Ken Borland

The day was South Africa’s as they finished the second day on 86 for one in the first test against England at the Oval in London on Friday.

34th over – Medium-pacer Ravi Bopara comes on and nearly makes the breakthrough! Hashim Amla, on 40, drives hard off the back foot, there is extra bounce and Andrew Strauss, at first slip, moves late, perhaps waiting for wicketkeeper Matt Prior to go, flings up his left hand but gets only fingertips to the ball as it races to the boundary.

30th over – Tim Bresnan tries to bounce Graeme Smith, but the South African captain is on to it quickly, hooking the ball through square-leg for four.

29th over – Jimmy Anderson strays on to the leg side and Amla flicks him neatly through midwicket for four.

24th over – Back of a length and straight from Tim Bresnan but Amla shows great skill as he punches the ball to the right of mid-on for four runs.

20th over – Stuart Broad comes around the wicket to Graeme Smith and presents him with a full delivery, angling in, and the left-hander clips the ball easy-as-you-like through wide mid-on for four.

12th over – Just a single over from Broad is possible after tea as rain starts to fall heavily. A trademark work off his hips gives Smith two runs and takes South Africa to 27 for one. Play resumes after a delay of one hour, 46 minutes.

Afternoon session

Graeme Smith was clearly desperate to succeed in his 100th Test as he steered South Africa to 25 for one at tea on the second day of the first Test against England at the Oval in London on Friday.

11th over – Lovely batting by Hashim Amla as he punches successive deliveries from Jimmy Anderson through the covers for four.

7th over – Dark clouds hovering about and some spittings of rain … umpires confer but decide play can continue. Anderson beats Smith outside the off stump … But the focused left-hander celebrating his 100th test then whips the swing bowler from middle-and-leg to fine leg for four!

6th over – Typical Smith as Stuart Broad pitches on middle-and-off and the left-hander shovels him through midwicket for four!

3rd over – WICKET – Anderson makes the early strike with a superb in-swinging delivery that comes back a mile to hit Alviro Petersen on the back leg and trap him lbw for a duck.

South African fast bowler Morne Morkel ended the England first innings on 385 when he took two wickets in an over on the second day of the first Test at the Oval in London on Friday.

126th over – Morkel wraps up the innings in his second over back. WICKET – Matt Prior drives away from his body again, but there is extra bounce and he ends up edging the ball to wicketkeeper AB de Villiers. Prior scored 60 off 90 balls, with nine fours – nicely played, and a very handy innings for England. WICKET – Jimmy Anderson is out for two as he flaps at a short-pitched, leg-side delivery from Morkel, getting a scratch through to give De Villiers his fifth catch.

125th over – Imran Tahir is back but Graeme Swann handles him well, a well-struck sweep shot bringing him four runs.

123rd over – Good shot by Swann as Dale Steyn drops short and he pulls him through midwicket for four. Two balls later, Swann drives, ball under the eyes, through extra cover for another well-played boundary.

120th over – Prior brings up a crucial half-century for England as he punches Vernon Philander beautifully straight down the ground for his ninth boundary. The wicketkeeper/batsman has been at the crease for two hours and faced 75 balls. WICKET – But Philander then produces a superb delivery that comes back a long way from over the wicket to bowl Stuart Broad through the gate for 16, the ball again just clipping the bail.

119th over – 350 up for England as Broad stands tall and drives a back-of-a-length delivery from Steyn, off the back foot, through the covers for four.

118th over – Prior has come out after lunch full of attacking intent and he forcefully drives Philander off the back foot, wide of gully, for four more runs.

117th over – Steyn is back on from the Vauxhall Rd End but Prior drives him square of the wicket for four – a fine, compact shot with great timing.

116th over – Play is delayed for 10 minutes after lunch by light rain and Philander ends the first over after the break by over-pitching and being driven crisply through mid-off for four by Prior.

Morning session

South Africa stated their intentions clearly with the ball as they reduced England to 326 for seven at lunch on the second day of the first Test at the Oval in London on Friday.

115th over – Well that’s a waste of the final review. Stuart Broad pushes forward to Imran Tahir, the leg-spinner turns the ball into the front pad and appeals confidently for lbw. Broad has surely been struck outside the line though, which the replay confirms.

114th over – Wow! Broad powers a drive on the up, through the covers for four off Vernon Philander.

112th over – Philander returns and swings the ball back into Broad, striking the left-hander in line with leg stump. The appeal is turned down by Asad Rauf, South Africa call for the review, but the replay shows the ball is only just clipping leg stump – fair decision.

111th over – Tahir is brought on and breaks the threatening partnership in his first over! WICKET – Tim Bresnan (8) tries to slash a short delivery turning away from him, but can only bottom-edge the ball into the ground and back on to his stumps.

110th over – Short and wide from Morne Morkel and Matt Prior dispatches it handsomely through the covers for four.

109th over – Jacques Kallis dishes up the full away-swinger and Bresnan accepts the invitation to drive, lambasting the ball superbly through the covers for four. After four successive maidens and 27 balls, those are the first runs Kallis has conceded today!

108th over – Dropped! Prior, on 17, drives Morkel off the back foot, but the ball comes off the outside half of the bat, flying to gully, where Jacques Rudolph drops a sharp chance lunging low to his right.

106th over – Morkel has overdone the short ball today and Prior hammers a pull over midwicket for four.

101st over – Kallis replaces Dale Steyn after an outstanding burst of 5-2-8-2. And the great all-rounder strikes with his fourth ball! WICKET – Ian Bell (13) has faced a couple of away-swingers and now he leaves another delivery, but this time it’s the in-swinger and it just trims the off-bail, causing to gently topple from the stumps …

100th over – This time it’s a genuine edge for four between the slips and gully for Prior as he drives at Philander.

99th over – Prior has just survived a probing over from Philander and now he flashes Steyn through backward point in rather flamboyant fashion for four. He repeats the stroke to the next ball and immediately sets off for a run, but this time Alviro Petersen has made a brilliant diving stop at third slip. Both batsmen are stranded in the middle of the pitch, Petersen has a shy at the stumps but misses!

95th over – WICKET – Steyn has a close lbw appeal against Ravi Bopara turned down, but the next ball is a bouncer, the batsman shapes to hook, then tries to withdraw the bat, but is too slow and the ball finds the edge and goes through to wicketkeeper AB de Villiers. Bopara out for a duck!

93rd over – WICKET – Alastair Cook’s footwork is still a bit sluggish early in the day and he goes hard at a drive off Steyn. The ball swings back in, finds the inside edge and rockets into the stumps! Cook bowled for a mighty fine 115 off 295 balls.

92nd over – Encouraging signs for South Africa as Philander gets some early movement, rapping Cook on the pads, but it’s too high, appeal turned down.

The first test between South Africa and New Zealand continued to smoulder with exciting possibilities as the hosts ended the second day on 243 for nine at the University Oval in Dunedin on Thursday.

Defending just 238, South Africa managed to suppress the determined New Zealand’s batsmen’s push for a sizeable first-innings lead with a wonderfully disciplined and skilful display of bowling. A relentless line just outside off stump would give birth to a host of chances and there was also a controlled spell of leg-spin by Imran Tahir and good catching behind the wicket to complete a fine day for the tourists.

New Zealand’s last two batsmen – Trent Boult and Chris Martin – are at the crease and, with the lead just five runs, there is nothing to separate the two teams heading for the halfway mark.

The Black Caps had resumed after tea on 144 for five and Daniel Vettori and Kruger van Wyk, playing in his first test, gave little away as they added 53 for the sixth wicket.

The ball was 68 overs old and nothing much seemed to be happening for South Africa when captain Graeme Smith called his regular partnership-breaker, Jacques Kallis, into the attack. The Golden Arm once again did the trick, inducing a nothing-shot by Vettori and a return catch, which Kallis had to dash forward and dive to take.

Vettori might not look particularly stylish at the crease, but the left-hander is mightily effective as he showed in scoring 46 off 78 balls, with eight fours.

The South African-born Van Wyk battled on for over two hours, scoring 36 before Vernon Philander, armed with the second new ball, duped him into pushing at a delivery outside off stump, edging a low catch to Smith at first slip.

Tim Southee was easily dispatched by Philander as he lamely wafted at his second ball and was also caught by Smith at first slip, for a duck.

Doug Bracewell played an invaluable role in giving New Zealand the lead as he scored 25, before he was bowled by an inspired delivery from Dale Steyn that pitched on middle-and-leg before crashing into off-stump.

Philander was the most successful of the South African attack with 4-50 in 17 overs, but all the bowlers played a part in a fine all-round performance with the ball.

South Africa had removed dangermen Brendon McCullum and Ross Taylor in quick succession to reduced New Zealand to 144 for five at tea.

McCullum and Taylor were the third and fourth wickets to fall, for 48 and 44 respectively, the double strike turning the tide back in favour of the South Africans after New Zealand’s two premier batsmen had added 65.

Morne Morkel has suffered mixed fortunes this year, but the lanky fast bowler set the tone with a marvellous burst straight after lunch, starting with the wicket of Martin Guptill for 16 with his fifth ball after the break.

Guptill was way too late with a tentative prod outside off stump and succeeded only in edging the ball back into his own stumps, and Morkel then piled on the pressure, with able support from Philander and Tahir, on to McCullum and Taylor.

But they batted with tremendous discipline and positive footwork and the momentum was New Zealand’s as they carried the hosts to 106 for two.

It was the leg-spin of Tahir that eventually made the crucial breakthrough, the persevering former Pakistani gratefully accepting the return catch after McCullum top-edged a sweep.

Morkel’s worst ball of the day – a dreadful short, wide delivery, brought its award, however, as Taylor edged a flatfooted cut through to wicketkeeper Mark Boucher.

Philander’s unrelenting accuracy and remorseless probing did for Kane Williamson (11), who edged a back-foot drive for Boucher to take his second catch.

McCullum and Guptill had defied the best of the South African bowlers as they steered New Zealand to 40 for one at lunch.

Guptill and McCullum were proudly obdurate as they shrugged off the early loss of Rob Nicol to survive the next dozen overs before lunch without being parted, adding 33 for the second wicket off 76 balls.

South Africa had earlier been dismissed for 238 in their first innings on a sunny, but still chilly, day on the South Island.

The visitors had resumed on 191 for seven and Jacques Rudolph completed a tenacious half-century in two-and-a-half hours as he and Philander brought up the 200.

The useful eighth-wicket partnership had grown to 35 when Martin, the hero of the first day, removed Philander for 22. The potential all-rounder was just beginning to up the tempo when Williamson did very well to hang on to a full-blooded cut in the gully. The wicket gave Martin final figures of 4-56 in 18 overs.

Rudolph, the star of the South African innings for his determination if nothing else, then followed a widish delivery from Bracewell (2-52) and edged it to point, falling for 52 off 99 balls.

Morkel (13*) and Tahir (10) then added another 16 runs for the last wicket before Tahir was run out trying for a crazy third run, but both bowlers did more important work with the ball in the afternoon.

New Zealand’s batsmen had 16 overs to face before lunch and the test-match edition of Guptill showed an admirably straight bat and strong defensive technique as he reached 16 not out at the break.

South Africa did pick up the wicket of his fellow opener Nicol for six in the fourth over. Philander was bowling an immaculate line just outside off stump and seaming the ball both ways, so the debutant Nicol obviously had to play at the shortish delivery that dismissed him, a touch of away movement finding the edge of the bat and presenting Smith with the easiest of catches at first slip.

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The insatiable Vernon Philander gobbled up four more wickets as New Zealand ended the second day of the first test against South Africa on 243 for nine at the University Oval in Dunedin on Thursday.

85th over – New Zealand have the first innings lead in style as Doug Bracewell flicks a poor delivery down the leg-side from Dale Steyn over square-leg for a one-bounce four.

82nd over – The second over with the second new ball brings two wickets for Philander and two catches for Graeme Smith at first slip. Kruger van Wyk’s fighting innings of 36 in over two hours is ended as he pushes at a delivery outside off stump and edges it low to Smith. Two balls later, Tim Southee wafts lamely outside off stump and is caught for a disappointing duck.

79th over – A lucky escape for Van Wyk on 34 as he pushes forward to an inswinger from Morne Morkel and is struck on the pad first. Umpire Billy Doctrove gives the batsman the benefit of the doubt in terms of him being struck outside the line of off stump. South Africa ask for the review, which says on-field call for the line, meaning Van Wyk stays and the visitors have no more reviews.

77th over – Short and wide from Steyn and Van Wyk square-cuts for an emphatic boundary. Bracewell ends a poor over from an off-colour Steyn with a classy cut for four through backward point.

76th over – Bracewell shuffles down the pitch and drives Imran Tahir on the full, through mid-on for four, despite a good diving effort by Graeme Smith on the boundary.

75th over – Steyn returns ahead of the second new ball and Van Wyk niftily late cuts him to the third man boundary.

74th over – Van Wyk wristily chops Jacques Kallis through point for four, despite a valiant attempt by Alviro Petersen diving and sliding on the boundary.

73rd over – New Zealand go past 200 as Doug Bracewell launches Imran Tahir over mid-on for a beefy boundary.

71st over – Lovely timing by Bracewell as he goes back and cuts Tahir through backward point for four.

68th over – Daniel Vettori and Van Wyk have just raised their fifty partnership and Kallis is brought on to bowl. And Golden Arm does the trick! WICKET – Vettori is aiming for the pull, but stops the shot because the ball does not bounce high enough, bunting the ball straight back down the pitch. Kallis rushes forward and then dives to take a splendid catch! Vettori did a great job for his team with his 46 off 78 balls, with eight fours.

66th over – Morkel pitches a yorker well outside off stump and Vettori throws the bat on it, sending the ball through gully for four.

60th over – Vettori jumps all over some width from Morkel, lashing the ball through the covers for four.

56th over – Van Wyk’s first international boundary comes as he drives Vernon Philander crisply through the covers for four. The second follows immediately afterwards as the diminutive former South African steers the ball very tidily between the slips and gully to the third man fence.

54th over – Philander continues after tea, but so does Daniel Vettori as he flicks a full ball from middle-and-leg through wide mid-on for four.

51st over – Dale Steyn returns, bowling around the wicket to the left-handed Daniel Vettori, who shovels a full ball through the covers and then leans back and cuts for two boundaries in the over.

50th over – WICKET – Vernon Philander has been probing away remorselessly at Kane Williamson with tremendous accuracy and the batsman finally succumbs as he edges a back-foot drive at a delivery that just nipped away a touch. Wicketkeeper Mark Boucher takes the catch and Williamson is out for 11.

46th over – Full and wide outside off stump from Morne Morkel and Vettori carves it through the covers for four.

45th over – Imran Tahir gets away with a rank full toss which Vettori somehow toe-ends back to the bowler, but then bowls another full toss next ball and the left-hander sweeps it through midwicket for four.

42nd over – Morkel returns but Ross Taylor eases his first ball straight down the ground for an excellent boundary and then lashes a square-drive for four two balls later. WICKET – But much like many of the South African batsmen, Taylor is seemingly at his most vulnerable when he feels he is getting on top of the bowlers. The New Zealand captain edges a flatfooted cut at a dreadful short, wide delivery from Morkel and is caught behind by Mark Boucher. Taylor scored 44 and played extremely well considering he’s been out of action for six weeks.

39th over – WICKET – Leg-spinner Tahir makes the breakthrough! Brendon McCullum tries to sweep, but is not to the pitch of the ball, there is turn and a top-edge goes straight up on the leg-side. Tahir runs across and gratefully accepts the catch, sending McCullum on his way for 48. That’s the wicket South Africa really wanted!

37th over – Over-pitched by Tahir and McCullum clips the leg-spinner straight back over his head for four.

31st over – McCullum is intent on attacking leg-spinner Tahir and latches on to a shortish delivery, pulling it powerfully through midwicket for four.

30th over – Taylor, despite not having played cricket for so long, is into his stride, while Steyn appears to be trying too hard. A full delivery from Steyn is driven beautifully through extra cover for four by Taylor.

28th over – Super timing by Taylor as just a controlled push sends the ball racing through mid-on for four off Steyn.

27th over – Morkel tries to fire in the yorker, but it’s a half-volley and McCullum punches the ball superbly straight back down the ground for four.

26th over – Steyn returns but Taylor unleashes a classic cut shot for four.

25th over – Morkel has bowled 36 balls in his off-side channel but now finally strays, McCullum glancing a leg-side delivery away for four.

24th over – Taylor has his first boundary off his 26th delivery via a commanding pull shot through square-leg for four off Philander.

20th over – Philander changes to a middle-stump line and McCullum turns the ball in front of square-leg with great timing for four.

17th over – A great start for South Africa and Morkel after lunch, but it could have been a phenomenal start! WICKET – Martin Guptill is bowled for 16 by the first ball he faces after lunch! Guptill’s footwork is sluggish and he then prods tentatively at a fast, full delivery from Morkel and inside-edges the ball on to his stumps. Morkel could have dismissed both batsmen in the same over as McCullum, still on 18, pushes forward to play the ball through mid-on, but inside-edges the ball on to his pad, from where it scoots low and to the right of Hashim Amla at backward short-leg. Amla gets both hands to the sharp chance, but can’t hang on to the catch.

16th over – Dale Steyn starts the away-swinger a bit straighter, but Martin Guptill ends the session with a super shot, showing the full face of the bat and pushing the ball straight back down the ground for four.

11th over – Brendon McCullum has been through a fascinating contest with Vernon Philander and Steyn, using nimble footwork and sound judgement to survive. Now Morne Morkel offers him some width and McCullum jumps
across to the off-side before cutting meatily for four.

4th over – A probing start by South Africa with the new ball, with a couple of close lbw shouts and several plays-and-misses, and eventually some reward. WICKET – Philander continues in the perfect channel just outside off stump and, with a bit of away-nip, finds the edge of Rob Nicol’s backfoot defensive stroke, leading to a simple catch for Graeme Smith at first slip. The debutant Nicol is out for six.

Useful late-order runs were the award for some decent batting by the tail as South Africa reached 238 all out on the second day of the first test against New Zealand at University Oval in Dunedin on Thursday.

69th over – WICKET – In keeping with the trend of the innings, South Africa waste their last wicket just as the 10th-wicket stand was beginning to frustrate New Zealand. Another friendly half-volley, this time from Doug Bracewell, is flicked through midwicket by Imran Tahir, who gets a comfortable two runs but then decides to try for a crazy third run. Daniel Vettori has loped after the ball, has it in hand, and his reasonable throw back to Bracewell catches Tahir well short of his ground. Tahir is out for 10, leaving Morne Morkel unbeaten on a bright 13 not out.

68th over – Imran Tahir gets in on the fun with a flashing square-cut for four through backward point off Chris Martin.

66th over – Super shot by Morne Morkel as he launches a good-length ball from Martin straight back over mid-on for four.

65th over – Morkel gets his innings going in fine fashion with a well-controlled drive through mid-off for four off Doug Bracewell. WICKET – But the seamer strikes back with the last ball of the over, as Jacques Rudolph lashes out at a widish away-swinger, edging it to point. Rudolph scored 52 off 99 balls, in 162 minutes, a nice display of defiance by the left-hander.

64th over – Vernon Philander had problems dealing with short lifter from Martin at the start of the over, fending the ball away on the off-side with his gloves, so the paceman tries another short ball, but this one doesn’t get up and the all-rounder pulls it for four. It’s the second boundary of the over after Philander edged a delivery between third slip and gully, and the batsman is just yards away from a third four as he cuts viciously at a short-pitched delivery. WICKET – It’s a full-blooded cut, but the delivery does seam back a bit to cramp the shot a touch, but Kane Williamson has nevertheless pulled off a very good catch in the gully, snatching the ball above his head. Philander is out for 22, some useful late runs.

63rd over – South Africa have made a bright start, pushing singles and running well between the wickets. Rudolph reaches his half-century as he tickles Tim Southee to fine leg for a couple of runs, the left-hander having batted for two-and-a-half hours, faced 96 balls and hit five fours.