South Africa captain Graeme Smith and fellow opener Neil McKenzie denied England a wicket on the fourth morning of the first Test at Lord’s yesterday, but the tourists still had much work to do if they were to save the match.
The Proteas, following-on, were 67 without loss at lunch — still needing a further 279 runs to make England bat again.
However, left-hander Smith was 36 not out, with McKenzie unbeaten on 24.
PHOTO: AP
The closest England came to taking a wicket in the session was when Smith, on 26, got a thin inside edge off spinner Monty Panesar.
But wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose had stood up too soon and the, admittedly difficult, chance bounced off his pads. South Africa resumed on 13 without loss, a huge 333 runs behind England’s commanding 593 for eight declared, built on Ian Bell’s Test-best 199 and 152 from Kevin Pietersen in his first Test innings against the land of his birth.
The Proteas knew that if they batted as badly as they did while being dismissed for a first innings 247, with Ashwell Prince’s 101 the only major contribution, the opening match of this four-Test series could end with more than a day to spare.
PHOTO: AFP
The South Africa captain, whose decision to field first had backfired spectacularly, was 8 not out and McKenzie 1 not out.
Left-armer Panesar had taken four for 74 in the first innings, but it was the quicks who had made inroads at the top of the order.
However, there was a heartening moment for South Africa when, off yesterday’s second ball, McKenzie cover-drove left-arm quick Ryan Sidebottom for four.
Smith, who in the corresponding match five years ago made 259, the highest individual score by an overseas batsman in a Lord’s Test, then played an elegant late cut four off fast bowler Stuart Broad.
However, when Panesar came on, as happened on Saturday, he started to get turn out of the footmarks outside the left-hander’s off stump. This proved a problem for Smith, troubled by Panesar either side of his escape.
And the fact Sidebottom had been bowling over the wicket from the Pavilion End meant there was now rough outside right-hander McKenzie’s off-stump when he faced Panesar, operating from the Nursery End, to contend with as well.
Runs all but dried up, with England reeling off five successive maidens, but South Africa’s openers held firm.
On Saturday, Prince’s century in his first Test innings against England was a rare Proteas’ highlight.
But no-one could stay with Prince long enough to prevent the tourists being bowled out for 247 and conceding a first innings lead to England of 346.
South Africa vice-captain Prince, 31, whose previous experience of English conditions was limited to an under-19 tour and a couple of seasons with northern club side Morecambe, said: “It was a very proud moment for me.”
Prince, whose wife Melissa and infant son Joshua were among the crowd, added: “It would have meant a lot more if it was more meaningful for the team. Unfortunately, we didn’t put in a good performance, but Monty bowled very well.”
After England captain Michael Vaughan enforced the follow-on in fading light, Panesar unusually took the new ball alongside Pietersen.
The occasional off-spinner had earlier ended the Proteas’ first innings when Dale Steyn holed out off his third ball.
South Africa, at tea, were 156 for four with Prince, in at 47 for three, unbeaten on 52 and A.B. de Villiers 38 not out. De Villiers had added just four more runs to his score when, his drive off Panesar was brilliantly caught, goalkeeper-fashion and in two-hands, at mid-on by an airborne James Anderson.
The experienced Mark Boucher then fell cheaply when, trying to leave the ball, he was bowled off the bottom of the bat by fast bowler Broad.
Prince produced the occasional gem, reverse-sweeping Panesar for four for example, but the follow-on avoidance total of 394 looked a long way off with just the tail now keeping him company.
And they were not lingering long with Morne Morkel, bowled through a big gap between bat and pad, and Paul Harris, with the aid of another fine catch by Anderson, both falling to Panesar.
England then became caught up in a cat-and-mouse game with Prince, allowing him easy singles so they could bowl at Steyn instead, rather than attacking both batsmen.
This just had the effect of playing in Steyn, who helped Prince added 42 runs, while his partner proceeded toward a century at his own pace.
England took the new ball, but this was negated by the fact Vaughan continued to set the field back for Prince until near the end of the over.
Prince countered by clipping Sidebottom off his legs for a four which took him to 95.
Belatedly, Broad tested Prince with a yorker which the batsman kept out and then struck him a couple of painful blows with shorter, but well-directed, deliveries.
One off Sidebottom saw Prince to the coveted landmark, the elated No. 5 punching the air as he celebrated his eighth century in his 42nd Test. He had batted for nearly five hours, facing 173 balls with a six and 13 fours.
But soon afterward his gutsy effort came to an end when, carving outside off stump, he was caught behind for 101 off Sidebottom.
Earlier, Vaughan was rewarded for keeping Panesar going after lunch, having given him a couple of token overs before the break, when his first ball after the resumption spun out of the rough and bowled McKenzie round his legs.
South Africa saw three of their key top order batsmen all dismissed in single figures after starting on 7 without loss.
Smith was out for 8 after an Anderson ball took the shoulder of the bat and lobbed gently to Bell at gully.
Hashim Amla was caught behind off Broad for 6, before Jacques Kallis, on 7, nicked Sidebottom low to diving first slip Andrew Strauss.
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