S Africa's quicks take control
Thursday, 31 July 2008
Andre Nel proved himself a more than capable replacement for Dale Steyn with three wickets on the opening day at Edgbaston as England reached tea in trouble on 173 for 6. He broke through an opening stand of 68 and also bagged Michael Vaughan first ball, while Jacques Kallis chipped in with the vital wicket of Kevin Pietersen and the out-of-form Paul Collingwood. England problems worsened moments before tea when Ian Bell edged behind for 50, reports Cricinfo.
England's inconsistent top order has again left them chasing the game and even with their extended batting - Andrew Flintoff at No. 7 and Tim Ambrose at No. 8 - they are a long way short on a fairly docile surface. Alastair Cook's 76 provided some ballast and Bell was in the process of constructing a solid innings during the afternoon with a fifty off 94 balls. The pair were stabilising the innings following a pre-lunch wobble off 3 for 6, with a fourth-wicket stand of 62, before Nel's third invention handed the momentum back to South Africa.
England 173 for 6 (Flintoff 4*, Ambrose 0*, Nel 3-34) v South Africa.
England's inconsistent top order has again left them chasing the game and even with their extended batting - Andrew Flintoff at No. 7 and Tim Ambrose at No. 8 - they are a long way short on a fairly docile surface. Alastair Cook's 76 provided some ballast and Bell was in the process of constructing a solid innings during the afternoon with a fifty off 94 balls. The pair were stabilising the innings following a pre-lunch wobble off 3 for 6, with a fourth-wicket stand of 62, before Nel's third invention handed the momentum back to South Africa.
England 173 for 6 (Flintoff 4*, Ambrose 0*, Nel 3-34) v South Africa.