Proteas in England
England make solid start
2012-08-03 19:31
Andrew Strauss (AP Photo)
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Leeds - England made a solid start to their
reply after South Africa stretched their first innings to 419 on the
second day of the second Test at Headingley on Friday.
England were 48 for no wicket when bad light ended play with 22 overs still due to be bowled.
England
captain Andrew Strauss and his opening partner Alastair Cook batted
confidently, aided by some wayward bowling by the South Africans.
South
Africa?s innings lasted until shortly before the tea break. Alviro
Petersen made a career best 182 as South Africa ground out an imposing
total, casting doubt on England?s decision to pick an all-seam attack
and send them in.
After Petersen's marathon innings ended in mid-afternoon, JP Duminy hit an unbeaten 48 as the last three wickets added 66 runs.
There
was irony for England when part-time off-spinner Kevin Pietersen took
his side?s first wicket of the day after Petersen and Jacques Rudolph
had batted most of the morning in a stubborn sixth wicket stand of 59.
England
left out front-line spinner Graeme Swann, opting for four specialist
seam bowlers. But the quick men could not make a breakthrough despite
bowling accurately in overcast conditions.
Finally, England
captain Andrew Strauss tossed the ball to Pietersen, whose second ball
spun sharply past the bat as the left-handed Rudolph stretched forward
defensively.
Wicketkeeper Matt Prior whipped off the bails and
television umpire Asad Rauf ruled that the batsman had not got part of
his foot behind the line in time.
James Anderson and Stuart Broad sent down six successive maidens at the start of the day.
In
the fifth over Petersen was given out leg before wicket to Anderson by
umpire Steve Davis without adding to his overnight score of 124 but, for
the second time in his innings, he called for a review and was
reprieved when replays showed the ball would have missed his leg stump.
Petersen
went past his previous Test best of 156 against New Zealand in
Wellington in March before he was caught behind off Stuart Broad after
batting for 530 minutes. He faced 365 balls and hit 23 fours.
Broad finished as England's most successful bowler, taking three for 96.
As
they had in their innings win in the first Test at the Oval, South
Africa gave the new ball to Morne Morkel in an attempt to extend
Strauss? struggles against the tall fast bowler. Morkel produced one
rearing delivery that hit Strauss on the glove but was mainly off
target.
Vernon Philander also seldom made the batsmen play and
captain Graeme Smith brought Dale Steyn into the attack after four overs
and Philander switched ends but without a significant increase in
menace.
Strauss hit sweetly timed off-drives for four off
Philander and Steyn in successive overs. The score moved quickly to 47
off 13 overs before Jacques Kallis and an improved Morkel bowled a
better line and length, conceding only one run in five overs before play
was called off.