OWN CORRESPONDENT, Durban | Sunday 5.00pm.
ENGLAND captain Nasser Hussain made a cautious half-century as the first day of the third Test against South Africa ended in near stalemate at Kingsmead Sunday.
England crawled to 135 for two in 85.1 overs before bad light ended play half an hour early.
Hussain batted for almost five hours in making an unbeaten 51 off 218 balls with five fours. He shared in partnerships of 75 in 161 minutes with Mark Butcher (48) and an unbeaten 53 in 136 minutes with Darren Maddy (24 not out).
On a day of heat and high humidity neither team could claim an advantage as both batsmen and bowlers struggled to master a slow pitch.
South Africa, though, had cause to regret missing four chances.
Out-of-form opener Butcher was dropped before he scored, and Paul Adams also had a good leg-before appeal against Butcher turned down.
Maddy was nonplussed by the unorthodox leftarm spin of Adams, who was South Africas most impressive bowler. He was dropped twice off the spinner, at first slip by Daryll Cullinan when he had one and again on seven when a thick edge bounced off Bouchers right glove.
South Africa surprisingly left out home town favourite Jonty Rhodes, who made two half-centuries in the drawn second Test in Port Elizabeth.
Hayward took the only wicket before lunch when Mike Atherton was bowled for one.
South African strike bowler Allan Donald sent down only seven overs, all before lunch. He was off the field for a short while after lunch but there was no word from the South African dressing room of injury or illness. — AFP