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Another century by Prince

Ted Corbett

LEEDS: The dapper left-handed batsman Ashwell Prince hit his second century of the series as South Africa slowly but surely squeezed the hope out of England and built a first innings lead of 59 by tea on the second day of the second Test at Headingley.

He needed four hours for his hundred but Prince was the main batsman in a stand of 67 for the fourth wicket and a record century fifth-wicket partnership.

It was far from exciting in an era when four runs an over is common but it has more science than the Flash Harry approach which had seen England shot out for 203.

England will argue that the gods mocked its efforts. Alastair Cook was wrongly given out; Hashim Amla wrongly allowed to stay; but rash shots from Andrew Strauss, Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff were just as much to blame.

Delayed start

Rain delayed the start by 15 minutes and there were times when we wished it might have been postponed longer. So, fearful of Flintoff, scared that they should have been 78 for four on the first day and anticipating a struggle Amla and Prince concentrated on self-preservation. Get a lead first, go for your shots afterwards seemed to be the order of the day and it was carried out meticulously.

Luckily for this fourth-wicket pair both Flintoff and James Anderson bowled too wide of off stump and against batsmen determined to avoid any shot those tactics were an invitation to restraint.

By the time Amla was out, compared with other decisions in this match it was the acme of perfection but some found the full toss from Darren Pattinson might have gone an inch wide of leg stump, after an hour 42 runs had been scored and at lunch 57 had been added to the overnight score.

Pattinson is far from the briskest bowler around so what in the name of W.G. Grace’s beard is he doing in a Test?

We wondered if Michael Vaughan should have tried Monty Panesar for a couple of overs before make lunch but he got his chance 25 minutes afterwards when South Africa was within 20 runs of the England total and six wickets were still to fall.

Prince opens up

The rain threat had evaporated so with three-and-a-half days left there was no need for the batsmen to hurry. Prince began to try a few strokes and even the foot-fast de Villiers made 12 in half an hour.

Panesar taunted the pair; de Villiers might have been lbw had umpire Bowden been in generous mode but he had suffered enough already.

Even the furious polishing of the ball by Alastair Cook, the successor to Marcus Trescothick as a shining expert, could not make the ball swing and when Panesar tossed the ball high Prince went to his fifty with a straight six.

Prince hit Panesar for a second six to bring up 200 but South Africa needed 62 overs to lead England compared with 52.

Prince scored a hundred at Lord’s when it was badly needed and today he hit one which seemed destined to give his side victory in the next two days.

Flintoff, using the new ball from the Rugby stand end clearly thought he had him lbw twice in the last over before tea at 262 for four but umpire Bowden was again unwilling to raise his finger.

SCOREBOARD

England —1st innings: 203.

South Africa — 1st innings: N. McKenzie c Flintoff b Anderson 15, G. Smith c Strauss b Flintoff 44, H. Amla lbw b Pattinson 38, J. Kallis b Anderson 4, A. Prince (batting) 134, A.B. de Villiers (batting) 70; Extras (lb-10, w-1, nb-6): 17; Total: (for four wkts. in 105 overs): 322.

Fall of wickets: 1-51, 2-69, 3-76, 4-143.

England bowling: Anderson 28-6-83-2, Pattinson 16-0-62-1, Flintoff 28-8-57-1, Broad 18-2-66-0, Panesar 13-2-36-0, Pietersen 2-0-8-0.

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