Live Test Match Blogging / Ed Hawkins / 11 July 2008 /

Kevin Pietersen made all the headlines on day one with one of the best innings seen at Lord's for several years. Will Kev and Ian Bell really punish Graeme Smith for electing to bowl first? Keep apace with the action and the latest from the Betfair markets. Ed Hawkins is in the hot-seat once again.

18.14 RAIN STOPPED PLAY South Africa 7-0
That might be it for the night. England have had 3.2 valuable overs but they've wasted them.Sidebottom and Anderson did not make the batsmen play.

18.01 South Africa 0-0
England's field: four slips, two gullies, mid on, mid off and deep backward square (Monty). They are going to have a real go tonight. The draw has come out to [1.51]and England are [3.10]. Smith played and missed at the first one but England's best hope of getting him is a leg before. Vulnerable to the ball that swings in, he often tries to play around his front pad.

17.56 South Africa 0-0
Is it England's turn to suffer on this flat Lord's wicket? They will be hopeful of early breakthroughs with bowling conditions good and two batsmen in Graeme Smith and Neil McKenzie who have struggled against the moving ball in the past. Smith is [4.5] for top-bat honours and McKenzie [6.2] but with that new ball likely to bend in the hands of expert swingers James Anderson and Ryan Sidebottom, the value could be elsewhere. Hashim Amla [5.5], who will bat at No. 3, and Jacques Kallis [4.4] are two guys who have an insatiable appetite for runs and it would be a surprise if they missed out on this surface.

17.49 England 593-8d
Ian Bell has fallen one short of his double century. He's chipped a catch back to Paul Harris. It would be almost sad if he had dallied. He was eeking out those final runs and England were prepared to wait. Can anyone name another sport which puts individual achievement ahead of the team cause? No, didn't think so. The conditions remain overcast and there is a bit of moisture around. Handy bowling conditions when you've got a new ball to play with.

17.23 England 587-7 RAIN STOPPED PLAY
Option 3 for England to get Freddie Flintoff back is: drop James Anderson. The least likely of all three. He is a swing bowler and it swings at Headingley. Plus, he was the man of the match in the Test previous to this one. England are wary of Anderson's consistency woes, however, and they could always use that as an excuse, albeit a timid one. Let's face it, it's got to be option 1 hasn't it? Email me at hawkeyeview@hotmail.co.uk. They should be back on in a few minutes as the heavens have shut.

17.11 England 579-7
Option 2 for England to get Freddie Flintoff back is: drop Stuart Broad. Harsh I know, especially as he has just hit back-to-back to back half centuries in Tests. It would also allow England to not further weaken a vulnerable middle order by dropping Collingwood. You could argue that England would miss Broad's batting but he is in the side to take wickets and he only managed seven in the three-game series against New Zealand.

17.06 England 579-7
The covers are off. Yet the rain seems to have had an affect on Mr Boycott's bladder. I was just standing in the corridor at the back of the box and he announced that he "was going for a wee". Thanks for that Geoff.

16.57 RAIN STOPPED PLAY England 579-7
The rain has arrived. I was 21 minutes out with my prediction. Ian Bell needs just eight for his double century. When he gets it, England will surely declare. Stay online, however, because we still have options 2 and 3 for England to get Andrew Flintoff in to their team.

16.51 England 574-7
So this is option one of three for England, who are willing to shoehorn Andrew Flintoff into the side for the second Test: Paul Collingwood to be dropped. This would probably mean that Flintoff would bat at No. 6 with Tim Ambrose, if he survives, batting at No. 7. This gives England five bowlers, something which should increase their chances of taking wickets, while the selectors could argue that with Colly on an awful Test run, they have coped pretty well without someone contributing in that key batting slot. The fly in the ointment is that England coped well only against a weak New Zealand team. Plus, do they need five bowlers at bowler-friendly Headingley?

16.45 England 571-6
So this is option one of three for England, who are willing to shoehorn Andrew Flintoff into the side for the second Test: Paul Collingwood to be dropped. This would probably mean that Flintoff would bat at No. 6 with Tim Ambrose, if he survives, batting at No. 7. This gives England five bowlers, something which should increase their chances of taking wickets, while the selectors could argue that with Colly on an awful Test run, they have coped pretty well without someone contributing in that key batting slot. The fly in the ointment is that England coped well only against a weak New Zealand team. Plus, do they need five bowlers at bowler-friendly Headingley?

16.34 England 569-6
The word is here at HQ that Andrew Flintoff is a certainty for next week's second Test at Headingley. Perhaps more importantly, it is understood that he will still bat in the middle order. So who is going to make way for him? As I see it there are three options. We'll discuss those between now and the close. In the meantime England's run rate has increased to 4.5 over the last 10.

16.17 England 553-6
Just to keep you posted on the weather situation, because that is the only thing that looks like changing in this match at the mo; some darker clouds are making their way up from behind the pavilion. The Met Office said thunderstorms would be arriving around this time but that looks some way off. Rain could be about an hour away I reckon. Meanwhile, Ian Bell and Stuart Broad continue to dominate. Broad's 50 could fire a heated debate about who Andrew Flintoff would replace in this side, so let's have one. Email me your views at hawkeyeview@hotmail.co.uk

15.40 TEA England 535-6
Some prices with your cake? England [3.15], South Africa [40.00] and the draw [1.49]. Refreshing to see that draw price on the drift slightly. In the confines of the media box, some of the SA journalists are getting a little twitchy, muttering about 'what if England are able to take a couple of quick wickets with the new ball?' Food for thought.

15.35 England 527-6
I don't wish to sound cocky but I did say South Africa had made a mistake bowling first. I mean, really. Surely Graeme Smith had seen the scorecards from the last five matches at the ground? It beggars belief. Apparently England would have bowled first, too. Tea is approaching, which should allow the England management to make sure Bell and Broad, who have really killed SA with a 100-plus partnership, to slam the foot on the accelarator. But that can't be a given, considering some of the odd decision-making we have seen so far.

15.24 England 512-6
Consecutive boundaries for Ian Bell off Ntini is just the ticket for England. Their innings run rate is 3.81 and they need to push that to more than four an over. If Michael Vaughan's side are to win this match then quick runs are essential at times like this when South Africa are looking ragged. By the way, e shouldn't be surprised England have 500. On the previous six occasions when they have batted in the first innings of the match at Lord's, they have passed 500 four times.

15.01 England 486-6
South Africa are testing Stuart Broad out with some short stuff, something Broad was never called at school I bet. A short leg and silly midoff are positioned in case a catch comes their way but Broad is playing with ease. He has 18 now. Slightly gloomier here at HQ but there are brighter skies where the weather is coming from. Paul Harris, South Africa's least effective bowler is coming on, and it is to be hoped that Ian Bell attacks him. Time to make a statement. Oddly Bell has gone into his shell since his 150. Hit Harris hard and SA will have doubts over their starting line up for the next game. Win the small battles, win the war.

14.40 England 480-6
Just in case thoughts were beginning to turn to an England declaration, it would be reasonable to assume that Michael Vaughan will not call them in until, or if, Ian Bell makes a double century. England will want at least 550 and we can also be sure that Vaughan will not allow South Africa to take 10 wickets, denting the confidence of the much-vaunted bowling attack. Bell has passed KP's 152.

14.20 England 459-6
Lord's is bathed in bright sunshine at the moment, which is in stark contrast to the rest of the country. Six of the eight Championship matches scheduled are being held up by rain. We're not due any until around 4pm. Meanwhile, Ian Bell, who has 142 requires a further 11 to go past Kevin Pietersen for top-bat honours (presuming someone else doesn't get a whopping score of course). He is [1.35] to do so. KP is [6.00] to hold on.

13.54 England 422-6
Tim Ambrose has gone almost immediately after the re-start, which could suggest the pitch has been juiced up that heavy rain we had earlier. It is Morne Morkel again. He needs one more wicket to get his name on the board. Ambrose managed only four, bless him. He did actually say in a Q&A in the match programme that he preferred spin to swing, although I don't think that moved very much Timmy. Perhaps he doesn't like speed, either. I feel a bit sorry for Ambrose. He just looks like a schoolboy under that helmet of his. I think he should start batting without one to show the world he is balding and then the opposition would not be spurred on thinking they were bowling to a six year old, rather than a wise, seen-it-all-before man. Mind you, that wouldn't be very clever if he doesn't like pace.

13.43 England 417-5
Lunch was a conundrum. Just could not work out whether it was tuna or chicken. Mr Boycott certainly didn't know. "What have we got here then? Oh no, no, no. This won't do. Not very good today. Like that Paul Harris's bowling. Absolute rooobish! Wish I was still playing. I'm going for the quiche.Need to know what I'm eating". We're about to get underway again.

12.45 England 417-5
Paul Collingwood has the colly wobbles after being dismissed for just seven - caught at short leg off Paul Harris. I was going to say how often a rain break affects a batsman's concentration but having just seen the replay and noticed how his bat was no way near the ball, it isn't really relevant. A really bad decision by Billy Bowden and Collingwood suffers the indignity of more silent treatment.

12.38 England 413-4
A light shower indeed. The cover is off and we're ready to go again. Draw back to [1.41] again.

12.36 RAIN STOOPED PLAY England 413-4
The rain has arrived about 20 minutes earlier than expected. The draw price has dipped from [1.41] to [1.37]. It only looks to be a very short, light shower, however. The hover cover is on the strip but no other protection is afforded to the rest of the square,so that gives an indication as to how long the groundsman reckons they'll be off. And groundsman are essentially weather men for their little patch, you know.

12.20 England 404-4
Pietersen is out for 152. He has gloved a short one from Morne Morkel - who has three wickets - to Mark Boucher. KP leaves to a standing ovation. And poor old Paul Collingwood walks out to absolute silence. Of course this is his first England appearance since the infamous run out incident at The Oval. I wonder if the Lord's crowd are sending him to Coventry?

12.12 England 397-3
Some dark clouds are gathering in the skies above north London now. They appear to be making their way from behind the pavilion. They don't look that menacing, however. Those clever people at the Met Office reckon we will have some rain from 1pm and even thunderstorms by four. We'll see. KP has 150 - the fifth time he has managed it in Tests.

12.02 England 388-3
A century for Ian Bell. It would be unfair to claim that Bell's under-pressure hoodoo remains because the focus was on KP because if he had failed here his place would have been under threat. There was a shot of Paul Collingwood warmly applauded the tom on the balcony. So the pressure moves again. This time to Colly, who will need runs or an England victory to prevent the vultures from circling.

11.44 England 363-3
I'm just tucking in to my first biscuits of the day. By Jove I needed it. I tell you, getting buffeted this way and that by the hordes jostling their way to HQ this fine morn took it out of me. And for some reason, those short flight of stairs at Warwick Avenue tube really burned. Oooof. Probably didn't help that I had to lug the oldl aptop along, too. Yep, I'm gonna need to have another biccy to get my second wind. By the way, does everyone fear another bore draw here? Email me at hawkeyeview@hotmail.co.uk

11.30 England 344-3
South Africa are looking ragged.So is their price. An amazing [21.00]. Gosh, that's big. Of course a couple of sharp wickets and that will be cut in half but they look a long way off as KP creams one through the covers for four. The draw is as short as [1.4] now. That is a lay in my book. Okay, there might be a bit of rain around but England are winning this match at the moment.

11.00 England 313-3
England have started from where they left off with Ian Bell clipping Dale Steyn for four through the legside. The visitors are desperate for early wickets. Anything above 400 for England and Graeme Smith's men are right up against it. Plenty has gone on before play, most notably an old gent having a baby at the gate because security wanted to take his flask away. "It's not whisky, it's apple juice. Apple juice do you hear!" he cried."It does smell fruity," said the warden. "But not in the sense you are suggesting."

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