Mark Butcher and Nasser Hussain’s unbroken stand of 56 checked South Africa’s progress in the third Test at Trent Bridge in England on Thursday.
At lunch on the first day England were 85 for two with Butcher 37 not out including seven fours and former captain Hussain 20 not out.
The pair had come together with England 29 for two after captain Michael Vaughan won the toss.
Opening batsman Vaughan did not last long. He made one before Shaun Pollock cut one away off the pitch and Vaughan, opening the face of the bat, guided the ball low to Herschelle Gibbs at third slip.
England were now seven for one in the fifth over with the ever-accurate Pollock conceding just seven runs in his first 13 overs. Andrew Hall replaced Ntini and the combative all-rounder was quickly into the game.
One ball after being driven for four by Marcus Trescothick, Hall struck with his sixth delivery, the left-hander edging through to wicket-keeper Mark Boucher.
Trescothick faced 41 balls including five fours but at 29 for two in the 12th over it was South Africa who were in charge.
Hussain got off the mark first ball with a cover-driven four off Hall and Surrey left-hander Butcher revived the innings with several boundaries.
All-rounder Jacques Kallis, in his first match of the series following the death of his father, struggled to control the swing on offer.
The Proteas lead the five-Test series 1-0 after their innings and 92 run second Test win at Lord’s. — Sapa-AFP