England were on the verge of victory when bad light stopped play 13 minutes early on the fourth day of the first Castle Lager/MTN Test against South Africa at St George’s Park on Monday. England, chasing the modest target of 142 for victory, were 93 for three at stumps.

England took just more than half an hour to wrap up the first Castle Lager/MTN Test against South Africa at St George’s Park on Tuesday, to take a one-nil lead in the five-Test series. England started the final morning needing just 49 runs to reach their target of 142, with seven wickets in hand.

South Africa fought back brilliantly on the third day of the first Castle Lager/MTN Test against England at St George’s Park on Sunday to finish the day with a small lead and nine wickets in hand, with two days left to play. South Africa looked down and out at the end of the second day, with England on 227 for one.

England took the honours on the first day of the first Castle Lager/MTN cricket Test against South Africa at St George’s Park on Friday, largely as a result of some excellent bowling by Andrew Flintoff and Matthew Hoggard, on a hot blustery day. South Africa ended the day on 273 for seven.

The South African cricket team were buoyant on Tuesday after their three-day training camp at the High Performance Centre at the Tuks sports ground, and ahead of the first Castle Lager/MTN Test against England in Port Elizabeth on Friday. Team captain Graeme Smith said the team were really focused ahead of the Test, and he expected a hard battle against England.

For the second day, South Africa A had the better of things in their three-day match against England at Sedgars Park on Sunday. At close of play, England, on 154 for seven and with a lead of 98, were facing the possibility of a hefty defeat in their warm-up match before the first Test in Port Elizabeth on Friday.

South Africa A had the best of the first day of their three-day match against England at Sedgars Park on Saturday, to finish on 133 for two in their first innings, after dismissing England for 225 about half an hour after tea. This was mainly because of some outstanding bowling by Charl Langeveldt, who took five for 48 in his 15 overs.

Former South African wicketkeeper Mark Boucher may well be back in the national cricket squad when it is announced next Tuesday, but opening batsman Herschelle Gibbs might not. That was the opinion of national coach Ray Jennings when the team returned from India on Friday.

Graeme Smith, South African cricket captain, confirmed on Wednesday that he was negotiating a contract to play for the English county side in Somerset in 2005. Smith said that he was still waiting for approval from United Cricket Board’s CEO Gerald Majola.

When Ray Jennings was appointed coach of the South African cricket team, there were many who said the senior players would rebel against his coaching and management style. But after four days in a team camp at the University of Pretoria’s High Performance Centre, Jenning appears to have won the support Jacques Kallis and Shaun Pollock.