MATTHEW FISHER believes patience with both bat and ball will provide England with a route back into their ongoing Test series against South Africa.

The Yorkshire fast bowler was a keen observer of the first Test defeat at the SuperSportPark in Centurion amidst the Christmas festivities at home.

He was encouraged by the work of the top order batsmen and has called for more of the same in order to build a platform for the more aggressive players down the order.

But the York-born star feels there is room for improvement in the bowling, something a spinner in the attack for the New Year’s Test at Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town would go a long way to solving.

It seems likely that selection will come down to either Lancashire leg-spinner Matthew Parkinson or Somerset’s former Yorkshire loanee, the off-spinner, Dom Bess.

While 28-year-old Jack Leach is the senior spinner on tour, he has been struggling with illness and is unlikely to be fit enough to regain his place in captain Joe Root’s eleven.

Looking ahead to Friday at Newlands, the second of four Tests, Fisher said: “I really like a spinner in a side.

“With an all seam attack, you are really aiming to get 20 wickets really quickly, and it looked like they tried to do that rather than be patient and wear the opposition down.

“In the second innings, you usually know that the pace goes out of the pitch and if your spinner can bag three or four wickets at that time of the game, you’re winning.

“The seamers then don’t have to try too hard to get wickets.

"They just have to concentrate on being patient and building pressure. If they do, you’re right in the game.

“I don’t actually think the seamers bowled too badly.

"There were some really great spells in there, but they need to back them up with good ones to maintain that pressure.

“New Zealand in the series over there a month or so ago showed the way.

"Their bowling attack was so patient. They maybe weren’t looking for wickets all of time, but they built pressure and got their rewards.

“South Africa look like a side who you can get at if you invest time.”

Fisher continued: “Parky has been picked first for the tour, so I think he deserves a chance.

“Parky will give you a wicket-taking option who will potentially go for more runs, whereas Bessy will give you more control and also some help with the batting down the order.

“They would both do a good job.”

England slipped with the bat following encouraging starts to both innings, falling from 142-3 to 181 all out and 158-2 to 268 all out.

They lost by 107 runs, with only Joe Denly and Rory Burns passing 50.

Fisher said: “I thought they played brilliantly up top in the second innings.

"Dom Sibley left it really well. It shows there is still a place for that type of player in the game.

"It allows the lower order more freedom.

“I know the pitch was worn, but the lower order will still be disappointed with how they went after the top three or four took up a lot of balls and got the ball soft, which is what you look for from your top order.

“I think they can turn it around. They have the players to do it.”