ENGLAND HELD TO FRUSTRATING DRAW BY GUTSY SOUTH AFRICANS
Despite a fantastic first three days at Lords, England couldn't get the job done against a resistant South African side in the first test.
It had all started so well with Cook and Strauss putting on an opening stand of 114 before England lost three wickets for just three balls after lunch on the first day. Then came Pieterson and Bell who took England all the way through to day two before the Springboks could celebrate another wicket. The South African born KP hit 152 from just under 200 balls with Bell waiting in the wings. After the dismissals of Collingwood and Ambrose, it was Stuart Broads turn to get in on the runs. The youngster hit a career high 74 and helped push England on during the second afternoons play. But the star of the innings was Bell. South Africa's much fancied bowlers simply had no answer to him as Bell set about hitting 20 fours and one six before been dismissed for a gut wrenching total of 199. At 593-8 Vaughan called his men in with a fantastic opportunity to take the first test.
When the tourists resumed on day three, they faced a determined England attack with Anderson taking the wicket of Captain Smith for just 8 runs. By lunch they were three wickets down thanks to Broad and Sidebottom with just 78 runs on the board. The attack continued during the afternoon with Panesar taking four wickets including the crucial wicket of Di Villiers. Broad and Sidebottom took another wicket each, before Pieterson, somewhat inevitably took the final wicket leaving South Africa on 247 all out and having to follow on.
Unfortunately for England that was as good as it got as Smith and is men set about frustrating the English attack with a defensive strategy that brought about 393 runs for the loss of just three wickets over the course of two days.
And so we move to Headingly on Friday for the second test and the return of Andrew Flintoff to the test scene. A massive boost for England for sure, but the South Africans will be the happier of both sides.
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