S Africa chip away at deficit
Sunday, 20 July 2008
HEADINGLEY, July 19 (Cricinfo): South Africa managed to lose just one wicket in the first session of the second day's play at Headingley, progressing to 158 for 4 at lunch. Hashim Amla, who again constructed his innings with notable ease, fell rather unluckily to the roof-tiling debutant, Darren Pattinson, though there was precious little assistance for England's bowlers all morning.
Amla and Ashwell Prince, who was unbeaten on 34 by lunch, were mostly untroubled throughout the morning. Gone were the helpful cloudy conditions of yesterday, replaced by glorious Leeds sunshine, and it offered England's seam attack nothing.
Not even a change of ball after the first hour could help Michael Vaughan, who rotated his bowlers in short four or five-over spells.
As at Lord's England persisted with a war of bouncers against Amla, but although Andrew Flintoff managed to clang him on the helmet late last night, there was much less spice in the pitch this morning.
Anything short and wide was dispatched with ease, Amla guiding Stuart Broad - who was rather below on his usual pace - down to third man, and another flick through midwicket brought up the pair's fifty partnership from 93 balls.
After Flintoff's uneventful opening spell, Vaughan brought Pattinson into the attack. Innocuous in his three overs yesterday, he bowled a fuller length this morning and generally cut a more confident figure, but his inexperience spoke volumes when he regularly wasted tidy overs with one loose ball.
Prince, the epitome of caution, capitalised to pull him over midwicket before Amla took Broad for two more elegant fours through his favoured leg-side.
South Africa 158 for 4 (Prince 34*, de Villiers 7*) trail England 203 by 45 runs.
Amla and Ashwell Prince, who was unbeaten on 34 by lunch, were mostly untroubled throughout the morning. Gone were the helpful cloudy conditions of yesterday, replaced by glorious Leeds sunshine, and it offered England's seam attack nothing.
Not even a change of ball after the first hour could help Michael Vaughan, who rotated his bowlers in short four or five-over spells.
As at Lord's England persisted with a war of bouncers against Amla, but although Andrew Flintoff managed to clang him on the helmet late last night, there was much less spice in the pitch this morning.
Anything short and wide was dispatched with ease, Amla guiding Stuart Broad - who was rather below on his usual pace - down to third man, and another flick through midwicket brought up the pair's fifty partnership from 93 balls.
After Flintoff's uneventful opening spell, Vaughan brought Pattinson into the attack. Innocuous in his three overs yesterday, he bowled a fuller length this morning and generally cut a more confident figure, but his inexperience spoke volumes when he regularly wasted tidy overs with one loose ball.
Prince, the epitome of caution, capitalised to pull him over midwicket before Amla took Broad for two more elegant fours through his favoured leg-side.
South Africa 158 for 4 (Prince 34*, de Villiers 7*) trail England 203 by 45 runs.