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AB defies England
FROM PAGE 17
was finally brought into the attack and his back-of-a-length pace was not to Prince's liking. An edge fell short of Alastair Cook at point off Broad before Flintoff lured him into a loose cut, the ball flying to Andrew Strauss at slip. To have Flintoff coming into bowl at first or second change is a luxury England have not been afforded for far too long, which only emphasises the influence Harmison has on the whole balance of England's attack. Flintoff grazed de Villiers' visor with a fierce bouncer before shaving his back with another deadly straight one in the next over.
50 quiet minutes calmed South Africa's fluttering nerves after lunch. They needed a grafting session if they were to challenge England with a testing total, and had two of their most nuggety of brawlers at the crease. Monty Panesar twirled away at one end while Broad and Anderson alternated at the other. Then captain Kev struck once more: an inspired change of bowling brought about Boucher's demise when Anderson switched ends, and he found the shoulder of Boucher's bat who fended him straight to gully. Andrew Strauss had had a quiet
word with Pietersen in the preceding over, but whomever's decision it was, Pietersen is having one hell of a first game in charge.
de Villiers is not one to lie down submissively and wait for the axe, despite the pummelling he had received from Harmison and Flintoff. A sublime cover drive got his feet moving, and he was content to work balls into the gap and rotate the strike. Morne Morkel coped well with Anderson - picking him up for four over midwicket with surprising timing - but remained rather hapless against Panesar. After surviving a confident appeal for lbw, he was caught by a diving Ian Bell at short-leg to one which brushed his globe. Or so it appeared to, at any rate. De Villiers' patient fifty came with a fortuitous inside-edge, as England began to lose their focus.
Panesar was treated with disdain by de Villiers, a sublime player of spin, pulling him through midwicket with power before wellying a long-hop over the same region for another four. As tea approached, South Africa's lead amounted to a useful but unthreatening 143. Another two hours of de Villiers, however, and the match's conclusion is far from
certain.
SCOREBOARD
Scoreboard at tea on the fourth day of the fourth and final Test between England and South Africa at The Oval on Sunday:
SOUTH AFRICA: Firstinnings 194
ENGLAND: First innings 316 SOUTH AFRICA: Second innings (overnight 110-2)
Smith lbw b Anderson 0
McKenzie b Broad 29
AmlacAmbrosebHarmison 76 Kallis c Collingwood bHarmison 9 Prince c Strauss b Flintoff 24 DeVilliersnotout 76
Boucher c Collingwood b Anderson 12 Morkel c Bell bPanesar 10
Harris not out 12
Extras: (b-6,lb-8,nb-3) 17
Total: (For 7 wkts in 85 overs) 265 Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-82, 3-119, 4-138,5-161,6-201,7-218.
Bowler O M R W
Anderson 20 2 73 2
Harmison 23 6 68 2
Flintoff 15 4 47 1
Panesar 13 4 28 1
Broad 13 4 34 1
Pietersen 10 10