England Cricket / Ed Hawkins / 04 January 2010 /

South Africa, led by the indomitable Jacques Kallis, look to post a challenging first-innings total on day two at Newlands. Ed Hawkins is on hand to guide us through the action. Email your thoughts here

CLOSE 16.02 Eng 241-7, trail by 50 runs
Given that South Africa started the day at around the [2.36] mark and then collapsed to post only 291, they will be delighted to hear that they are odds on at [1.87]. England, however, have hung on in there. Increasingly it looks like being a one innings match. On a surface which could deteriorate, South Africa are probably fair favourites. But then again, that is far from an exact science and the pitch looks good, too many batsmen have thrown their wickets away. A good day in prospect tomorrow, then. England are [2.80] and the draw is [8.20].

15.51 Eng 229-7
South Africa have the new ball available. But they will lucky to get more than three overs with it tonight. Perhaps that's why they haven't taken it. Hang about, they've now decided they wanted it after all. Why waste two bals?

15.44 Eng 226-7
Sorry England fans, I put the kiss of death on Stuart Broad there. As soon as I had finished typing the last entry he missed a straight one. England trail by 65. Graeme Swann is in now.

WICKET 15.41 Eng 224-7
S Broad b Steyn 25. South Africa [1.84], England [2.82] and the draw [9.00]

15.40 Eng 221-6
A couple of overs until the new ball but only about 20 minutes of play left. Prior and Broad are doing England proud.

15.12 Eng 202-6
Does Shaun Pollock remind anyone else of the really boring priest in Father Ted? Father Austin Purcell was his name. He had a really dull voice. The entire population of a village in Nigeria once sailed to their deaths on a crocodile-infested lake to escape him. He spoke constantly in an annoying high-pitched voice about the most trivial and irritating topics, including central heating and "favourite humming noises". Claimed to have known a woman once - "but she died soon afterwards".

15.03 Eng 193-6
We have entered the final hour here sports fans. Paul Harris has come back on to try to stifle Matt Prior and Stuart Broad. Doesn't work, though. broad launches over mid on for four. South Africa have a new ball in 10 overs' time.

14.50 Eng 183-6
Nasser Hussain has just asked which side Shaun Pollock would be backing. "I would tend to think the advantage is with South Africa," says Shaun. "If they can wrap it up with a bit of a lead, batting in the third innings will be easier than in the fourth innings." Quite Shaun. In the next series of Stating The Bleedin' Obvious Shaun answers such posers as 'will the sun come up tomorrow' and 'what day is it?'

14.35 Eng 178-6
Add Ian Bell's name to the list of England batsmen who have thrown away their wicket. Bell also stays on the list of England batsmen who don't score runs when the pressure is on. It's a lonely place to be, he's the only one on there. Terrible shot. He just slapped a long hop straight to cover point. England's hope of parity with the hosts rests on Matt Prior, Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann.

WICKET 14.31 Eng 174-6
I Bell c Duminy b Kallis 48. South Africa [1.80], England [3.20] and the draw [7.00].

14.18 Eng 167-5
The last two Tests at Cape Town have finished in the evening session of day four. Currently, a wicket is falling every 10 overs or so. If that average continues and South Africa are to justify favourite status, we should have a result by the afternoon session on day five. What is difficult to factor in is deterioration of the wicket and the pressure on the side batting last. Still, afternoon session day four at [7.00] looks pretty good value to me. Evening session day four is [5.00]. A day three finish is [15.00]. England are 124 runs behind.

13.56 Eng 153-5
England should have bruised shins in the morning because they should be kicking themselves ... really hard. They had a golden opportunity to grab the game by the scruff of the neck after bowling South Africa out cheaply but they didn't have the strength of character. Andrew Strauss, Jonathan Trott and Kevin Pietersen were guilty of trying to play box office shots before anyone had a chance to buy the popcorn while Alastair Cook's lazy paddle would have been more use on a boat trip to nearby Robben Island. In fact, and I don't think this is in any way an overreaction, that is where they should send him.

13.36 Eng 133-5
What a soft dismissal. Cook just guided a pull shot into the hands of square leg from an innocuous Morkel ball. Awful stuff. Cook collected outside off. Terrible start for England. Exactly what South Africa needed. A test of Matt Prior's mettle.

WICKET 13.33 Eng 133-5
A Cook c Prince b Morkel 65. South Africa [1.64], England [3.55] and the draw [8.00].

13.30 Eng 133-4
England have a chance to punch on in this session. Alastair Cook and Ian Bell are set, there is not much in the wicket and the ball is old (30 overs until the next new one). The key man is Morne Morkel. He will come out and give it a real go for six or seven overs, hoping for a breakthrough on a par with the Paul Collingwood dismissal at the start of the last session. But if England can see him off, it should be plain sailing.

TEA 13.11 Eng 133-4
South Africa will be a little disappointed they managed only the one wicket in that session, especially as England were wobbling when Collingwood went. But Cook (65) and Bell (24) guided them to steadier ground, albeit very slowly. South Africa [2.00], England [2.92] and the draw [5.90]

13.05 Eng 133-4
An anagram of Friedel De Wet is Elf Write Deed. De Wet doesn't look to be much taller than 6ft to me, so it is not as tenuous as you might think. Meanwhile, England have successfully whacked Paul Harris out of the attack. His six overs cost 24 runs. JP Duminy has replaced him and almost immediately he lulled Cook into a false sense of security. Cook fluffed a sweep shot but Amla at short leg couldn't grab the chance running back.

13.00 Eng 127-4
Alastair Cook and Ian Bell are looking pretty comfortable here. They have breached the 50 partnership. Bell contributed 16. Not much happening in the air or off the pitch for South Africa.

12.37 Eng 111-4
England are refusing to let Paul Harris settle. His three overs have cost 17, with Alastair Cook taking two fours off the previous one. South Africa want Harris to hold up an end and rotate their pacemen. So to counter that, England will get after him. In Durban, Harris went for almost four an over and bowled just four maidens in 36.

12.18 Eng 91-4
Of course in the list below I didn't include Ian Bell's ton in Durban because I thought it was obvious that it was a score made under no pressure whatsoever. Meanwhile Bell (4*) continues to prove my argument correct with just the one (yes that's right, one) scoring shot in 36 balls.

11.55 Eng 86-4
To answer Colin G (see last post) in emphatic style, I've been through all of Ian Bell's nine Test centuries to work out if he has ever scored big runs when it really counts. In seven of them, the pressure has very much been off. See for yourself...

June 05 162* v Bangladesh: Say no more

Nov 05 115 v Pakistan: Came in at 39-2. A rare example of Bell scoring big runs when it has counted in his 50 Test career.

July 06 100 v Pakistan: Came in at 321-4 on a featherbed Lord's wicket with two men above him in the order getting tons.

July 06 100 v Pakistan: Came in at 288-4 with the hard work done. Alastair Cook had reached three figures before him to set him up.

Aug 06 119 v Pakistan: Came in at 192-4. Kevin Pietersen had softened up the bowlers and was on his way to a century.

May 07 109 v West Indies: Bell makes another flat, flat, flat Lord's wicket count against a flat, flat, flat WI attack. Oh, and Cook scored a century up top.

May 08 110 v New Zealand: Andrew Strauss ton pummelled a weak NZ bowling attack before Bell strolled in

July 08 199 v South Africa: We're not harsh enough to query this one, even if it was at Lord's with a KP ton above him

11.37 Eng 74-4
Colin G has been in touch via the email. "Why are you so harsh about Bell? He got a century in his last innings." Easy there, Colin, you've upset the apple cart with that one. Standby for a stat attack.

11.24 Eng 73-4
Collingwood was done playing across the line, falling over horribly. South Africa in charge now. England had to survive this tricky opening spell after lunch. It brings Ian Bell to the crease, who has a poor record under pressure. His critics say he only gets runs off the back of other people's hard work. Amen to that.

WICKET 11.21 Eng 73-4
P Collingwood lbw b Morkel 19. South Africa [1.66], England [3.35] and the draw [9.60].

11.07 Eng 64-3
We are ready to resume after lunch. Shall we call this the pivotal session of the match? Probably not. But it is key for England backers. A bad one here and it could be some time before they get close to South Africa in terms of odds.

LUNCH 10.31 Eng 64-3
Just as South Africa could not afford to lose a wicket after lunch yesterday, ditto for England today. With only the flaky Ian Bell and Matt Prior to come, much rests on Alastair Cook and Paul Collingwood. South Africa will have their tails up after they've been energised by their biltong, or something. South Africa [1.87], England [2.86] and the draw [8.40]

10.20 Eng 60-3
We should be having luncheon in about 15 folks. England must make it without losing another ... Woot! Woot! (that is the sound of the alarm bell). Collingwood is closing off his bat face! To get a bit technical for a mo, that will worry England. When Collingwood is in good touch the bat comes down straight. When he isn't it skews across him. The Durham man will be battling with himself now as well as the bowlers.

10.02 Eng 47-3
As Paul Collingwood gets off the mark with a four off his legs, it has to be said that England should really be capable of frustrating South Africa now. There is no swing, the ball is soft and the pitch hard. There are 30 minutes until lunch. It would be a surprise if South Africa managed another wicket. Plan your wagers accordingly.

09.54 Eng 36-3
England are doing their best to throw away a winning position. Jonathan Trott and Kevin Pietersen, in the space of three balls, have joined Andrew Strauss in the pavilion where they can have an argument about who played the most awful shot. Trott chopped on and KP was well held by Steyn trying to drive on the up. Batting should be easy at this stage. Paul Collingwood is the new man at the crease.

WICKET 09.51 Eng 36-3
K Pietersen c and b Steyn 0. South Africa [1.89], England [2.74] and the draw [9.00].

WICKET 09.48 Eng 36-2
J Trott b Steyn 20. South Africa [2.32], England [2.36] and the draw [6.40].

09.38 Eng 36-1
Yesterday my bewilderment at why England were not favourites became something of a hobby horse. The steed is resting up in the stable after back breaking work on day one. England are [2.18]. Batting should become very easy indeed within 10 overs as the new ball loses its hardness and the sun beats down on the backs of Cook and Trott.

09.18 Eng 20-1
Such has been the hectic nature this morning, I have only now, a full hour after the start, taken fuel on board. That is the sacrifice I make for you people. A cup of tea and some raisin bread. I hope to be operating at optimum level once I've taken on board extras. Some Weetabix, the best option for sustenance of a morning, and then eggs and bacon should do the trick. By the way, if anyone from Weetabix is reading this and wants to send me some free boxes, go ahead. I go through it like nobody's business.

09.02 Eng 9-1
Strauss was our top-rated man because he had ground form, recent form and, in the last 10 Tests at CT, openers have dominated the top-bat market with 11 top scoring in dig one.

Runs per innings averages of past 12 months
Cook 40
Pietersen 44
Collingwood 43
Bell 31

08.57 Eng 4-1
I feel a bit like Heather Mills in a 100m dash this morning: struggling to keep up. Sadly, I didn't even have time to post thoughts on England's first-innings top bat before the first wicket. Probably a blessing, though because we would have been keen on getting with Andrew Strauss, who has a definite problem with Morne Morkel. Anyway, Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott are at the crease instead. The pair are [1.95] and [3.20] respectively in an immature market.

WICKET 08.49 Eng 2-1
A Strauss c Boucher b Morkel 2. South Africa [2.18], England [2.66] and the draw [6.20].

08.46 Eng 0-0
As England start their innings, this is what David Lloyd, the former England coach, said about the pitch. "It's a beautiful batting day, conditions perfect. The locals are saying 'not yet' about the chances of deterioration. Not a lot to happen. A couple of days of good
batting." Fill your boots, England.

08.38 SA 291
Thank goodness for a break. England have been a whirlwind this morning, hitting their lines, catching swallows. They needed only 17 balls to take the last four wickets, with James Anderson claiming a five-for. A brilliant display to vindicate Andrew Strauss' decision to bat first. Best of all for the tourists, they have the best of the batting conditions. It is a glorious day at Cape Town with not a cloud in sight.

08.35 WICKET SA 291
F De Wet lbw b Anderson. South Africa [2.62], England [2.44] and the draw [4.30]

08.30 SA 281-9
I literally cannot type fast enough. So much for easing into it first thing. England have taken three wickets in 10 balls to blow away the home side's hopes of a healthy first-innings total. The odds have flip-flopped as a result and after saying it all day yesterday until I was blue in the face, England are finally the right price.

WICKET 08.26 SA 281-9
M Morkel c Swann b Anderson 0. South Africa [2.74], England [2.58] and the draw [4.10].

08.25 SA 280-8
To say it's been difficult to keep up this morning has been an understatement...

WICKET 08.22 SA 280-8
D Steyn c Trott b Anderson 26. South Africa [2.54], ENgland [2.96] and the draw [3.70]

WICKET 08.18 SA 280-7
J Kallis c Prior b Onions 108.

08.11 SA 279-6
Dale Steyn and Jacques Kallis are about to resume for South Africa. England have a new ball and they must make it count. If they can restrict the hosts to fewer than 350, they may well enjoy the best of the batting conditions.

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