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South Africa on top

Ted Corbett

LEEDS: South Africa spent most of the third day at Headingley building up a first innings lead of 319 over England and then struck two massive blows as Makhaya Ntini had leading run-scorer Andrew Strauss and captain Michael Vaughan caught behind. South Africa ended the day at 50 for the loss of two wickets.

To save the second Test of a four-match series, the rest of the England batsmen have to bat for two days. It appears that the South African bowlers promised that if the batsmen saved the Lord’s Test — which they did with a marathon effort stretched across 175 overs — their bowling would win the Leeds match.

Successful plans

It would be unwise to question their ability to keep their pledge for so far all the South Africans’ plans have succeeded.

When South Africa restarted its first innings with a lead of 199, it planned to bat until 40 minutes from the close and it was as nearly on target as any team can be. South Africa was bowled out just a little over an hour before the close for 522.

The forecasters promise fine weather for the next two days; unless there is a repeat of the Ian Botham miracle of 1981, South Africa will go to Edgbaston for the third Test one up with two to play.

In the two hours to lunch only 62 runs were scored; when Ashwell Prince was out for his highest Test score of 149 in seven hours, Mark Boucher spent the next hour gathering eight as South Africa trudged to tea at 480 for seven in 486 minutes. A.B. de Villiers had scored a strokeless 158.

Playing second fiddle

For the eight hours he was at the wicket, he avoided all unnecessary contact with the ball. He played second fiddle to Prince, who made his highest Test score as he guided the score from 322 for four overnight to 355 when he was caught behind. Both Prince and DeVilliers played and missed at Anderson repeatedly.

By lunch, at 384 for five, South Africa was 181 ahead and by tea it had increased that lead to 277. Its admirers claimed it was an effective way of winning the match but it was also a reason why it has failed to go right to the top of the leader board. Can you imagine the Australians of recent years crawling along at less than three an over?

De Villiers passed 150 as England took the new ball in the 163rd over at 469 for seven, a lead of 266. Pattinson took the second over with the new ball, a sign that Vaughan did not want to overbowl Flintoff and that Stuart Broad was affected by an injured foot. It was simply not England’s day.

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