But De Villiers's 64 and an unbeaten 76 from Amla, no longer the patsy that teams once thought but a case-hardened top order player, saw South Africa to 182 for five at tea, a lead of 244.
Everyone numbers off, and game always continues in that order (Player #2 always plays after #1, unless #1 gets out).
By early evening, it was a sigh of satisfaction as the major law and order players in the drama began rounds of interviews.
Prior has 80 from 92 balls now; Finn, secreting permanence at the crease, has 15 from 52. "Broad just doesn't get enough practice with the bat," says Phil. "Tailenders lose form too, just like top order players.
Almost as if by some sort of tradition England batsmen, or those regarded as the best middle order players have preferred to bat lower down, further away from the new ball.
The advent of big, big money at the top end of football meant that, in short order, players could survive without really playing that much.
The fact that Michael Carberry has forced his way into the England side instead does not negate the idea that Root is perceived as a top-order player.
I have always preferred Strauss as a middle-order player in limited-overs cricket, and that is where he should slot in to the team when he returns as captain.
It may not help that he has a sharp and spiky attitude — although these qualities made him highly effective in the role of nightwatchman, the lower-order player who is promoted in the order when a wicket falls late in the day to protect more valuable specialist batsmen.
He is an opener by trade, but with the lack of a middle-order player pushing for inclusion (Eoin Morgan is clearly talented but as yet has no pedigree beyond one-day cricket), he will be asked to adapt, probably by being Collingwood's direct replacement at five, thus avoiding disruption to a batting order that has started to have a settled feel to it.
He was dismissed for nought in that final match of 2013-14 as New South Wales reduced their opponents to nine for six, but he views his future as a middle-order player, and came into this contest with scores of 34, 63, 45 and three behind him.
