DURBAN, South Africa (AP) Alastair Cook was out for a duck and England was 12-1 when rain stopped play on the first morning of the first test against top-ranked South Africa on Saturday.
The England captain fell to an edge to the slips off fast bowler Dale Steyn after the tourists were put into bat in tough batting conditions, with the overcast skies favoring the quick bowlers early in the series-opener.
Cook's opening partner Alex Hales was 10 not out on his test debut.
Overnight rain meant play was delayed at Kingsmead in Durban, and a heavy shower ended the first session after just half an hour of play.
Steyn still had time to strike an early blow and remove Cook, who never settled and sent a thick edge to Dean Elgar in the third over of the test. Nick Compton was not out on 1 but had survived an edge off Steyn that fell just short of the slips.
Steyn, back in the South African team after a spell out with injury, didn't concede a run in his 3.1 overs as the South Africans sought to capitalize on the helpful conditions and take early charge of the contest.
While Steyn returned for South Africa, England was missing pace bowling spearhead James Anderson, its leading test wicket-taker, for the first of four tests. Chris Woakes replaced Anderson, who has a right calf injury, in the tourists' lineup.
