Live Test Match Blogging / Ed Hawkins / 19 July 2008 /

Headingley played host to some pulsating cricket on day one of the second test - runs, plenty of wickets and a little bit of controversy. Ed Hawkins takes to the hot seat on day two as England bid to regain the initiative....

18.38 SA 322-4 STUMPS
The umps have got together and offered the batsmen the light which they accept.

Prince (134*) and de Villiers (70*) walk off to the dressing room in the knowledge that they are unlikely to have to bat again today. The pair have frustrated England all day and put on 179 runs together. The tourists lead by 119 runs and will likely set themselves to bat only one innings in this match

England's bowling attack was punished at Lords and is being thoroughly tested here at Headingley. Wickets, only one fell today, have been hard to come by and Vaughan has had to rely on Flintoff who has now bowled 28 overs.

With three days left to play and good weather forecast England will not have given up all hope of salvaging something from this test but they will need early wickets under helpful conditions on Sunday.

England [22.00], South Africa [1.32], the draw [4.90]

That's all for now, join me tomorrow for day three of the second test.

18.25 SA 316-4
Prince and de Villiers stride out and for a change Vaughan's attack have overcast conditions to bowl in. I cannot resist a little lay of South Africa at [1.31]. Flintoff - who else? - has the ball in his hand.

18.10 SA 314-4
An inspection has taken place. Headlingley looks quite bright now and the maths boffins expect we might get 11 overs this evening.

That would be a great little spell for the England bowlers, everything to gain and not a lot to lose - the opposite scenario applies to the visitors.

Play due to restart at 6.25.

17.49 SA 314-4 RAIN/BAD LIGHT STOPS PLAY
The rain has ceased and some covers have come off. Our understanding is that there will be an inspection in 20 minutes. If all goes well that would mean we might get a start at about 6.10. It means there will not be much more play today but England will be keen to have a little dart especially if those clouds remain.

England [23.00], South Africa [1.30], The draw [4.90]

17.35 SA 314-4 RAIN/BAD LIGHT STOPS PLAY
This break suits England well - the bowling attack can put their feet up and will hope the overcast conditions stay in place when they return to the field of play. Batsmen Prince and de Villiers will have to start again. In short recent events should aid a result and yet the instinctive reaction of the exchange is to shorten the draw.

The weather forecast is good for the next few days so my initial reaction is to go in a lay the draw again.

The lead is 111 with six wickets in hand.

17.17 SA 314-4
The light meter is out and the South Africans have accepted the offer to go indoors

Expect plenty more draw activity now. Draw market is now [4.80] England [26.00] and South Africa [1.3]

Heavier rain falling now.

16.58 SA 307-4
Well, there it is then. South Africa have secured a 100-run advantage and crucially they have six wickets in hand. Just started to see a some build-up in the clouds surrounding the ground. The sun shines on and there is a light shower.

In exchange land there is a belief that England's chance has gone, they are out to [22.00].

It is understandable reaction to what we are watching, this is spirit sapping stuff for the bowlers and remember all that time they spent in the field at Lords.

Still plenty of time to go. It might be Saturday but it is worth bearing in mind we still have not completed the second day of action in this test.

16.34 SA 284-4
The second new ball has offered little assistance to England's cause. Prince and de Villiers are well set and have put on 139 together and those showers we thought we would get earlier today have not materialised at all.

Fortunately I've got a nice cup of tea in my hand a fresh pack of choc digestives. The tea could have been brewed a little longer but seeing as it was made for me I don't think I'm in a position complain.

16.18 SA 276-4
Interesting to see AB de Villiers struggling against the moving ball. I've spotted about three false shots so far.

Twice he has edged to that gully region and he has just played an odd shot to James Anderson. As mentioned in the blog for the Lord's Test he has a funny trigger movement with his feet which can't help to keep him balanced. There is a little shuffle with hs feet which means he could get caught on the crease or play with his bat a long way from his body.

16.05 SA 263-4
Back in action. But this will be Flintoff's 22nd over in the match - the second biggest workload he has got through since returning from that fourth ankle operation.

The most is the 28 he bowled in the first innings against Surrey at The Oval in Lancashire's first County Championship match of the season. Flintoff's longevity in this match has to be a concern with those stats in mind, particularly as he looks certain to go past 28 overs and beyond.

Pattinson by contrast has bowled just 13 overs

15.45 SA 262-4 TEA
South Africa dominate again. Ashwell Prince, a centurion at Lords, goes to three figures just before tea. The visitors are 59 runs ahead and the weather is set fair. England's only comfort is that they have the new ball when the resume after a cup of tea.

Talking of tea, I've picked up some McVities dark chocolate digestives to go with my brew.

Prices time: England drift out to [14.00] South Africa [1.32] and the draw [5.80]

15.37 SA 262-4
It is worth addressing the subject of the new ball.

As I have discussed in the Racing Post the hard red cherry at the start of a team's innings and then after 80 overs sounds a reliable alert for us to prepare to place a wager with wickets likely. It is not common knowledge that the market rarely reacts to the second new ball, particularly runs markets on the spreads.

We know that a new ball swings and thus makes the batsmen vulnerable and it is often a question of timing to back the bowling team (or lay the batting outfit) when the new ball is in use.

Transversely, money is there for the taking when the new ball loses its lustre. Batting gets easier after around the 20-over mark (although always be wary of reverse swing) and if your eyes aren't good enough to see if its stopped bending, a good clue is to see how many of the slips have been shipped out and whether a sweeper is operating on the boundary.

15.29 SA 254-4
The new ball has been taken

Gooders has emailed to ask when the last time two Notts bowlers were operating in tandem ina Test - darren Pattinson and Stuart Broad both being Notts players of course. He reckons it could be as long ago as Bodyline when Harold Larwood and Bill Voce gave Australia something to whinge about.

As England toil it is worth discussing the horses for courses selectorial policy at Headingley.

History is littered with good soild county swingers being given a chance there - Mallender, Mike Smith, Newport, Munton are just some of the names that spring to mind. Of course, some have had success but generally they are tossed on the scrap heap. Darren Pattinson, with only one wicket so far, looks certain to join them.

He was given the call from relative obscurity. He had played only 11 first-class matches and was apparently preparing to go to Alton Towers instead. Despite the long queues, screaming kids and expensive burgers, I wonder if he wishes he had gone? Certainly he might have enjoyed more thrills and spills than he has provided us with.

But to get back to the point. Horses for courses selections rarely work. When South Africa were last playing in Leeds in 2003 England tried it and it failed. Kabir Ali, James Kirtley and Martin Bicknell ran a three-horse race if you like to see who could embarrass themselves the most. South Africa thrashed England in that game.

15.10 SA 237-4
I was thinking about asking the former roofer (Pattinson) to buy me a lottery ticket.

The fellow appeared to be leading a charmed life. Whisked away from Grimsby as a lad for the golden beaches and clear blue skies of Australia. He pitches up to play a handful of games back in the mother-country and is presented with a smart, navy blue England cap for his troubles. In the process he was resuced from the propect of a day at a theme park . . .the lucky beggar even got a stroke of luck for his first and only test wicket.

However I think Pattinson's fortune has run out. Hoggard and Co would not envy the lad bowling in these batsman friendly conditions.

Prince and de Villiers are well set and have advanced their side's lead by 34. England will be desperately hoping to keep the run rate down until the new ball arrives in three overs time.

14.39 SA 206-4
South Africa now have a first innings lead with six wickets in hand.

My flatmate had an early gamble on England after learning that seven of the last eight games have been won by the side batting first. That kind of stat is hard to ignore and its based on the fact that Headlingley is not easy to bat last on. The visitors will hope to negate that problem by stretching out a decent lead now.

Do you remember we were expecting that draw price to come in? It is now [5.7]

14.29 SA 194-4
The Headingley crowd has been subdued by Ashwell Prince who has just brought up his half century with a six off Monty.

It has for the most part been a patient knock from the Lords centurion - he has faced 120 deliveries.

The visitors - who are now within nine runs of England's total - have all the time in the world and the elements on their side for the moment.

England [8.4] South Africa [1.34] Draw [6.6]

14.05 SA 177-4
Over twenty overs till the new ball. The sun is out and unless Flintoff can find some reverse swing from somewhere or we see a mistake from the batsman we can expect a spell of steady accumulation from South Africa. With that in mind we can expect much of the exchanges action to focus on the draw market. We can now lay at [7.00] but I expect it to get shorter still.

Monty Panesar makes an appearance.

13.55 SA 162-4
We are back. The batsmen are comforted by some blue sky and the face that there is still no swing or seem movement. It was a quiet morning session and England will be hoping that one wicket might bring a flurry. A first inning deficit of 40 or 50 would be no great disaster for England - but at the moment Prince and de Villiers and sit patiently and just wait for the odd bad ball.

13.00 SA 158-4 - LUNCH
South Africa played a patient game and claim the honours for the first session.

But on a gloriously sunny morning with little assistance from the elements England have notched a wicket. There will be some relief. The visitors still trail by 45 runs and the tail is not far away.

However, there is still scope for the nature of this fascinating game to change quite quickly.

We could well have a low scoring affair on our hands. England will hope they are not too far adrift of the visitors total when they start their second innings.

A word of warning, we saw how Pietersen ran amok after lunch on day one. De Villiers, another flair player, could have a similar effect on game while Prince who averages 42 will happily play the anchor role.

England backers and Vaughan will hope some gloomy clouds settle in during the interval.

The home side can now be backed at [5.50] South Africa at [1.46] and the draw at [7.2]

12.27 SA 129-4
The former roofer, also known as Pattinson, has just gained his first test wicket.

He is fortunate - the bowler originally from Grimsby - has bowled seven overs and gets the wicket with the worst ball of his international career. Amla gets a full toss which hits his front pad . . . the ball would have missed leg stump. England [5.00] South Africa drift only marginally to [1.45]

12.23 SA 129-3
The old ball was not swinging and England have successfully persuaded the umpires it was out of shape. Early signs are that this one is not swinging either. Might not be too long before Vaughan gives Monty a spin.

12.05 SA 143-4
The draw traders' club are out in force. Little chance of a draw in this contest, but with the sun out and Prince and Amla looking comfortable who can blame traders who backed the draw at [9.00] this morning laying back at [7.00] now. The sting might occur if the clouds return or Flintoff finds a bit of reverse swing.

The players take drinks and I'm off for a cup of tea.

11.40 SA 107-3
The weather conditions at Headingley are crucial and England backers had absolutely no luck yesterday. Well, it looks like the gods are smiling on visitors again today. The sun is well and truly out now and Anderson are is unable to generate any movement with the ball.

England drift to [5.10]

11.25 SA 106-3
The sun is out and so are the players and umpires.

England's best two bowlers yesterday are called into action this morning. Anderson kicked us off and now Vaughan sends Flintoff enters the fray.

Bit of a conditions update, it is fresh and blustery. Some overnight rain has slowed the outfield.

England should be the chief beneficiary if showers do break up the play as it will give the bowlers a breather and force the batsmen to start again.

11.02 SA 101-3
Morning blog fans. Some indifferent weather means the start will be marginally delayed - about 11.15. The covers are being removed now - but in the last half hour we've had sunshine and rain. England will be delighted the clouds are back. But this could be busy day for groundsmen and a frustrating day for us as showers look likely to interrupt the play.

For the record we can back England at [4.5] South Africa at [1.49] and the draw at [9.00].

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