Late wicket keeps England in the hunt

Daniel Brigham at Lord's

South Africa ended the day with a lead of 139 and seven wickets intact but Steven Finn's late removal of Jacques Kallis means the game - and the series - is still in the balance.

With Kallis and Hashim Amla skillfully taking the game away from England with a partnership of 81, out of the lengthening shadows came a wicket. Finn, summoning up one last effort at the end of the day, charged in and beat Kallis for pace. England and the majority of Lord's cried for LBW, and the cry turned to a roar as the finger went up. Kallis immediately reviewed but, despite his obvious anger, there was no evidence to overturn the decision and he was gone for 31 - perhaps for the last time at Lord's.

England will have plenty of hard work to do tomorrow but the wicket will have given them an enormous lift. For as well as they played, Kallis and Amla, who finished the day unbeaten on 57, England's disciplined attack never let South Africa get too far in front. With two days to go, South Africa will be keen to turn their lead of 139 into one above 300. This pitch doesn't look like it will change a great deal.

After England had earned a narrow lead of six runs in the afternoon session, two early breakthroughs put them on top. Graeme Smith fell in traditional English fashion, missing a reverse sweep to Graeme Swann and he was hit right in front.  Alviro Petersen went fell shortly after, Stuart Broad getting it to reverse and trapping him in front, leaving South Africa 50 for 2.

Just two balls before that Amla had clipped one too fine down leg and a diving Prior failed to cling on one-handed. It was a chance he would have expected to take and it may yet prove decisive.

The new ball had done the trick initially for South Africa. After eight gentle overs, Vernon Philander sent down a wide one first ball with the new cherry. Matt Prior's eyes lit up but his brain dimmed, and he edged behind. Stuart Broad was also out to a mediocre shot, trying to tuck Dale Steyn behind square but popping it straight into Amla's hands at short-leg.

Bairstow was, agonisingly, next. After resuming fluently he got stuck in the 90s. A couple of flashes against Morne Morkel hinted at impatience and soon afterwards he was gone, trying to clip Morkel through leg but missing it. The crowd gasped as the stumps were broken, but soon rose to their feet to applaud a very fine innings. In the face of an attack at the top of their game, and with the pressure of replacing Kevin Pietersen, Bairstow did more than enough to suggest he belongs at Test level. Some lusty blows from Graeme Swann (37*) in particular, helped by James Anderson (12) and Steven Finn (10), eventually gave England a slender lead but it soon became apparent that will be a one-innings contest.

Date: 18/08/2012 19:00:47 by DBrigham
In: Today | England |