Ben Stokes struck a sparkling century and debutant Toby Roland-Jones took a sensational 4-39 as England seized control of the third Test against South Africa on day two at The Oval.

Stokes' flawless 112, which included three successive sixes in the course of bringing up three figures, helped the hosts to 353 all out.

Roland-Jones then ripped through the South Africa top order as the Proteas slumped to 61-7 before closing on 126-8, still 28 runs shy of the follow-on target.

Though the weather forecast is mixed for the weekend, Joe Root's men look set to take a 2-1 lead in the four-match series.

That would represent another familiar swing in the fortunes of the England side, who won handsomely at Lord's only to be annihilated at Trent Bridge.

South Africa was hampered by the absence of Vernon Philander, the pace bowler sent to the hospital after a stomach complaint worsened, while their batting was decimated in ideal conditions for pace bowling.

Philander will spend Friday night on a drip and is unlikely to play any part on Saturday.

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Fast bowler Roland-Jones, 29, made his one-day international debut in May and got the chance for a first Test cap after an injury to Mark Wood. A batsman as a youngster at Middlesex, he was persuaded to take bowling more seriously by former England international Angus Fraser and sealed last season's County Championship with a hat-trick against Yorkshire. Tall, broad and with a long, languid approach, he exploited the dark, damp conditions by moving the ball in the air and occasionally extracting spitting bounce at speeds of just over 80mph. Dean Elgar was caught behind, Heino Kuhn trapped lbw playing across the line and Hashim Amla gloved a brutal delivery that reared towards his throat. When Quinton de Kock was caught at gully off a leading edge, Roland-Jones had taken 4-15 in 24 balls. James Anderson then got in on the act, with Faf du Plessis lbw offering no stroke and Chris Morris, who earlier struggled with the ball, caught and bowled. Stokes had a wafting Keshav Maharaj caught at first slip as South Africa faced the indignity of following-on before the close. Temba Bavuma could have been given out caught off an inside edge from his first ball, delivered by Roland-Jones, but added 53 with Kagiso Rabada. With Philander absent, England had about six minutes to take the ninth and final wicket, but Morne Morkel accompanied Bavuma to the close. Thrilling Stokes rewarded for hard work

