141/2. Amla and a few other players have come under fire recently for their drop in form and even I began thinking that dropping them for a few tests could do no harm.

De Villiers was the first to go after being caught by Jimmy Anderson off the bowling of Steven Finn for 88. Next in was Faf Du Plessis, another player who would like to erase his performances over the past few months. He managed to find some form and supported his captain, ending the day on 51 not out.

But the day ultimately belonged to Hashim Amla, who was dropped twice – by Jimmy Anderson and Nick Compton. When De Villiers departed, Amla retreated for awhile but managed to stay focused and ended the day on 157 not out, with South Africa’s total on 353/3.

There is still a long road ahead but with only two days remaining, what looked like a disaster in the making on Day 2, may well result in a draw.