England South Africa Final Day

July 14, 2008 - Lawrence Foley

A tense final day of this first test at Lords is in the offing after England only managed one wicket at Lords today. Having been forced to follow on after only managing a meagre 247 in response to England's mammoth score of 593 over the first two days, South Africa openers Graeme Smith and Neil McKenzie put in gritty performances in the second innings to leave the tourists in a decent position overnight at 242/1.

Smith and McKenzie produced a master class in defensive batting, putting on 207 for the first wicket before the South Africa captain attempted a lazy pull to leg and found nothing but the safe hands of Pietersen. The only downside to South Africa's day will have been the loss of Smith, who will have been greatly disappointed to be caught by Pietersen after the two exchanged a war of words in the lead up to the match. However his partnership with McKenzie set the record for any partnership of a team following on and both players deserved their centuries for the sheer hard work they put in.

All of this means that England will now have to take 9 wickets and probably bat again tomorrow in order to secure victory. That seems unlikely given the stubbornness with which the South African batsmen applied themselves today, but tomorrow is a new day and the wicket just might begin to offer the England attack a little more movement. The early loss of either Amla or McKenzie would certainly raise a doubt or two in the minds of the incoming batsmen, and England will hope that they can spark a collapse in the middle order and claim victory in the opening match of this four game series.

If England fail to win tomorrow, questions will rightly be asked over Michael Vaughan's decision to allow Ian Bell the chance to reach his double century when he might have declared much earlier. A South African victory is all but impossible now, and the best they can hope for is to see out tomorrow and go into the second test at Headingley all square.

Recommendation:

England to win - 5.5 (betfair)

Posted: July 14, 2008

E-mail this page to your friends