England declare on 629 6 on record breaking day

CAPE TOWN: Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow tore apart the South African bowling attack as they enjoyed a run feast at Newlands on a record-breaking second day of the second Test which led to England declaring their first innings on 629 for six.South Africa were 24 for one wicket in reply at tea with a 605-run deficit.Stokes amassed 258 runs and Bairstow an unbeaten 150 as they bludgeoned a limp-looking home attack from the opening ball on Sunday, setting a new sixth-wicket Test record of 399 runs.Stokes notched up the quickest 250 (off 196 balls) in Test history after scoring the second fastest double century (163 balls) in a knock that lasted 198 deliveries, which included 30 fours and a England record 11 sixes.Bairstow notched an emotional first test century, with England declaring once he got to 150 off 191 balls with 18 fours and two sixes.The pair took the overnight score from 317 for five in a remarkable one and half sessions of devastating batting before putting the dispirited-looking home side into bat.Stokes’ double century took 10 balls more than New Zealand’s Nathan Astle, who holds the record for the fastest double century in 153 balls. England’s previous fastest was by Ian Botham who took 220 balls.In reaching 250 off 196 balls, Stokes beat Virender Sehwag’s record and also set the highest score by a batsman at number six, beating a 39-year-old mark held by Australian Doug Walters.England, already 1-0 up in the four-Test series after winning the first test in Durban by 241 runs, went from 300 to 400 in 15 overs and 400 to 500 runs in just 11 overs playing as if it was a Twenty20 match.They set the tone from the start of the second day with 45 runs in the first four overs as Stokes advanced from 74 not out overnight to his century.Bairstow started the day on 39.Stokes eventually went out in something of an anti-climax as he skied a shot to AB de Villiers, who dropped a simple-looking catch only to sweep up the ball and hit the stumps to run out the batsman as he ambled back to the crease.South Africa’s horror day did not end after the declaration with Stiaan van Zyl run out for four in the third over of their first innings, setting off for a quick run but being sent back by opening partner Dean Elgar.Elgar (8) and captain Hashim Amla (10) were not out at tea with Elgar surviving a leg before wicket decision after a review showed he got the slightest of edges to the ball. (Reuters)’