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Live Test Match Blog: England v South Africa, 1st Test - Day One

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Don't worry Jacques, it's sunny this morning! Ed Hawkins is at Lords for the first Test against the Proteas and he'll see play start on time. Stay up to date with the cricket, and the odds, in his live blog.

18.41 England 309-3
England are in charge after seeing off South Africa's battery of pacemen, largely thanks to the brilliance of Kevin Pietersen. The first session was something of a phoney war after the much-hyped Proteas fast-bowlers looked gun shy. But after lunch, they bowled bullets and with three wickets for three runs in 13 deliveries showed what they are capable of. From there it was the KP show. His century will have warmed the wallets of many top-bat punters who were on him to put his old country to the sword. England are on the cusp of a first-innings 400 for the first time in 12 months. It would take something remarkable for them to lose from such a position. Rain is forecast for tomorrow which could juice up the pitch and gives hope for those of us who were hoping for wickets with the new ball. The prices are: England [3.85], South Africa [7.80] and the draw [1.63]

18.10 England 294-3
Kevin Pietersen has a century in his first Test against the country of his birth. There was a predictably over-the-top celebration; two jumps for joy, a Christ-like pose with arms outstretched and then a wander out to midwicket as if he was starting a lap of honour. We'll allow him that, however, because it has been such a good innings. Brave, chanceless and belligerent.

18.00 England 281-3
KP needs three for a tom which will raise the roofs of the six stands that have them here at HQ

17.50 England 276-3
A delay in taking the new ball for some bizarre reason. When South Africa do get their hands on it we should expect wickets. There can be no harm in taking some of the [6.4] - or probably higher by the time Graeme Smith calls for it - about South Africa because they will be cut if Bell or KP succumb. And their three wickets in 13 deliveries earlier suggests the Proteas can take wicket in clusters, promising further reduction in odds...okay they've got the new ball. SAS [6.4] to back.

17.42 England 259-3
New ball alert. South Africa get a hard cherry in less than two overs. Here are the prices: England [4.00], South Africa [6.00] and the draw [1.67]

17.32 England 257-3
Gooders has responded to my previous jibe/question about whether there really is any difference between people in Nottingham and Birmingham. And to be fair, his riposte is spot on. "Yes. It's like the difference between people from Oxford and Swindon." For those of who you don't know Oxford is full of all round good eggs while people from Swindon are scraping their knuckles on the floor and reckon a good night out is hanging around outside a petrol station swigging from cans of lager with their wife who is really their aunt. It reminds me of that famous line about Norfolk. The tourist board's slogan was 'Norfolk...really coming into its own'. They weren't joking

17.10 England 236-3
By the way, with KP well set the market for an England century in the first innings has dipped to [1.16] to back.

17.05 England 231-3
Kevin Pietersen has his 50 and there is something inevitable about him scoring runs isn't there? You have to hand it to the guy. Huge pressure on him today to do well and so far he is batting fantastically. And all after being given a real roughing up by Dale Steyn early on in his innings. KP may have a swagger, talk nonsense and not really be English, but you can't help but admire the chap.

16.47 England 198-3
Obviously before this Test, I hadn't checked the email (hawkeyeview@hotmail.co.uk) for very long. So after a period of inactivity it is refreshing to see that I am as popular as ever with the scammers. A total of 59 spam emails have been received. Ovie Bugra has asked 'please do this we me' but I dare not open the email, Larry Omare needs my assistance (I bet you do, pal) and Ibrahim has something confidential to show me. Keep it to yourself. Finally, Mr Philip Marvellous needs some bank details from me so he can deliver a parcel. With a name like that, he must be genuine.

16.20 England 179-3
Gooders, an old friend of this blog, has been in touch. "Bell has a very good record at HQ. Two centuries in seven Tests (although one in an innings with four centurions and another during one with three). So would I back him for top bat? No way, Pedro. He's a flaky Brummie." Gooders, by the way, is from Nottingham, which is approximately 60 miles away from Birmingham. Or less than an hour's drive. Do people's characters really change that much in a short car ride Gooders?

16.03 England 164-3
By the way, if you're in the area you can come in now the final session has begun for 15 quid. I'll give you a wave, too. I do believe there is some cake knocking around somewhere. I'll grab myself a slice. South Africa need to make sure they don't miss out, too. They must hit Pietersen hard after the break with Steyn and either Morkel or Ntini. Pin him in his crease and then try to hit his stumps, chaps. Interesting to note that the 46-run partnership between KP and Bell has had an big impact on the market. South Africa, who had been as short as [2.60] are now out to [3.20]which is almost as big as they were before the three-wicket burst.

15.40 England 162-3
Ian Bell is a batsman who has been charged with the heinous crime of failing to score runs when the pressure is on. Well, the pressure is on but there is a school of thought in the media box that it is all on Pietersen, so Bell can relax and play his natural game. The wicket is flat and he has a hunger for runs - notice his double ton for Warwickshire recently. He has 33 and is [2.12] for top bat honours. The fly in the ointment is his record of getting out when well set.

15.24 England 148-3
South Africa have tried to expose a weakness in Kevin Pietersen's technique/character so far in his innings. Pietersen does not like the short stuff so when Morkel peppered him and when Steyn felled him with a bumper, it was all part of a plan. The problem was they only carried out half of it. The idea is to force him on to the back foot, then get one right up there so his movement forward is tentative with a leg before or thin edge a possibility.

15.13 England 138-3
Tremendous stuff here at HQ. Pietersen has been pinged on his lid by Steyn and crumpled like that schoolgirl we were talking about earlier. Watch out for one pitched up now to take advantage of KP's nerves.

14.56 England 128-3
That flurry of wickets - three wickets for three runs in 13 deliveries - has, of course, brought Kevin Pietersen to the crease. The favourite for top England runscorer in this dig [3.00] faces a stern test. He almost failed it by taking a run which was never on. The shy missing with him well short of his ground.

14.55 England 117-3
Dale Steyn strikes. And finally we are beginning to see the South Africa bowling attack live up to their hype. An 88mph corker has split Michael Vaughan's stumps. He has gone for two. A whole point comes off South Africa's price - [3.05] they are now. It was a rapid delivery from Steyn but it was a surprise to see Vaughan miss it. Perhaps he was beaten for pace but sure as hell he was playing down the wrong line. One for the notebook, folks. HOLD FIRE! I can't type quick enough. Cook goes! And it is Morkel again with a real brute. Keep up everyone. SA [2.26]

14.37 England 114-1
Andrew Strauss (44) is South Africa's vist victim of the summer, and eevryone's best friend Morne Morkel. Morkel got one to straighten to pin STrauss leg before but replays show it pitched just outside leg stump. But before we all blame ump Daryl Harper, let's remember that we only know that because of a super slo mo and the blue stump guideline.

14.25 England 105-0
Portuguese Pirate from London thinks that if Graeme Smith and Kevin Pietersen were to resolve their differences for once and for all with a streetfight, Smith would have him. KP may be the slightly quicker mover but one good left-hand hook from Smith and you're unlikely to get up from the deck anytime soon. I have to agree with PP. KP regularly hits the ground like a girl whose had her pigtails tugged after hopscotch disagreement. What does everyone else think? Email me at hawkeyeview@hotmail.co.uk

14.09 England 87-0
South Africa are bowling a better line after the break and Alastair Cook was fortunate to edge through the vacant third slip area. With the hosts approaching a century, here's a stat which highlights the folly of bowling first at HQ. On the last six occasions when England have batted in the first innings of the match, they have passed 500 four times. Email me your views at hawkeyeview@hotmail.co.uk

13.44 England 73-0
The players are back on at Lord's. The only incidents of note during the grub break was there was a spot of rain which briefly forced the draw price in to [1.84] but more importantly, the same small and stingy dinner plates remain. I would have thought after the uproar I caused at their pitiful capacity for the Kiwi Test that they would have been replaced by larger ones. I could only fit one slice of quiche on and a few potatoes, and a couple of slices of salmon, and some beans and a some salad. I ask you.

13.00 Lunch England 71-0
England are content at the break while South Africa will be regretting their decision to bowl first. Joe has asked for my view on what will happen in the series and whether the visitors were a lay at [1.91] before this first Test began. On the evidence so far, that wouldn't have been a bad bet. However, few series are about the here and now and more about the then and there. With their record of having gone 1-0 up in their last three series in England, South Africa could be shorter to lay later on, especially as England have Andrew Flintoff to return, probably for the third Test at fortress Edgbaston. My view is that a tight 2-1 South Africa win - unlike England they have a bowling attack which does not demand swinging conditions to prosper - or a draw. They are available at [5.00] and [2.82] respectively.

12.43 England 70-0
Pretty serene progress for England so far with Alastair Cook (38) and Andrew Strauss (22) looking more accomplished by the minute. Cook has had some jam with his runs, edging through the gully region a couple of times, but other than that there have been few false shots from England. Could it be that South Africa, just like India last summer, are finding the Lord's slope difficult to cope with?

12.31 England 55-0
The emails (hawkeyeview@hotmail.co.uk) are flooding in. James says: "My Portuguese girlfriend has 20 cats and three dogs. I'm sure one of them is called Paul." Are your sure? Would it not be called Paulo? If so, I'm afraid that doesn't count.

12.20 England 48-0
Mahavir has been in touch. And you're a favourite, Mahavir. Anyone who greets me with a 'sir' is doing okay in my book. "How do you see the match going and will the weather disturb more than 50 overs out of total 450?" he asks. Well, as you may have read I am slightly surprised South Africa bowled first given the fair batting conditions this morning. Still, I reckoned SA would win the Test before the flip and it would be mightily churlish of me to change my mind now. South Africa's bowlers have struggled a little this morning but they have more variety than England, who have struggled to bowl sides out twice here at HQ in recent times. As for overs lost, showers are forecast for day two and day three so it is a strong possibility that more than 50 overs will be lost. Only 244 were possible against New Zealand here earlier this summer. It won't be anyway near as bad as that, however. The draw price is [2.04]. With England looking steady and rain tomorrow, backing now and then laying off at skinny odds at a later date could be wise.

11.55 England 32-0
England are making the South Africans play fetch.Bad boy, Morne! In your basket! The gangly paceman has switched ends from the Nursery to the Pavilion and the change has not worked. He has just conceded nine off his first over when running down the slope. He did hit 94mph, though. Email me at hawkeyeview@hotmail.co.uk

11.41 England 13-0
Morne Morkel, thundering in as I type, weighs well over 25kg. He is a very big dog indeed. Actually, Morne is exactly the sort of name that one would give a dog. Come to think of it, so is Dale. Does this South Africa bowling attack consist entirely of household pets? Makhaya. Well, it would certainly be an original moniker for a doggy. Right, who else? Paul (Harris).Come one, Paul you've let us down there. No-one calls any pet Paul, least of all a dog. Fitting then that Paul is the weak link in the South Africa bowling attack, too. You could say the England batsmen will be disappointed if they don't make him their bitch.

11.20 England 3-0
It seems like an age since we were last blogging for the Test. It was June 5th to be precise, which actually isn't that long ago unless you are dog. And a big one at that. For every seven human years a canine weighing more than 25kgs lives it equates to 65 in doggy years. Incredible. I do not have the mathematical ability to work out how much time would have elapsed for an overweight hound since 36 days ago. But if you do, email me at hawkeyeview@hotmail.co.uk. Or you could ask a question about the cricket, I suppose.

11.08 England 0-0
A good start from South Africa fast-bowling duo Dale Steyn and Makhaya Ntini. Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook are already looking uncomfortable. Steyn has a strike rate of 36 so, in theory, he should have a wicket within the next five overs.

11.00 England 0-0
Welcome to our live blog for England v South Africa. Lord's seems to have a thicker air of reverence this morning than for some time. Certainly more noticeable than when New Zealand were hosted earlier this summer. Perhaps it is down to South Africa arriving here on the back of six series wins from their last seven and the English feel need to up the pomposity. Anything for an edge. It hasn't worked in the past. South Africa have won on their last three visits - and by massive margins. First blood goes to them this morning. They have won the toss. But surprisingly have chosen to bowl first. Okay, it could nip around a bit but if you ask me, and you are reading this so I suppose you might be interested, I reckon a team should only bowl first when bowling conditions are dreamy. It's not quite that good. The sun is out and there is a slight win blowing across the ground from east. Normally one would like it coming from behind the Nursery End if you are a bowler. No matter, we'll see. The prices are England [5.2], South Africa [2.34] and the draw [2.60].

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