Dom Bess happy to let other England bowlers take the plaudits

Cape Town, January 9: Dom Bess does not mind if other England bowlers like Ben Stokes take the plaudits after saying it was "unbelievable" to be part of the second Test victory over South Africa.

Stokes took the final three wickets in Cape Town as South Africa fell half an hour short of batting through day five to secure a draw that would have kept them ahead in the four-match series.

Instead, it is intriguingly poised at 1-1 and Bess does not mind that his 60 overs in the match, which went for an economical 1.98, produced just two wickets.

"It was all about trying to build up sustained pressure and I think especially in the first innings that was key," Bess told reporters.

"I could be a little bit more attacking in the second dig, but even then there wasn't a huge amount on offer from the straight.

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"I'm happy bowling at one end, not picking up wickets and letting the boys do it at the other end. It is unbelievable to be a part of."

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He added: "It was about putting the ball in the right place, and I got a couple of balls to bounce and take the inside edge and create chances. Some days they go to hand and some days they don't.

"When you've got guys like Stokesy at the other end and Jimmy (Anderson) and Broady (Stuart Broad) then it is phenomenal.

"I'm really happy with how I went here because I felt like I built up pressure and produced chances along the way.

"I'd love to be taking four or five wickets and being the man, but if I am producing consistently then that will come another day."

Bess played after Somerset team-mate Jack Leach was one of a host of England players to struggle with illness on the tour.

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Leach may be back for next week's third Test in Port Elizabeth but Bess hopes he can hold on to the spot.

"I've got to focus on next week at PE and whether I play or not," added the 22-year-old. "I completely understand if Leachy plays, but hopefully I've put myself in a position to play.

"It has been a hell of a ride. I played the Test matches in 2018 and did alright, but then fell off the radar a little bit, and within myself I lost a lot of confidence within my game.

"Over the last two years, I've just been gradually building that back up."