England (103-1) trail South Africa (343) by 240 runs
An entire Test day spent with the floodlights on is unusual in sub-tropical climes, but Andrew Strauss adapted to the limited-over atmosphere by scoring a blistering half-century from 49 balls, an innings more suited to a one-day run-chase than a five-day match.
In fine form for most of 2009, Strauss continued it here, sparing no one in his assault. It is not often his workmanlike batting draws comparisons with David Gower silky range of stroke, but they were not out of place on Sunday.
Batting in England's first innings, after South Africahad been bowled out for 343, he would have begun his knock smarting that he had allowed Dale Steyn and Makhaya Ntini to add 58 for the last wicket. It certainly did not appear a co-incidence when the pair bore the brunt of his ire, their short balls clinically put away without exception either by his trusty cut or pull.
Only when Morne Morkel came around the wicket from the Umgeni End, reducing the angle available for his favourite cut shot, was the England captain slowed. Morkel's change of angle forced him to review his options while the loss of impetus (his next four runs took 18 balls), forced him to consider a different tack, given Alastair Cook's stonewalling at the other end.
A close decision for lbw off Morkel, which Strauss referred to the third umpire, was given not out because the ball had feathered off the inside edge, but a deflection of the same edge in Morkel's next over failed to save him when the ball cannoned into the stumps.
England's momentum was continued by Jonathan Trott, though not before Steyn, and the crowd, made it clear what they thought about the length of time he takes to prepare himself to face each ball. No batsman needs to scratch their mark three or four times, as he does. But far from being distracted by South Africa's harrumphing, Trott retreats into his cocoon and plays the ball, not the man – so far with great success.
The ease with which he and Strauss batted, as well as the knocks played by Steyn, AB de Villiers and Mark Boucher, brought unexpected dominance from the batsmen. Before the start of play, Mickey Arthur, South Africa's coach, had told local television that he would have been happy for his team to make 300, yet by the close bat was dominating ball.
There cannot have been many better days better for pace bowling than yesterday in Durban. Cloaked in dark grey cloud and with temperatures around 25C (even the sapping humidity had been softened by a southerly), those who earn their living by seam and swing should have prospered. Instead, the only bowler who triumphed was Graeme Swann, by dint of the pace men bowling too short and the new referral system, which gives batsmen out on the front foot.
Even before the robots came in to judge decisions challenged by the players, Swann had been something close to a revelation. Finger-spun off-breaks were meant to be a throwback to cricket's last Ice Age, not a cutting edge in modern Test cricket. But the combination of Swann's clever changes of angle and pace, coupled with the fact that the TV technology no longer makes it safe for batsmen to hide behind their front pad means he is taking wickets galore, 57 so far in 14 Tests.
In past eras, when umpires used to hand any doubt to the batsmen, spinners were particularly hard done by. A batsman had only to lean forward with a straight bat and most would never countenance giving him out if the ball spun back and hit the pad. Play across it, or miss a sweep and you might be on your way, but not if defence was the extent of your ambition. That has changed now, as Mark Boucher and Morkel both found to their cost.
Boucher, originally given not out Amish Saheba as ball hit pad then bat in quick succession, found his reprieve temporary once England referred the decision and the geometry of the lbw laws for off-spinners bowling around the wicket was fulfilled.
Although left-handed, Morkel too fell foul of the same triangulation, though this time Saheba, with Boucher having given him a sighter, gave the batsman out. A tall man, Morkel might have expected his reach to have saved him, but Hawk-Eye deals in probabilities based on speed, angle and bounce, and indicated that Morkel was plumb.
The only drawback is the time taken by the referrals, some consuming three minutes. For the moment, though, neither Swann nor England are complaining about that in this Test.
In fielding a four-man attack, Strauss has had great cause to be grateful for Swann so far in this series, but he overdid the gratitude yesterday, keeping him on against South Africa's last pair.
The oldest rule of captaincy says you get the quick bowlers back to knock over numbers 10 and 11 and while Stuart Broad hardly covered himself in glory at the other end, Swann was swatted for three huge sixes by Steyn as he and Ntini took 32 runs off the spinner's last four overs.
It was an elemental mistake by Strauss, crystallised when James Anderson eventually had Steyn caught behind for 47.
On another day it might have proved costly. Happily for England's captain, South Africa's pace bowlers were off beam while he was in exhilarating form until Morkel scattered his stumps. LINK
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