Strauss starts England innings in style
Monday, 28 December 2009
DURBAN, Dec 27 (Cricinfo): Andrew Strauss took a leaf out of Dale Steyn's batting textbook, and launched England's innings in the same aggressive manner with which South Africa's No. 10 had closed that of his own team, as the second Test at Durban produced yet more dramatic momentum shifts on the second afternoon. By tea, England had recovered from the indignity of watching Steyn and Makhaya Ntini add 58 invaluable runs for South Africa's tenth wicket, and responded by surging to 59 for 0 in 14 overs.
Strauss, who has been in the form of his life in the past 12 months, brought up a 49-ball half-century in the final over before the break, with his partner, Alastair Cook, grafting along in his wake on 8. He crashed eight fours before the break, including four in eight balls against a toiling Ntini, whose medium-paced offerings fed all three of Strauss's strengths - on the pull, the cut and the drive.
Tea England 59 for 0 (Strauss 50*, Cook 8*) trail South Africa 343 (Kallis 75, Smith 75) by 284 runs.
Strauss, who has been in the form of his life in the past 12 months, brought up a 49-ball half-century in the final over before the break, with his partner, Alastair Cook, grafting along in his wake on 8. He crashed eight fours before the break, including four in eight balls against a toiling Ntini, whose medium-paced offerings fed all three of Strauss's strengths - on the pull, the cut and the drive.
Tea England 59 for 0 (Strauss 50*, Cook 8*) trail South Africa 343 (Kallis 75, Smith 75) by 284 runs.