England Cricket / Ed Hawkins / 25 December 2009 /

Forget the cold turkey and soggy Christmas pud, join Ed Hawkins to guide you through a mouthwatering day of in-running betting with day one of the second Test from Durban. Email him here

CLOSE SA 175-5
That's all sports fans. A bit of an anti-climax, really. England were just getting going when the gloom arrived. They came back strongly when it looked as though Smith and Kallis were batting them out of the game. We're back tomorrow with all the tips and trends, and, of, course, the Xmas Challenge.

BAD LIGHT 13.45 SA 175-5
Our Xmas Challenge has rather been cut short. Not sure whether the players will come back tonight. Disappointing. Looks very gloomy in Durban at the mo. Still, SA weather would appear to changeable so we'll keep you posted. South Africa [4.20], England [5.10] and the draw [1.73].

13.40 SA 175-5
Onions has arguably been the best of the England pacemen and bowled a beauty to trap Duminy just before the players went off for bad light.

13.31 WICKET SA 170-5
JP Duminy lbw b Onions 4. South Africa [3.60], England [5.70] and the draw [1.80].

13.26 SA 167-4
Yes-no-yes-no-yes-no. Suicide for South Africa. Smith has gone - and level pegging at 75 with Kallis, by the way - and he will be kicking himself. There was never a run to Cook at midwicket and Smith was short as he dithered with AB in the middle of the wicket. Cook had the time to run up to the wicket and remove the bails. Not quit as bad as the KP-Trott run out, but amusing nonetheless. England are suddenly back in it.

WICKET 13.21 SA 166-4
G Smith run out 75. South Africa [3.50], England [7.50] and the draw [1.67].

13.14 SA 165-3
A Tangerine Creme with Colly snaffling that one. Not sweet for backers of Kallis top bat, though. He looks likely to come up short with that 75. AB de Villiers is the new man in and the floodlights are on. However, when shadows start to appear, the players will have to go off.

WICKET 13.08 SA 160-3
J Kallis c Collingwood b Swann 75. South Africa [3.30], England [9.60], the draw [1.64].

TEA 12.41 SA 151-2
Desperate times for England. Kevin Pietersen comes onto bowl to a chorus of boos just before the break. This could result in not only a run glut but the Cadbury Roses stock diminishing significantly. For those who don't know what I'm going on about, please read the Xmas challenge rules posted at 11.50. South Africa [3.25], England [12.00] and the draw [1.58]

12.30 SA 142-2
A sumptuous boundary from Jacques Kallis means we have to delve into the Roses. The wicket looks extremely easy and the draw is as short as [1.59]. Normally I would advise a lay of such a price but I just cannot risk it with this pitch and two bowling attacks which, well, don't have enough bowlers. Kallis will bowl for South Africa but he is far from full fitness, by the way.

12.12 SA 130-2
JP has emailed to quite rightly express confusion over one of the rules for our Xmas Challenge. "If consecutive boundaries are scored, do I have to eat just two Cadbury Roses or are they in addition to the x1 one Rose I would have eaten for each boundary." Great point JP. To clear this up, you have to eat one Roses per boundary. The 'two Roses per consecutive boundary' regulation is in addition. So you would eat four. I suggest a Golden Barrel-Country Fudge combo.

12.05 SA 115-2
Both batsmen have moved on to 50 but both have had narrow escapes. Smith was adjudged not out after a good lbw appeal from Swann and in the next over Kallis nicked one between first slip and wicketkeeper.

11.50 SA 103-2
Here are the rules to our Xmas Challenge, which should help you get rid of the Christmas leftovers. Let's enforce these strictly, folks.

A boundary = a Cadbury Rose of your choice

Consecutive boundaries = two Cadbury Roses of your choice

Sir Ian Botham gets confused = eat a mince pie

A wicket = sausage roll and pig-in-blanket combo

Paul Collingwood takes a catch = a Tangy Orange Creme

Someone mentions that Sir Ian Botham likes a drink = glass of sherry

A hat-trick = mince pie, Christmas cake and Christmas pudding all in the same bowl with cream

A century = a turkey sandwich with lashing of cranberry sauce

Ian Bell scores a century = set fire to Xmas tree

Ian Bell scores a double century = set fire to elderly relative

England follow on, James Anderson scores a century, Jonathan Trott takes a hat-trick and they win = go to Vatican and try to push over Pope

11.35 SA 100-2
At this time of year ... well, er, specifically, Boxing Day, there is often an inordinate amount of grub left over from Christmas Day. Here's what I can spy in my kitchen: sausage rolls, sausages wrapped in bacon, mince pies, turkey, Christmas cake, Christmas pudding Quality Street chocolates, Toblerone, After Eights, Trifle. What to do with it all? Simple. Play the action-inspired Stuff Your face Challenge. When something specific happens you have to eat one of the above items. Rules and regulations to follow shortly.

11.20 SA 91-2
Here are some numbers: 105,177, 162, 114, 74, 22. These are Kallis's past six scores in SA's first innings at Durban. He has 36 and is [2.40] for top bat.

11.00 SA 78-2
There is not much faith in the England bowling attack on this surface. They have drifted to [8.00] and there are some skinny prices indeed on South Africa first-innings runs. The hosts are [1.90] for 400 or more and [2.40] for 475 or more. Three times since 2000 have South Africa batted first at Durban. They have made 420, 368 and 328.

10.43 SA 67-2
Graeme Swann will start again after lunch. A slight surprise that given the fast men have had time to rest up. It could be an end change of course. There was a bit of bounce for Swann before lunch, and he was a knee jerk away from getting Graeme Smith stumped. As I type, Smith has almost chipped a return chance to the Notts man. South Africa [2.92], England [6.80] and the draw [1.92].

LUNCH 10.02 SA 67-2
A ponderous session of only 25 overs. Graeme Smith (29) and Jacques Kallis (28) are South Africa's stellar pair. They will feel confident of punching on after the break when scoring becomes easier due to the pitch and the weary nature of England's bowlers. The latter is a worry for England, although they've brought it on themselves. The failure to pick another bowler looks cataclysmic. So short are they that Jonathan Trott has already been used. This is reflected in the prices. England a whopping [7.00]. South Africa are [2.86] and the draw is [1.94].

09.57 SA 66-2
Graeme Swann has come on, a bit of bounce and spin but also two swept fours by Smith. Meanwhile it is pertinent to look at the weather forecast. No rain is expected today, scattered thunder storms tomorrow and possibility of showers on days four and five. It is not a forecast
that should influence punters' thinking.

09.35 SA 41-2
Twenty-odd minutes to go until lunch. James Anderson, who bowled six straight overs at the start of play and looked as if he had run a marathon, is back for another spell.

09.22 SA 34-2
Consecutive fours for Jacques Kallis, the first of which was the first boundary four from the blade. Kallis as short as [3.00] now for top SA bat. He has 14. Batting should get considerably easier after lunch. England are desperate to split this pair.

09.02 SA 14-2
Question: what happens if you do not give your turkey proper protection when it goes in the oven? Answer: it dries out. England have failed to cover their bird with enough tin foil. This is a festive-inspired reference to England picking only three seamers. James Anderson has bowled six overs off the reel. His shirt is soaking because of the stifling humidity. But he can't be given a decent rest because only Stuart Broad and Graham Onions are available. Likewise for the latter two as the game progresses. Now, that might not matter so much in the first hour but fast forward to later on in the Test? What about the last hour? What about days three or four? Anderson and co could be spent. England are [3.95] but even with two wickets in their pouches they look a bad bet.

08.49 SA 13-2
A beauty from Broad to get rid of Amla. It was full, it was swinging and it was so dead that Amla didn't even consider making a referral. England need that. The wicket brings Jacques Kallis to the crease, giving Andrew Strauss a golden opportunity to get rid of the top man when the ball is still moving.

WICKET 08.45 SA 10-2
H Amla lbw b Broad 2. South Africa [2.76], England [4.50] and the draw [2.35]

08.25 SA 6-1
Jacques Kallis is [4.00] for top SA bat. A good price considering one rival has already been removed. Kallis has a bewilderingly-good record at Kingsmead. He has top scored five times in the last nine first-inninngs there. Graeme Smith, who is having a real ding-dong merrily on high battle with James Anderson, is [4.50]. Have a look at the first-class records on this ground of the home side's batters below...
Smith 30
Prince 64
Amla 39
Kallis 53
AB de Villiers 58
JP Duminy 32

08.15 SA 4-1
Real bounce from Anderson to get rid of Ashwell Prince. That could've taken his nose off. Hashim Amla is the new man at the crease. He is playing on his home ground so you would expect him to thrive. Not so. He averages only 16 in Tests at Kingsmead. It is a record which highlights the potential for swing because Amla has forever been dodgy outside off stump. Coming up, a look at the top South Africa first-innings batsman market.

WICKET 08.09 SA 3-1
A Prince c Swann b Anderson 2. South Africa [2.62], England [5.00], the draw [2.16].

08.00 SA 2-0
Hot, hot heat. A sweltering 90% humidity is reported, which means that if England do not get the new ball to swing early on they could be cooked. And it looks like they're going to get some. James Anderson has shaped his fourth and fifth balls away nicely from Graeme Smith.

07.38 SA win the toss and bat
Festive greetings from my living room. The discarded wrapping paper, split crackers, escaped ball-balls and mince pie crusts will have to wait. David Gower, Father Christmas' cooler brother, takes precedence as he presents the action from Durban. Graeme Smith, South Africa's skipper, has won the toss and will bat. That is the only gift he was after. A supplementary is England's refusal to pick the extra bowler. Ian Bell, would you believe, plays. South Africa drop Friedel de Wet for Dale Steyn. Here are the prices: South Africa [2.52], England [6.60] and the draw [2.15]

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