Keaton Jennings and Tom Westley extend England's lead but rain halts progress against South Africa

There was none of the tension here of day one, or the drama of day two, but England pushed further ahead at the Oval today for as long as the weather allowed them.

This was not a classic day of Test cricket; it was not even a day. There were just over 36 overs bowled before the players were forced off a few minutes before 3pm. From there the rain got worse and there was never any chance of a return.

This lost half-day will slow England down but it should not stop them from winning this match. They are 252 runs ahead, with nine second-innings wickets left. They still have two days left here and the forecast is for better weather than we suffered this afternoon. It would take more of this rain, or some truly remarkable cricket, for England not to drive up to Old Trafford next week with a 2-1 lead in the series.

England did not have to do too much today but they started right, bowling South Africa out for 175. It was not what they would have hoped for when the visitors were punch-drunk at 61 for seven on Friday afternoon, but then Temba Bavuma showed admirable grit in escaping the follow-on and partnering the tail.

But England’s first innings lead of 178 should still be far more than enough, especially after a solid session in which they pushed on to 74 for 1, 252 ahead when the rain intervened. They will likely spend most of Sunday batting towards a declaration, before hoping that the weather will hold long enough on Monday to bowl South Africa out.

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The only way that South African can win from here would be to bowl England out for something close to 150 but after this start, even that looks unlikely. There was a brief nervous spell just before lunch and Keaton Jennings edged one from Vernon Philander through Dean Elgar’s hands at third slip.

But Jennings improved after lunch and in fact it was Alastair Cook who went first, soon after the restart. Morne Morkel has been brilliant from the Pavilion End all Test and he pinned Cook down, repeatedly beating the bat, before getting him with one that clipped the top of off stump.

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South Africa needed to run through England but in fact Jennings and Tom Westley took the initiative with a punchy second-wicket stand. Westley started well against Philander, who bowled with heart before having to go off the field sick again.

When Kagiso Rabada and Chris Morris came on to bowl the pressure lifted from England, and from Jennings in particular. He took the attack to Rabada, before surviving a DRS decision that could have been caught behind or leg before but in fact was neither.

When Westley hit two fours off Morris’ first over the England lead reached 250, and when the players went off for rain soon after, England’s frustration was tempered by their powerful position in the game.

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South Africa, it must be said, did very little wrong today. They simply paid for their profligacy on the first two days. Bavuma had held England up on Friday night and this morning he batted just as well, ably supported by Morkel. He was dropped by Ben Stokes at gully – it would have been a remarkable catch – but soon enough he saved the follow on with a square drive, a worthy reward for his hard work.

After starting with Stuart Broad and Toby Roland-Jones this morning, Joe Root had to make a change to get the breakthrough, as Jimmy Anderson replaced Broad from the Pavilion End and soon enough he had Morkel caught at second slip by Cook with one that nipped away.

That ended an admirable 47 stand and when Roland-Jones came back on he completed his debut five-for, ending the resistance of Bavuma who nicked behind to Jonny Bairstow for 52. South Africa were back out in the field, but it did not last for long.