S. Africa fights back in first Test

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THE first Test in Port Elizabeth is finely poised after a South African fightback on the third day. The home side reached the close 11 runs ahead and with eight wickets in hand after taking England’s last nine wickets for just 198 runs. Captain Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis both began their second innings on a pair, but South Africa’s two premier batsman negotiated to make unbeaten scores of 33 and 10 respectively. But England claimed the wickets of opener AB de Villiers, athletically caught and bowled by Matthew Hoggard for 14, and Jacques Rudolph, beaten by the bounce of Ashley Giles and caught at slip by Marcus Trescothick. After starting the day on 227-1, England’s first-innings lead of 88 appeared slender, but represented a spirited effort from Giles, Simon Jones and Steve Harmison following a middle-order collapse. South Africa had started to make inroads into the England batting in the first session. Andrew Strauss could only add six to his overnight 120, Michael Vaughan edged Andrew Hall to slip and an out-of-touch Graham Thorpe was bowled after a hideous attempt to sweep occasional off-spinner Smith. But Mark Butcher batted himself back into form with a four-hour 79 that included sweetly-timed cover drives, while Andrew Flintoff appeared on course to reach a half-century for the ninth successive Test. However, he fell in a flurry of wickets as South Africa struck four times in 16 balls. The catalyst for the collapse was an injudicious swipe from Butcher — ending hopes of a comeback century — followed by Flintoff’s irresponsible attempt to hit Makhaya Ntini for six. The fired-up fast bowler generated the bounce to beat Geraint Jones, while Matthew Hoggard fenced outside off stump. Giles steadied England with a sensible 26 and his departure pre-empted a chaotic last-wicket stand of 31 between Simon Jones and a carefree Steve Harmison. Anarchy briefly reigned, but Smith and Kallis had restored order by the close.