Close of play - result: draw
South Africa declare on 393-3 as soon as the clock strikes 4.50pm. Here are the match stats:
England: 593-8dec
South Africa: 247 and 393-3 dec
Result: draw
Join us again on Friday for OBO coverage of the second Test.
Monday, July 14, 2008Close of play - result: drawSouth Africa declare on 393-3 as soon as the clock strikes 4.50pm. Here are the match stats: England: 593-8dec Join us again on Friday for OBO coverage of the second Test. South Africa 393-3 (Amla 104 Prince 9)"This is farce," says David Lloyd as Kevin Pietersen bowls the softest of off-breaks to complete a halfhearted over before passing the ball to Alastair Cook for his first over in Test cricket. "Looks like he's going to pull a fetlock." adds Lloyd as the Essex batsman does his ungainly thing. South Africa 390-3 (Amla 102 Prince 8)They're back out. With Graeme Smith on the pavilion shaking his head in disbelief at a display of petty bureaucracy, the players have returned the pitch to complete what will probably be only five minutes of play - South Africa can declare at 4.50pm if England agree not to chase down their target. "Only in England," says Hussain, with a sigh. Bad light stops play: South Africa 390-3 (Amla 102 Prince 8)After a short ball from Collingwood, the umpires offer the batsman the light, which they accept. The players leave the pitch shaking hands, apparently certain the match has ended, but the umpires stay out on the pitch - if bad light stopped play, the match hasn't finished. Not officially, anyway. South Africa 390-3 (Amla 102 Prince 8)Amla gets his hundred in style, cutting hard at another short-pitched delivery - why does Collingwood persist with this tactic - and scoring four as the ball runs to the boundary wide of third man. The South African has faced 234 balls and scored 14 fours in a fine innings. South Africa 385-3 (Amla 97 Prince 4)Bowling around the wicket to Prince, Broad arrows a delivery into the batsman that strikes him above the knee roll - too high even for England to appeal - and rebounds to safety. South Africa 384-3 (Amla 96 Prince 4)Facing Collingwood, Amla flashes hard at a delivery outside off stump and gleans a thick edge that earns him four behind gully. At the most, 23 overs remain which, if they want to win the game, gives England about five overs to get seven wickets. So, there's time. South Africa 375-3 (Amla 91 Prince 4)Finally, facing Broad with the new ball, Amla scores South Africa's first since the restart with a clip that flies at shoulder-height through the gap in the covers, earning him three runs. South Africa 372-3 (Amla 88 Prince 4)Once again, Panesar launches ambitious appeals after Prince plays no shot to two deliveries that pitch well outside off-stump and strike him on the pads. Wisely, the batsman presents his bat to the next two, padding them to safety before kicking away the final ball of the over, another that pitches well wide off offstump. That was Panesar's 60th over. He's conceded 116 runs and taken no wickets. South Africa 372-3 (Amla 88 Prince 4)Bowling to Prince with the batsman content only to survive, Panesar adds a maiden to his figures. The new ball will be available after the next over, though that Sidebottom is wearing trainers suggests England will refuse it. South Africa 372-3 (Amla 88 Prince 4)Amla leaves Broad's first delivery even though it moves back towards the batsman - albeit not enough to trouble the wicket - then straight-bats two and leaves one. Meanwhile, Athers ponders over the fitness of Ryan Sidebottom. "Ottis Gibson, the bowling coach, said he's carrying a niggle, but he has been able to get through his overs no problem," he says. "Should he, though, be wearing trainers on a lush outfield if he has a back problem. " Shaun Pollock, also in the commentary box, agrees. "Half-studs would probably be the best answer." Interlude: Amla's inningsThe South African batsman looks likely to score his side's third century of the innings. In a superb innings, he has been particularly strong through the onside, as this graphic illustrating his knock shows:
Tea: South Africa 372-3 (Amla 88 Prince 4)With four fielders positioned around the bat, Panesar concedes just a single from the final over before tea. South Africa lead by 26 runs. South Africa 371-3 (Amla 87 Prince 2)Amla clips one sharply through the onside to run a single, Prince lets the next run unhindered past off stump and then decides not to run on the back of a firm push to the offside. South Africa 367-3 (Amla 86 Prince 2)Dropped! Fielding in the slips, Cook fumbles a fairly straightforward two-handed catch at shoulder-height after a thick edge by Prince. "The ball went quite slowly, which I think fooled Cook," says Athers, positing a theory that makes the mistake only worse. Maiden from Broad. South Africa 367-3 (Amla 86 Prince 2)Prince tries nudging Panesar through a gap behind square leg, but decides against a single. He makes little attempt to play the next - drawing another rejected appeal after the ball strikes the pad - defends one and then finally scores his first with a gentle push through the offside. The batsmen then complete the over with a single apiece, drawing the sting a little from England's rejuvenated enthusiasm. South Africa 362-3 (Amla 82 Prince 0)Risky batting from Prince. He plants his front foot forward to two deliveries from Panesar pitching outside off stump and offers no shot as they strike his pads, drawing enthusiastic appeals from the fielders. Dary Harper, the umpire, rejects both, but only after taking a long look on each occasion. Hawk-Eye suggests he was correct with the first refusal but wrong with the second. However, as Athers says, with the ball hitting the pad well outside off stump, "it's all guesswork for the umpires". South Africa 362-3 (Amla 82 Prince 0)Tony Higgs emails: "Why don't we do as other countries and make our pitches favour our team? We are too British when it comes to sport." Not sure if the ground staff had much say over the state of the Lord's pitch, Tony. As Athers says in his lunchtime lowdown, the rain in the days before the Test meant it was all the staff could do to make the pitch playable, let alone variable. Contribute to the commentary by emailing sport@timesonline.co.uk or posting in the comment box below. Amla hits four with a cut backward of point. Otherwise five dot balls. South Africa 357-2 (Amla 77 Prince 0)South Africa lead by 3 with 38 overs remaining, which by Nasser Hussain's calulations gives them "20 and a bit overs to bowl out South Africa)". Fielding close in, Bell cries (according to Hussain), "The time is now." Wicket-maiden from Sidebottom. Wicket! Kallis b Sidebottom 13A brilliant inswinging yorker from Sidebottom - who removed Kallis in the first innings - splits middle and off stump. Do England have time to win? Course they do. Stay logged. South Africa are 357-3. South Africa 355-2 (Amla 76, Kallis 10)A maiden over from Ryan Sidebottom. England have three men close in on the off-side as Sidebottom continues to come in from wide of the crease and angle the ball across Kallis who is once again very happy to see the ball through to Ambrose. Paul Collingwood will come on from the Nursery End to try and offer the South African batsmen something different. South Africa 355-2 (Amla 76, Kallis 10)Just one off the over from Sidebottom who is coming over the wicket and angling the ball across Kallis, who is more than happy to allow the ball to go through to Ambrose. Messrs Holding, Hussain and Botham think Michael Vaughan will continue to bowl his frontline bowlers for another 20 overs before throwing in a few part-timers...should be interesting. South Africa lead by nine runs. South Africa 353-2 (Amla 76, Kallis 10)That's 350 up for South Africa after an interesting over from Mr Panesar. He's getting some turn and bounce out of the rough on the leg-side. But Amla is happy to pad up to anything pitching outside leg. He gets forward to one well-flighted delivery, and offers up a bad/pad chance that drifs agonisingly wide of short leg. South Africa 349-2 (Amla 76, Kallis 10)England have now bowled 143 overs in the second innings - and it's fair to say they're taking their time with these drinks. There are 44 overs left in the day and David Gower rightly insists England can still force a result - it just doesn't look very likely. South Africa 349-2 (Amla 76, Kallis 10)Sidebottom, who dismissed Kallis in the first innings, is back on and immediately enduces a false stroke from Amla, who thick edges one down towards third man. Nevertheless it's enough to ensure that South Africa are in credit, they now lead the match by three runs. Time for some drinks at Lord's. South Africa 346-2 (Amla 73, Kallis 10)Monty Panesar is beginning to look slightly weary out there and he's still not troubling the batsmen. Kallis and Amla collect three more runs from the over and South Africa have finally levelled the scores. South Africa 342-2 (Amla 70, Kallis 9)Just the slightest hint of reverse swing for James Anderson, while Monty lPanesar looks, at last, to be getting a big turn out of the rough outside leg stump. But Monty drops one in short and in a flash Kallis is onto it, lifting the ball over the outfield for four more. That's 50 overs from Monty and he remains without a wicket. South Africa trail by just five runs now. South Africa 337-2 (Amla 69, Kallis 5)James Anderson is trying a different approach for Kallis pitching it up in an attempt to enduce the drive. It almost pays off as Kallis slashes one wide of the slips for four. Not a great start for the South African but at least he's off the mark. Incidentally, Rob Woodman, England's 12th man, is on the field for Andrew Strauss. He's wearing an England cap, something some of the commentary box, feel should be earned. The scoreboard keeps ticking over and South Africa trail by just nine runs. South Africa 329-2 (Amla 67, Kallis 0)England will be hoping the old adage that one wicket brings two will bear fruit at Lord's. Monty Panesar gets the chance to test Kallis, who averages 74.36 in the third innings of Test matches, early in his innings. And a bit of extra bounce gets Kallis to play and miss, but miss he does. Wicket: N McKenzie 138, c Ambrose b Anderson (South Africa 329-2)Finally it's happened - a wicket. Neil McKenzie's marathon innings comes to an end. The briefest lapse in concentration sees him chase a wide one from James Anderson and Tim Ambrose does the rest. Wonderful innings from McKenzie. Mind you England's bowlers will hardly be cheered by the sight of Jacques Kallis coming to the crease. South Africa 328-1 (McKenzie 138, Amla 65)Monty isn't having much luck, he's continuing to toil away out there with as much as enthuisasm as anyone, although Michael Holding says he thinks Michael Vaughan should be considering taking off his frontline bowlers to rest them with Friday's second Test in mind. South Africa 327-1 (McKenzie 137, Amla 65)This match is meandering its way to a draw, England know it, South Africa know it and it sounds as though the majority of the 8,000 people inside Lord's know it. But we live in hope of a result. Play will continue until 5pm before any decision will be made to call it quits out there, and let's not forget England still lead this match, albeit by only 19 runs. Another over from James Anderson comes and goes without incident and Neil McKenzie is now into the fourth longest test innings at Lord's at 545 minutes. No wonder he needs a runner, out comes Graeme Smith, the captain, to run for McKenzie. South Africa 324-1 (McKenzie 136, Amla 62)James Anderson comes on for Paul Collingwood from the Pavilion End, but South Africa continue to make serene progress. South Africa 322-1 (McKenzie 136, Amla 62)It's Monty on from the Nursery End, Amla picks up where he left off before lunch, rocking back onto his back foot before cracking the ball away through point for four. Lord's is deadly silent. South Africa 318-1 (McKenzie 136, Amla 58)Paul Collingwood gets us back underway after lunch at Lord's, but it's as if we've never been away. Neil McKenzie forces the ball back past the bowler for four, his concentration has never looked like wavering in almost nine hours at the crease. Lunch: South Africa 312-1 (McKenzie 130, Amla 57)That's lunch on day five. Monty doesn't look happy out there in the over before lunch, he's switching from round the wicket to over and back again , but it doesn't faze Amla, who drills one through the covers for four. Seventy runs have come from the first session, and South Africa (and the pitch) are well in control. South Africa 308-1 (McKenzie 130, Amla 52)Collingwood is concentrating on bowling a really full length and straight at the stumps. He's just trying to get the ball to nip back up the slope, and although there is the slightest hint of movement, the pitch is winning this contest hands down. South Africa 306-1 (McKenzie 130, Amla 52)Big appeal from England, Collingwood, who is on from the Pavilion End, gets one to nip back up the hill and he almost catches Neil McKenzie lbw. Hawk Eye shows the ball would have gone on to clip leg stump but only just. It's a good over from Collingwood, who has produced the only real movement we have seen out of this pitch in that over. South Africa trail by 40 runs. South Africa 304-1 (McKenzie 127, Amla 52)Amla brings up his ninth test 50 with a beautifully timed boundary through point. It has come from 116 balls and also brings up the South African's 300. It's been a really brave innings from Amla, who has seen off the short stuff from Anderson and has emerged from it with class and confidence. Monty continues to plug away, but for all his hard-work he just doesn't look like making a breakthrough. The tourists now trail by just 43 runs. Here's how Amla's half-century looks on the wagon wheel. South Africa 298-1 (McKenzie 126, Amla 48)Monty gets through another over without much success and the runs keep ticking over. Messrs Botham and Lloyd are debating the merits of playing Test cricket in London. Beefy says England have only won one match in the capital since 2005, while they have won 11 of 14 Test matches around the rest of the country in the same period. Discuss... South Africa 294-1 (McKenzie 125, Amla 47)There hasn't been too much to get the 8,000 people inside Lord's going this morning. England are trying something new here, Tim Ambrose is standing up to the stumps to Ryan Sidebottom. Vaughan brings in a widish slip and Sidebottom is giving the ball plenty of width outside off-stump. Nevertheless Neil McKenzie isn't interested, he looks totally unfazed by it all and is continuing to take the runs when they are presented. South Africa 293-1 (McKenzie 124, Amla 46)A good over from Ryan Sidebottom but still nothing doing for the England seamer. At least he has come through the opening 90 minutes of the morning unscathed after his back injury. The problem England have beyond Lord's, is that they start the second Test at Headingley on Friday They could well spend the day in the field today and then be doing exactly the same four days later. If England's bowlers weren't already sick of the sight of the South African batsmen they may well be by the end of the week. South Africa 292-1 (McKenzie 124, Amla 46)South Africa trail by just 54 runs now, as England continue to toil away in the Lord's sunshine. The second new ball is 37 overs old now and it's not looking too healthy. Monty gets through another over, but he just isn't worrying a batting line-up that many say aren't the best players of spin. Well if they're not they look very comfortable out there this morning. South Africa 291-1 (McKenzie 123, Amla 46)Ryan Sidebottom almost teases a mistake out of Neil McKenzie, who takes a dart at a wide one, a rare false stroke from the South African opener. South Africa 286-1 (McKenzie 122, Amla 42)Not a great deal of turn from Monty, he does get one to go away from Neil McKenzie, but there is very little in the pitch. Amla picks up four more and South Africa are suddenly within 60 of levelling the scores. In the commentary box, messrs Botham and Pollock say England have become bogged down with bowling the short stuff, and should instead be pitching it up and offering the South African's the drive. No sign of that happening just yet. South Africa 282-1 (McKenzie 122, Amla 38)More runs for South Africa, seven runs come from that over from Stuart Broad, at least the Lord's crowd get the chance to see Monty's all-action fielding, as the spinner chases down Amla's leg-side nudge before firing in a throw over the bails. Amla has weathered the short stuff from Anderson and is now within sight of his half-century. South Africa 275-1 (McKenzie 122, Amla 31)It's another maiden over from Monty Panesar. The initial energy England showed when taking the field this morning seems to be fading. South Africa 275-1 (McKenzie 122, Amla 31)Stuart Broad is back on from the Pavilion End, but the stoic South African pair continue to wait for the loose deliveries before picking up the runs, England just can't build up any pressure. South Africa are now 71 runs behind. South Africa 272-1 (McKenzie 120, Amla 29)
The pitch looks very, very flat and the tourists look like comfortable. England need a man who can make something happen out of nothing. Whatever happened to that Flintoff bloke? South Africa 271-1 (McKenzie 120, Amla 29)England are continuing with their tactic of bowling short-pitched deliveries to Hashim Amla, who is completey unmoved, almost bored by it. It's another maiden from Anderson, but David Gower says he thinks it is sending out the wrong message, because England are almost conceding they are unable to dismiss him by any other means. Interesting stuff but still no wicket. South Africa 271-1 (McKenzie 120, Amla 29)A huge cheer greets the reintroduction of Monty Panesar, who has bowled 35 overs in the second innings so far and is wicketless. England's Spin King is straight into his rhythm and is prancing down the Lord's pitch from his first delivery, but Neil McKenzie isn't having any of it. It's textbook stuff from the South African opener who comes through the over without fuss. South Africa 269-1 (McKenzie 118, Amla 29)James Anderson continues to try his luck with the short stuff, certainly at Amla. When McKenzie takes the strike, England switch their plan to bowling pitched up deliveries to a much more orthodox looking field. South Africa 258-1 (McKenzie 110, Amla 28)England clearly don't think Amla fancies the short stuff. Anderson switches to come round the wicket and proceeds to pepper the South African batsmen, who knows exactly what's coming. Anderson just can't find the right line, but Michael Vaughan has packed his leg-side field close in. We've got leg-gully, two leg-slips, a short leg, a short mid-wicket and a short square leg. There's half an appeal at the end of the over that comes to nothing but there is the hint that although Amla isn't really enjoying out there, he doesn't have to play at these deliveries.
South Africa 258-1 (McKenzie 110, Amla 28)It's the second bowling change of the morning. Stuart Broad is brought into the attack as England try to force the issue. The way this is going, the breakthrough is going to be down to a South African mistake rather than any England brilliance. That said, it's a maiden to start with for Broad. "The glacial advance of the SA second innings is surely a free advert for the swashbucking 20twenty." Do you agree? Send us your thoughts at sport@timesonline.co.uk. South Africa 258-1 (McKenzie 110, Amla 28)It's clear England have a plan, certainly for Anderson, he's attempting to bowl at the stumps and Michael Vaughan is giving him a pretty balanced looking field. But so far it hasn't paid off. Amla does look like he might be prone to flicking his bat at the odd short delivery down the leg-side and Vaughan has packed the area around short-leg and leg-gully as a result. South Africa 257-1 (McKenzie 109, Amla 28)Just the single from the over from Ryan Sidebottom, and it's easy to see why Graeme Smith looks like he's on his holidays as he suns himself on the Lord's balcony, paper (The Times) in hand. |
