FRIDAY, 6.30PM:
ENGLAND are still in a strong position after tea on the second day of the first Test against South Africa being played at Edgbaston on Friday.
After a sterling innings on the first day on Thursday, England lost a couple of early wickets, and went to lunch on 321/4. The batsmen back in the hut were Mark Butcher (77), Mike Atherton (103), Alec Stewart (49) and Nasser Hussain (35).
Shortly after the lunch break Graham Thorpe was caught on the wrong end of a snorter from Shaun Pollock which uprooted his middle-stump, sending him packing for 10 runs.
Mark Ealham was next to go, bowled by wrist-spinner Adams for five to take the score to 356/6. Mark Ramprakash, faced 151 balls for his 49 runs before he was bowled by Allan Donald.
Ramprakash’s departure took the score to 411/7, leaving Dominic Cork and Robert Croft to steer England on.
England are currently on 417/7
England Scoreboard at tea
M Butcher c Kallis b Adams 77 (274m 214b 7×4)
M Atherton c Boucher b Donald 103 (366m 279b 12×4)
A Stewart c Cullinan b Klusener 49 (188m 128b 5×4)
N Hussain lbw Adams 35 (99m 82b 5×4)
G Thorpe b Pollock 10 (39m 30b 1×4)
M Ramprakash not out 16
M Ealham not out 5
Extras (17b 24lb 8w 2nb) 51
Total (for 5 wkts) 346 — 136 overs
Fall of wickets: 1/179 2/249 3/309 4/309 5/329
FRIDAY, 4.00PM:
SOUTH AFRICA struck back at England early on the second day of the first Test at Edgbaston on Friday, taking three wickets in the morning session, and one shortly after lunch.
Key paceman Allan Donald struck first, and despite having to receive treatment for a recurring ankle injury shortly before the session started, removed opener Mike Atherton (103) with the fourth ball of his first over.
Atherton failed to add to his overnight score as he edged an away-swinger to wicketkeeper Mark Boucher for a head-high pouch.
Donald, Lance Klusener, Paul Adams and Shaun Pollock each picked up a wicket, and England 249/1 overnight were cut back to 339/5 shortly after lunch on the second day.
New captain Alec Stewart and Nasser Hussain put SA’s charge on temporary hold with a third-wicket partnership of 60 but both took a shower within the space of four balls putting the tourists back into the frame with the score on 309/4.
Stewart, who flew from 28 to 40 suddenly bogged down, and was taken at first slip by Cullinan off a Klusener delivery for 49. Hussain hit the pickets five times in his innings of 35 and was looking in ominous form when he had the misfortune to come up against an Adams “shooter” which virtually crept through at ankle height.
Hussain had no chance, umpire Russell Tiffin’s leg-before judgment a formality.
Graham Thorpe was next to leave the wicket after receiving a beauty from Pollock, which uprooted his middle stump.
England, first innings (249/1 wkt over)
M Butcher c Kallis b Adams 77 (274m 214b 7×4)
M Atherton c Boucher b Donald 103 (366m 279b 12×4)
A Stewart c Cullinan b Klusener 49 (188m 128b 5×4)
N Hussain lbw Adams 35 (99m 82b 5×4)
G Thorpe b Pollock 10 (19m 30b 1×4)
M Ramprakash not out 14 (15m 55b)
M Ealham not out 4 ( 14b)
Extras (17b 24lb 8w 2nb) 51
Total (for 4 wkts) 321 — 121 overs (483 mins) lunch
Fall of wickets: 1/179 2/249 3/309 4/309
Bowling: Donald 24-8-55-1 (2w), Pollock 28-10-53-0 (1nb 1w), Klusener 25-5-63-1 (1nb), Cronje 11-3-28-0 (4w), Adams 21-4-49-2, Kallis 12-4-32-0 (1w)