England’s middle order took the attack to South Africa after lunch on the fourth day of the fifth Castle Lager/MTN cricket Test at Supersport Park on Monday.
After the morning session, in which only 86 runs were scored in 39 overs, England raced to 329 for six, a lead of 82 at tea time.
Graham Thorpe and Andrew Flintoff, who had batted very cautiously before lunch, started to accelerate the run rate after the new ball was taken four overs before lunch. But in the 10th over after lunch, the fiery Andre Nel made the first breakthrough of the day, when he bowled Thorpe for 86.
Thorpe and Flintoff, who came together four minutes before the close on Sunday, had put on 141 runs for the fifth wicket in just more than three hours.
Six balls later, Andrew Hall succeeded in getting Flintoff’s wicket, when the big Lancastrian, who had started to look very dangerous, got an edge to Mark Boucher for 77.
Geraint Jones and Ashley Giles appeared to have received instructions from the dressing room to get a move on — their 50 partnership came up off 60 balls in 47 minutes.
Jones took the partnership to the milestone with a six to long-off off Nicky Boje. When they went to tea, Jones had 44 and Giles had 25. — Sapa