CRICKET:COUNTER-ATTACKING Matt Prior pushed England up to 385 all out, despite a Dale Steyn-inspired fightback from South Africa on a rain-interrupted second day of the first Test yesterday.
A resurgent Steyn removed England centurion Alastair Cook, and then Ravi Bopara for a duck, among four wickets for only 59 runs this morning.
But as black clouds somehow skirted the Kia Oval, and presumably dumped their contents nearby, Prior (60) still helped England from their start-of-play 267 for three to recover a little composure and put themselves within sight of 400 when they were all out in mid-afternoon.
The long-threatened storm broke almost immediately after tea, but South Africa still had time to reach 86 for the loss of Alviro Petersen thanks to a studied and unbroken stand between Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla.
Cook (115) dug in throughout yesterday, but the game changed in two successive wicket maidens from Steyn.
In his second over, Steyn tempted Cook to drive and bowled him off an inside edge to end his 295-ball vigil. With Cook gone, a big moment came and went for Bopara – returning for his first Test since last year at this venue. Bell then quickly fell in the first over from Jacques Kallis.
It took until the 19th over of the morning for England to at last bring up the 300, Tim Bresnan doing the job in style with a flamboyant extra-cover drive for four.
Bresnan then succumbed in Imran Tahir’s first over. England had lost five wickets for 62 runs, since Kallis got Kevin Pietersen last night, and this heavyweight contest was back in the balance.
Prior accrued 72 runs – a handy buffer should South Africa prosper in improved weather today.
The tourists’ reply suffered an early setback when Anderson snaked an inswinger through Petersen’s defences, to the back pad, to have him lbw for nought.
