England v South Africa as it happened, 20th August
Over-by-over commentary of day five of the third Investec Test at Lord's, London
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South Africa (309 & 351) beat England (315 & 294) by 51 runs. A superb day of cricket to end a cracking Test match. It never seemed very likely that England could do it, especially when Bell and Bairstow fell in the first hour. But to England's credit, they kept on coming at South Africa as Trott, Bairstow, Prior, Broad and Swann all went for their shots. When Prior and Swann bashed 60 in eight overs after tea, South Africa were rattled and England dared to dream. In the end though, South Africa - as they have done all series - just had a little bit more quality, and they ran out worthy winners.
England's grip on the number one spot has lasted a year and 11 matches, this defeat is their sixth loss in that period. There are many intriuging reasons for that, and we on Telegraph Sport look forward to mulling over them, and discussing them with you in the next few days. For the moment, though, let's congratulate South Africa for their win, they have been too good for England in this three-match series. We'll grab a few more of your emails, but now all that remains is for me to thank you for all your mails and for following this series with us. We'll be back for the ODI series starting on Tuesday 28th. Thanks.
Elaine Simpson-Long: "So we lost but at least we did it in style. Only another 50+ runs needed - now if Strauss and Cook had managed to get a feeble 25 runs each we would have wrapped it up. Not too much to ask is it?"Roland McKinney: "Lots of thoughts on the KP saga - first is no one emerges with any credit - ECB, Strauss, etc. To anyone who believes KP committed a cardinal sin - what names do you call your boss in private? What do you think the squaddies in Afghanistan call their corporals, all their officers? Yet to a man they would lay down their life to protect the guy they were calling much worse than a doos 10 seconds beforehand. Team work is not about creating plastic cut-out caricatures, leadership is not about demanding total unquestioning support. KP was right about Strauss - his captaincy has been much less than inspirational, especially in this series; some of his bowling changes, field placings - were at best eccentric. KP - maybe he is foolish, maybe he has a selfish gene, but he can deliver. No team is better off without the characters, who bring diversity of opinions. Finally - what ammunition the ECB and Strauss have given to the sledgers. The Aussies can't wait for Strauss to step out. No good can or ever could come of the whole sorry saga, a molehill turned into a mountain by stupidity."Lanky: "Elaine we are in this mess because the senior batsmen are not up to the job. Again it has taken the bowlers to not only bowl but bat to try to win - Strauss, Cook Bell are rubbish - Strauss should now resign. By the way - Prior was out - how much more bias toward england by the third umpire?"Andrew Mcneilis: "Radical thought - KP back as skipper. Can you just imagine the kedgeree being spat out to that headline tomorrow!?"Colin Tozer: "NEVER recall KP. He is a self-serving, arrogant ‘traitor’. Every team must be united. He does not (and now cannot) fit in."
WICKET! Finn c Kallis b Philander 0 It needs just one ball for Philander to do Steve Finn. Full and swinging, Finn goes at it and that's a good low catch. It gives Vernon Philander his five-fer; he has bowled beautifully all match and it gives South Africa the win, the series and the number one ranking. For the record the FOW 294/10WICKET! Prior c Smith b Philander 73 Philander, over the wicket, swings the ball into Anderson's pad. Going down leg. Jim manages to squirt another inswinger away for a single. Now it's Philander to Prior, and Prior drives at it. Much as in the first innings, he gets the edge. Smith makes no mistake at first slip, and that's the end of a superb knock. That must surely be it for England. FOW 294/9 with 52 runs still needed
OVER 82: ENG 293/8 (Prior 73* Anderson 3*) The new ball is taken and handed to Dale Steyn. A bit of short stuff for Anderson, who manages to squeeze one away for a single. Prior is through quickly for the run - the stumps are broken but he's at least a foot in. Steyn then beats Prior's outside edge before Prior smashes one to the boundary past backward point. 53 to win.
OVER 81: ENG 288/8 (Prior 69* Anderson 2*) Interesting. Smith decides not to take the new ball right away, he reckons that Imran Tahir can do for Jimmy Anderson. Anderson does well to block a couple and then get a single. Prior gives Tahir the charge and misses with the big shot! Great bit of work from De Villiers to whip the bails off. It is close. So, so close... In the end, the third umpire has to say 'not out' - it was just too close to call.
Elaine Simpson-Long: "Oh yes this is great fun, this is exciting, we all love it but WHY are we in this nail biting finish? Because the senior batsmen have failed miserably and once again it is down to the lower order batters and bowlers to do their job for them. Delighted to see that Prior and Swann have decided to go down fighting. Wonder if they made up their own minds to do this as I simply cannot imagine Strauss telling them to go beserk - not in his DNA. If we can do this then it will be a miracle."
OVER 80: ENG 285/8 (Prior 67* Anderson 1*) Incredible scenes here at Lord's! Prior knows that, with Jimmy Anderson for company, he has to go down swinging. He plays the big shot but doesn't get hold of it properly.. skier... JP Duminy here in the deep... caught! That's it! But what's this? The umpires want to check if it is a no ball. It is, you know! Morne Morkel overstepped and South Africa's joy is ripped away from them. Prior grins broadly as he jogs back from the boundary. He's had a life. They get a run for that, by the way. Anderson survives three balls but no better than that. He gets a single... now Prior, but he cannot get the one he needs to pinch the strike. 61 needed
OVER 79: ENG 283/8 (Prior 67* Anderson 0*) That's taken the wind out of England's sails... Just two off the over.
WICKET! Swann run out 41 Oh that's such a shame. Swann swings and misses, and is then beaten by one that rags past his bat. Now he drives hard at Tahir and gets a thick edge wide of slip. Rudolph gets hold of it and throws to the bowler's end... Tahir gathers a poor throw really well... he chucks it at the stumps from a couple of yards away and Swann is maybe five inches short. Good composure from Tahir. FOW 282/2
OVER 78: ENG 281/7 (Prior 65* Swann 41*) Smith turns to Snorkel Morkel to stop the bleeding, but it doesn't work. Swann takes a single, and then Prior uppercuts the ball over the slips for a couple. Now Prior drives at one.. that's in the air... who's at mid on. Steyn! He leaps, but he cannot quite get there. Four. Shame that Big Morne wasn't the man at mid on. That's 60 since tea. 65 needed.
Richard Jones: "Permission to let upper lip tremble, sir? I must admit to getting quite excited now. COME ON ENGLAND!!"
OVER 77: ENG 273/7 (Prior 58* Swann 40*) Bring it on! Two singles, then Prior tries to get a swep away but cannot. Now he drives Tahir down the ground and they scamper two... but things get even better for England when Prior picks up Tahir nice and early and clonks a sweep to square leg. Eight runs off that over and South Africa are looking worried. 52 runs in the last seven overs mean that this rate is down to three an over or so. 73 needed.
OVER 76: ENG 265/7 (Prior 51* Swann 39*) It couldn't be? Could it? Graeme Swann slams Kallis over square leg with a huge, pulled six.... And then follows it up with a silky drive for four through the covers. 44 in six overs since tea... 81 required and this pair know that they need to get quite a few more before the new ball.
Joel Mhapi: "So, John Tillotson's solution to England's "weak batting line-up" is to exclude their best batsman?... To rebuild England will have to use every brick they have, and he is a big one..."
OVER 75: ENG 255/7 (Prior 51* Swann 29*) Graeme Smith probably needs to change this: England are bringing it to Imran Tahir and there are 15 runs off the over. Swann comes down the pitch, picks Tahir's googly and mashes it back over long on for a mighty six! And now Matt Prior joins in, producing two reverse sweeps. Nails both of them and it's four-four for Matt Prior. The second brings Prior his 50, but his very modest celebration suggests that he knows that the job is nowhere near done yet. 91 needed
OVER 74: ENG 240/7 (Prior 43* Swann 22*) Couple of singles, then some good hard running allows Prior to turn one into two after a shot behind square leg. TIght, but they're home safe. Four off the over.
OVER 73: ENG 236/7 (Prior 40* Swann 21*) Prior pulls Tahir away for a four. But now he's beaten by a snorter from around the wicket that slides past his bat from outside leg and misses off. Beaut. England hustle a bye. Good fielding from skipper Smith makes Swann hurry to get home.110 needed
OVER 72: ENG 231/7 (Prior 36* Swann 21*) Very good over for England, well played Swanny. He pulls a shortish ball for four, then Kallis gives him another bouncer. Swann hooks it, fine, for another four. The batsmen get a single each, and that makes ten off the over.
OVER 71: ENG 221/7 (Prior 35* Swann 12*) Tossing the ball up outside leg stump, from around the wicket, Tahir bowls a maiden.
15.55 Players are back on. Tahir will bowl to Prior.
Rory Maw writes: "Interesting that in this Test each of Broad and Swann has scored more than Strauss, Cook and Taylor combined or, to look at it another way, the top 5 have scored 178 for 10 whilst Prior, Broad and Swann already have 164 for 3! Yet again, the England top order has not delivered."
15.50 Thanks Huw. Well, 101 runs in that 30 over session for the loss of three wickets. That means that England need 125 in the final 33-over session. Hard to see how they can pull that off, and a South African win is much the most likely result. Matt Prior has take 90 balls for his 35. When will he make his move? Ten more overs until the new ball but, to be honest, I cannot see Swanny and the tail surviving for long against that.
John Melbury: "Pietersen must be totally excluded from any form of English cricket, his behaviour is unforgivable no matter how talented he is. Secondly, I said that our batting was not strong enough to reach a total of arouind 350 and I think I will be proved right. We do not deserve to be world number one, our batting is too weak."John Tillotson: "In my opinion to bring back Pietersen would send out the wrong message to our younger players. We need men in the team that will always give of their best for England, and wear the England shirt with pride. The situation is not dissimilar to the problems England rugby faced after the World Cup debacle. Tough decisions were faced, egos were deflated and the new team now has the support of all England."
Sounds like an interesting comparison to the rugby John, not that I can comment as I do not follow the sport, but I don't think anyone has really suggested that Pietersen has not "given of his best for England". To me, the reason this debate has proved so interesting is that it goes to the very heart of what it means to be a team (or, even, a society): how much do you indulge individuals, and how much do you demand conformity?
TEA: A fairly even session, but with England having it all to do it means the match has swung slightly more towards South Africa. With 33 overs remaining, England need 125 to win - so well under four an over - but the Proteas only require three wickets to wrap up a 2-0 series win. Stuart Broad's dismissal might have spelt the end of England's faint chances, but as long as Prior and Swann stay at the crease this match is not over. You'll be pleased to hear Alan Tyers will take over again after tea.
OVER 70: ENG 221/7 (Prior 35* Swann 12*) Swann guides Kallis towards the third-man boundary - open face, not an edge - for four then fends off a short one for a single. Kallis replies brilliantly, nipping one through Prior's bat and pad and just over the stumps.
OVER 69: ENG 215/7 (Prior 34* Swann 7*) Well, Swann's determined to hit it a bit as well. He reverse sweeps Imran Tahir for four then grabs a couple more with another sweep.
OVER 68: ENG 208/7 (Prior 34* Swann 0*) Prior had control of an earlier bouncer in that over from Kallis, guiding it in front of square for three. Graeme Swann is the new man.
WICKET! Broad c Amla b Kallis 37 A short ball from Kallis - so short, in fact, that the third umpire has to inspect a few slo-mo replays to confirm it wasn't a no-ball - skewers Broad, who can't get on top of it and can only hook it straight up into the air and down the throat of Hashim Amla at deep backward point. Amla almost misjudges it before clutching it safely. It's the end of Broad's run-a-ball hitathon. FOW 208/7
OVER 67: ENG 205/6 (Prior 31* Broad 37*) Imran Tahir to Prior, who is looking totally untroubled by the leg spin. Just a single.
Ant, via email: "Whatever the criticisms of the English attack, does this S.A. bowling spell look like rank one? Luck, instinct, intuition, bloody-mindedness and much else contributes to winning and losing. As Chris Saayman remarks, this is cricket (though living in France, I frequently hear that it's pronounced croquet and played with mallets. Perhaps Mr. Broad is of the same opinion!)."
OVER 66: ENG 204/6 (Prior 30* Broad 37*) Everyone's favourite South African cricketer (well mine, anyway) comes into the attack - Jacques is back. Kallis beats Prior's outside edge but the Englishman responds with a three past point. Broad then digs out an attempted yorker and runs a quick single before Amla saves a likely boundary with an athletic stop in the covers.
OVER 65: ENG 199/6 (Prior 26* Broad 36*) Imran Tahir mixing it up with a couple of googlies but he keeps it tight - just a Prior single, a flick off the hips, coming from that one.
OVER 64: ENG 198/6 (Prior 25* Broad 36*) A hoick from Broad is worth a couple of runs, which complete the 50 partnership (off 74 balls). A couple more singles and England now need fewer than 150 runs to win - 148, to be precise.
OVER 63: ENG 194/6 (Prior 24* Broad 33*) A quick single for Broad brings the right-handed Prior on strike. He is content simply to pad away the remaining deliveries of Imran Tahir's over.
Sam Wingrove: "No way KP should be recalled, mainly to benefit the team in the long run. We should use as an opportunity to bed in the likes of Bairstow and Taylor to the squad. Look at the dire straits Australia found themselves in after McGrath, Warne, Gilchrist et al retired and they were left with the bare bones of a squad. We do not want to find ourselves in that position."
OVER 62: ENG 193/6 (Prior 24* Broad 32*) Duminy called into action again as Broad decides to play a bizarre upper-cut to a short, wide Morkel delivery. JP, fielding at point, sees the ball just pop over his head and land about two thirds of the way out towards the boundary.
OVER 61: ENG 190/6 (Prior 23* Broad 30*) Imran Tahir continues and Broad opens his shoulders and slog-sweeps out towards midwicket. A good diving stop from Duminy prevents the boundary.
OVER 60: ENG 187/6 (Prior 23* Broad 27*) Morne Morkel into the attack, three runs off the over. This partnership has already gone past 40 runs - Prior and Broad are certainly not shutting up shop in order to save this particular game.
Would you believe, there is yet more on KP in our inbox. Here'sJacob Reid: "Incredible how quickly England fans have turned their back on him! If not for his 151 vs Sri Lanka or his 149 vs SA we would have already lost our world number one status! Not to mention his famous 158 at the Oval to give us the Ashes or his superb run in the T20 WC to get us to the final! He's given more to this team more than anyone else!"And Aubrey Raye: "He will never change. I think he has a narcissistic streak in his makeup and will always do what it takes to draw attention to himself. As an ex-pat South African I find him an embarrassment."
OVER 59: ENG 184/6 (Prior 22* Broad 25*) Just a Broad single from the over. Imran Tahir is getting a bit of stick from England fans and they are cheered when a half-hearted lbw appeal against Broad is again turned down.
Chris Saayman: "It might seem unlikely but the match can still end in a draw. Remember this is cricket - anything can happen! SA bowlers can eventually fail to press through."
OVER 58: ENG 183/6 (Prior 22* Broad 24*) Soft Hands Prior, as he has probably never been called, uses Dale Steyn's pace to direct the ball past the slip cordon and to the boundary for the only runs of the over.
OVER 57: ENG 179/6 (Prior 18* Broad 24*) Prior picks up three off Imran Tahir before Stuart Broad winds up to have a huge swing at the final delivery of the over. Hashim Amla, under the lid at short leg, ducks just as the ball clatters into it and up into the air. An inch higher and it would have smashed into his back.
"I stand corrected," replies a red-faced Roger Jones, "...with the new inserts in my walking shoes. 12/13 isn't bad, however I shall never forget Tahir was born in Lahore. Thanks, guys."
OVER 56: ENG 176/6 (Prior 15* Broad 24*) Thanks Alan. Ever the pessimist, I'd feared yesterday England might not make it through to this point in the day, but they're over halfway to the total and are continuing to chip away pluckily at the target. Dale Steyn gives away a single apiece.
OVER 55: ENG 174/6 (Prior 14* Broad 23*) Prior gets down quickly and reverse sweeps. Not too sure if he picked that googly or not, but he gets hold of enough of the ball to get a nice four. Now a ridiculous LBW shout from Tahir around the wicket - does he actually know the laws of the game? Ball pitches six inches outside leg before hitting Prior on the pads. Bit of verbal as Prior pulls away in the bowler's run up... Let's all have a drink and cool down. After that, it will be Mr Huw Silk to take you through until tea.
OVER 54: ENG 170/6 (Prior 10* Broad 23*) Steyn is digging the ball in, and Broad is not afraid to have a go. He hooks him fine, not a controlled shot, for four. And then a massive thump into the grandstand for six! Go on Stuart lad. England giving this a crack.
Prof Charles Hart, O.B.E. writes: "Why hasn't Compton been considered for the England team as an in-form batsman? He missed the 1000 runs in May only because of the weather. And his grandfather has passed on his genes." Meanwhile, Chris Veegh andArthur Jennings are among the people pointing out to Roger Jones that Tahir was born in Lahore.
OVER 53: ENG 158/6 (Prior 10* Broad 11*) StuBo sweeps Tahir - what could possibly go wrong? - for two. He also gets an inside edge that narrowly evades Amla at short leg. Plenty of shots from Broad, he is going to have a go, and that is the right policy for him in this situation I fancy.
Sylvester says: "I totally agree with Albie Fernandes.The number 1 spot has a way of bringing down the greatest of players the game has had." But Theuns D. van Schalkwijk, not so much: "Re the number one spot denying Ponting, this is a bit of a lax statement as they were on top for quite some time if memory serves me correctly. And as for India, they have never been good outside of India and they have the same problem as the Aussies - a big part of the senior team on retirement at the same period of time."
OVER 52: ENG 153/6 (Prior 9* Broad 7*) StuBo comes in and sets about swinging the bat. Outside edge over gully for four. Now the bouncers begin.
WICKET! Trott c Kallis b Steyn 63 Oh yes he can! But he needs a great catch from his buddy Jacques to do it. Steyn's first ball, in the cahnnel, just a touch short of a length but probably not quite short or wide enough for that extravagant forcing shot... Edged... And a magnificent catch, diving high to his left from Big Jakes. What a cricketer this man is. FOW 146/6 Okay knock from Trott, although he had the luck this morning, and he did run out Taylor.
OVER 51: ENG 146/5 (Trott 63* Prior 9*) Four off the Tahir over.... looks like Steyn is coming on to see if he can apply the coup de grace.
OVER 50: ENG 142/5 (Trott 62* Prior 6*) Single to Trott, after 16 dot balls for England, and then a jaffer from Philander that nibbles off the seam to beat Prior's outside edge. No playing that one. Super bit of fielding from Amla denies Prior any satisfaction in the covers. Now he clips Vern away for a couple, and takes a single.
OVER 49: ENG 138/5 (Trott 61* Prior 3*) Maiden from Tahir, the highlight being a big ripper of a legbreak that beats Matt P on the outside edge.
Lanky writes: "Geoffrey Lippitt's comment - I agree despite what the 'commetators' say - they were being their usual sycophantic selves - it was cheating, no doubt about it! Pity about Bairstow though, showed more passion and presence than his senior colleauges - pity Joss Butler isn't playing - as those two would have knocked off the runs with overs to spare!!"Roger Jones: "Spot the Englishman. Right now, all the players on the field are South African born, and the umpires from other corners of some foreign field!"Sylvester Moore: "England's hopes are hanging by a thread.As for KP,he is a sellout and doesn't deserve to be in the English squad no matter what form of the game."Peter Rowntree says: "I suppose part of the attraction of cricket - it's irony. Just when England have at last seemed to have solved the vexed problem of the No 6 spot, they would appear to have also now found new problems in places 1-5."
OVER 48: ENG 138/5 (Trott 61* Prior 3*) Ha. Philander brings a ball back into Trott and hits him on the pads. Given not out, but Big Vern right away makes the 'T' sign to call for the review. Smith, literally, turns his back on him! And rightly so, that was going well over the top. Oh, Vern. Maiden.
OVER 47: ENG 138/5 (Trott 61* Prior 3*) Prior drives Tahir down the ground for a couple. The ball then pops out of the rough and balances on the top of Prior's gloves. Trickshot!
OVER 46: ENG 136/5 (Trott 61* Prior 1*) Quiet little spell as Philander keeps it tight and the England pair resolve not to lost a second wicket in quick succession. Prior off the mark with a single down the ground.
Simon Flude writes: "For all those missing Kevin, maybe they should remember his domination of the Pakistan attack in UAE - he scores 35 runs less than Swann in the series, and at a much slower SR ! Oh we all miss mercurial Kevin!"But Peter Dutton says: "The KP issue is a sideshow. The challenge was thrown down to the team to move to the next level needed to stay at the top and they haven't. The question for me is how much of that is down to attitude and increased application. Shame as I think this is a great English team that has the potential to be the greatest."
OVER 45: ENG 134/5 (Trott 60* Prior 0*) Tahir is right up for this now and, coming around the wicket, produces a series of deliveries to Matt Prior that spit and fizz out of the rough. Prior leaves, bravely, because these could really go anywhere. Not long surely before an England batsman tries to sweep the leggie out of the rough and is caught. This is a maiden. Very valuable contribution from Tahir, the wicket of Bairstow. That has calmed and jangling nerves.
Albie Fernandes writes: "The number one ranking is a poisoned chalice.We all know how it destroyed poor Ponting in the final few years until he retired.It then showed the world how over-rated MS Dhoni is as a captain, as his team where spanked in England and Australia, and ending the career's of Dravid, VVS and Bhajji.And now its showing how poor Andrew Strauss is when it comes to man-management after (pretty much) claiming career of the team's top batsman.I am pretty sure Smith will lose it this time next year."
OVER 44: ENG 134/5 (Trott 60* Prior 0*) JT sees out a maiden against VD Phil.
OVER 43: ENG 134/5 (Trott 60*) That wicket came off the last ball of the over. HUGE celebration from Tahir.
WICKET! Bairstow b Tahir 54 Ach, that is a real shame. Bairstow's entertaining, engaging knock is over as he plays back to Tahir, tries to cut and is bowled. Flatter, quicker ball, keeps a bit low. Bairstow was back when he should have been forward. FOW 134/5
OVER 42: ENG 132/4 (Trott 59* Bairstow 53*) Smith turns to the man who has been the pick of his bowlers in this innings. Can Vernon Philander nip this fightback in the bud? Hearts in mouths first ball when he nips the back into Bairstow. LBW shout, but that's given as runs as they get two down to long leg. After a pair of singles, Vernon again gets a bit legside and Bairstow turns that down to long leg for a boundary that brings up his 50. Second half century of the match for Bairstow.
Elaine Simpson-Llong: "Yes I agree with Geoffrey Lippit that the stumping by Prior yesterday was a bit off. OK perfectly legal, but somehow just leaves a nasty taste in the mouth. Would love to see a miracle, Trott a double century (though getting Taylor run out was a bit stupid - Trott has a record of being involved in run outs but he is the one who stays at the crease), Bairstow a century but not holding my breath. Of course we must not forget we have those fine upstanding players Swann, Anderson and Broad in the tail end. We must not forget about them if they can get themselves off Twitter for five minutes and start behaving like adults"
OVER 41: ENG 123/4 (Trott 58* Bairstow 45*) Tahir's first ball is a full toss, but Bairstow can do no better than a single to the man sweeping on the legside boundary. Couple more singles in the over.
13.35 So 226 needed. At what point do England start to dare to begin to possibly hope? And at what point do the Saffers start to worry? The players are back out, and it will be Tahir to start to Bairstow...
LUNCH England needed a good first hour to have any hope of an unlikely win. However, Bell went without a whimper, and Trott then ran out James Taylor. So that was, erm, not a very good first hour at all. However, since drinks, Bairstow has come in and hit an aggressive 43* off just 36 balls, and Trott has also played some shots. It will probably all be for nothing, but you never know, and at least England are giving the fans something to cheer. 104 runs for two wickets in the 27 over session. If they can score another 100 for the loss of just one wicket in the afternoon sesh, that could make for a nervy tea for the famously chokey Saffers. You would imagine that they should be able to shut the game down, though, if England look even slightly likely to do it. You can bet on England at around 8/1 if you fancy that. Not for me, thanks, but still. Spot of lunch for me and then we'll see how the afternoon goes.
On the subject of KP, Pete Jones says: "A personal view, I think KP is a super player, BUT, becoming another Boycott, all me me me ! Have a good day."Geoffrey Lippitt writes: "Did anyone else think Prior's stumping yesterday was a little outside the 'spirit of the game' think back to last summer and Bell and the fuss made then."Steve Walters says: "With so much cricket played nowadays, and the influence (for better or worse) of the IPL, the days of one team dominating as the world's no. 1 test team for a decade or more has gone for the time being. I think it will be a long time before we see the likes of the West Indies of the 1980's (the best team(s) of all time in my humble opinion) or the Aussies in the 1990's dominating world cricket for so long as they did."
OVER 40: ENG 120/4 (Trott 57* Bairstow 43*) Nicely played from Trott as he runs Morkel away to third man for a boundary. Couple of singles, and that is lunch.
Lanky says: "Any hope of england winning has probably gone now. The negative team psychosis that runs through the team, inspired by Strauss and Flower, the 'we must not lose' mentality rather than the 'let's go out and win' mentality is FAILING yet again - they still only need 3.5 runs an over - it can be done!! And one for the readers - is Jonathan Trott as boring to watch as Chris Broad?"
OVER 39: ENG 114/4 (Trott 52* Bairstow 42*) Trott knocks Tahir to point for two and that gives him a welcome half century. Excellent googly from Tahir that Baiirstow survives, before a big ripping leg spinner. Bairstow gives Tahir the charge last ball of the over but the leggie bowls it quicker and Bairstow cannot effect the big hit.
OVER 38: ENG 111/4 (Trott 49* Bairstow 42*) Couple of singles, then Morkel beats Bairstow outside the off-stump. Jonny hanging the bat out a bit. Steady lad.
OVER 37: ENG 109/4 (Trott 48* Bairstow 41*) England work Tahir around for five singles. No threat from him as yet. A flick to leg from Bairstow flies past Amla at short leg, but you couldn't call it a chance.
OVER 36: ENG 104/4 (Trott 46* Bairstow 38*) Absolutely no need for South Africa to worry just yet, but that's another useful over for England as Trott runs Morkel off the bat face for four down to third man. The batsmen get a single each.
Paul Kerton says: "English cricket is suddenly in a sad state. Strauss & Cook are null & void and consistent reliance on the back end of the batting order is ridiculous. The Pietersen debacle was pathetic from all fronts. Let's hope Baristow, Trot and Prior all get centuries."
OVER 35: ENG 98/4 (Trott 41* Bairstow 37*) Imran Tahir comes into the attack and this engaging, albeit surely ultimately inconsequential parternship continues to grow quickly. Tahir tosses one up and Jonny B spanks that back over the bowlers' head. Same result in the scorebook for a cute, very fine sweep. That's a 50 partnership in 52 balls. Couple of singles and that makes 11 from the over.
Jamie Carr says: "Painful to admit, but it's hard to imagine a stage better set for FIGJAM Pietersen to come in and score a big ton."
OVER 34: ENG 87/4 (Trott 39* Bairstow 28*) Steyn, who had been getting a bit frustrated, is replaced by Morkel. Bairstow forces a ball through the covers for a couple, but is then hit on the pads. Given not out. South Africa review! A bit ambitious, I think: that looks like it would be sliding down leg. Hawk Eye suggests that the ball would have clipped the outside of leg stump. Never really going to get that overturned, I feel. Saffers lose a review. Bairstow celebrates with two nice drives into the covers. The first brings two, the second brings four.
James Whitaker says: "I am afraid it's all gone wrong since we selected Taylor and his silly headgear. It's a throw back to the bad old days of the 90's when England players had various helmets and headgear. The discord has infected the team. Alec Stewart had a white helmet I recall in the depressing mid nineties."Bruce Rogers writes: "Any chance you could reduce the ratio of user comments to commentary please? I’m only able to check in once an hour or so and would like to read the progress to date without having to wade through all the other readers’ comments as well as your own." Anyone else have a view on this? We aim to please obviously. The red envelope thingy denotes an email from one of our many smart and interesting readers, if (for whatever reason) you want to just read my witterings, you can just ignore anything with a red envelope before it.
OVER 33: ENG 79/4 (Trott 39* Bairstow 20*) After a productive couple of overs, Kallis restores some niggardly control with a maiden to Trott.
OVER 32: ENG 79/4 (Trott 39* Bairstow 20*) The luck all going England's way this morning, not that they deserve it and not that it will make any difference. Bairstow edges Steyn and it flies between first and second slip for four. Now a really nice drive down the ground from young Jonny, that's something to cheer about.
A McGuigan writes: "Much more accurate to say Titch Taylor was run out going for the eighth run, due to his stride being half that of a normal human."Clive Hamilton says: "Losing Pietersen at number 4 upsets the team balance terribly. It hurts the England run rate, and we no longer have someone who can dominate a bowling attack for two or three sessions." By contrast, Robin Retchtub reckons: "K P has most of the attributes of the great players. class, selfishness and most of all, the ability to always blame some one, or something, else when things go wrong. . where KP differs is that most players realise no one will believe continual excuse making. It hasn't sunk in, yet, with KP. Could it be that his ego is so much bigger than his talent???"
OVER 31: ENG 71/4 (Trott 39* Bairstow 12*) Kallis hasn't had a lot of luck with the ball here (didn't have a lot of luck with the umpiring when he was batting, come to think of it). Another expansive shot from Trott lands an inch short of Amla in the gully.
OVER 30: ENG 69/4 (Trott 37* Bairstow 12*) Good shot from Bairstow to mid off, but Morne Morkel makes a pigs's (giraffe's?) ear of the fielding and it's a four. Nice shot from Bairstow of Steyn now: four through midwicket.
OVER 29: ENG 61/4 (Trott 37* Bairstow 4*) Something for England to cheer at last! Trott drives past point for a classy four. But now he gets a big edge from a big drive, and Jacques Rudolph drops it at third slip.
Let's have some mindless optimism. My colleague Ed White says: "Bairstow's done it before! Back in 2009, Jonathan Bairstow struck 202* for Yorkshire 2nd XI alongside Joe Root 163* in an unbroken stand of 358 to help his team chase down a total of 402 on the final day of the match from just 96 overs."
Omar writes: "I think England need just one or two batsmen to anchor the inning and they have a real possibility to snatch this one . I think there is real depth on the batting side in this england team but they need to hold their nerve . Go England!"
OVER 28: ENG 52/4 (Trott 29* Bairstow 3*) Bairstow is off the mark, driving unconvincingly and finding the edge. Three off that to backward point. Trott uppercuts a ball over the slips for four, good inventive shot. Seven off the Steyn over. Trott and Alviro Petersen, by the way, have exchanged a few choice words on several occasions.
OVER 27: ENG 45/4 (Trott 25* Bairstow 0*) Class from Kallis, bringing the ball back in to beat Trott on the inside edge. Maiden.
Ruan: "Dale Steyn was right all along, he is already playing for the number 1 team in the world. India were in decline, Australia lost their golden generation and Pakistan just went on to dominate this England team. Now they are on the verge of a 2-0 lost on home soil. Its one thing to be number one, its another to play like it."Andy Holgate writes: "It was Blair and the Lefties who told us not to be British because we will upset those who aren't British. Tosh, I say. Altogether now…'Land of Hope and Glory, Mother of the Free'..."Geoffrey Lippitt: "You are spot on about Ian Bell and when the chips are down. You have to sympathise with the bowlers though, bowling out this team for 309 and 351 was an achievment. From what I have seen and read SA are by far the better side over the 3 matches."
OVER 26: ENG 45/4 (Trott 25*) That shambolic effort came off the last ball of the Steyn over, and provides a good opportunity for the drinksbreak. As they turned, Taylor set off, Trott initially did too, but then immediately hesitated. Who to blame? Trott, I think.
WICKET! Taylor run out 4 Oh for eff's sake England. That is truly pathetic. Trott plays the ball out into the legside and they run three. But Taylor reckons there is one more, he sets off for the fourth, Trott panics and doesn't run... Taylor tries to get back but he is stranded. Steyn calmly throws back to AB de V who does the rest. FOW 45/4A McGuigan writes: "Hi Alan. I think you're a cool guy. [note this is an excellent way to get your email published] Anyway, Ian Bell's shot. That was seriously un-cool. Like, the opposite of Fonzy. That would ba bad shot whatever the scenario."Cedric writes, on the subject of Ian Bell: "The old ‘get yourself out’ psychology is back, why play at any deliveries not going to hit the stumps, for at least an hour? This is just unprofessional batting, childish, indisciplined, and match losing. S Africa’s batters are not in fact that talented, Smith Amlah, Kallis: their main strength is playing within their limits but with an intensity of focus now slipping away fast from the England team. Bell is now an experienced middle order batsman, flicking at good delivery very early is inexcusable. Anyway, this now could be another big loss, not as big as the humiliating surrender of the Oval, but defeat by a couple of hundred runs to rub in the very big difference in quality of the two teams."
OVER 25: ENG 41/3 (Trott 22* Taylor 3*) Kallis comes on for a bowl. Not a bad fellow to have as your fourth seamer: just the 279 Test wickets. What a superb cricketer he has been. All that said, asked "what's he like in the dressing room?", Shaun Pollock says "he enjoys a bit of humour." Count me out of that one, personally, but what a player. In this over he moves a ball into Taylor and then seams it up the hill. Class, total class, and far too good for Taylor to get a nick on. One off the over.
OVER 24: ENG 40/3 (Trott 22* Taylor 2*) A third maiden in a row. Three short ones from Steyn to Taylor.
Dennis Lanner writes: "England appear to have thrown caution to the winds. This is a great shame. It would have been terrific to see them grind out a draw even if the series is lost."
OVER 23: ENG 40/3 (Trott 22* Taylor 2*) Philander is giving young James Taylor a thorough examination. Painfully thorough, in fact: a real "touch your toes" job. VD finds the edge two balls in a row, albeit that JT controlled the second shot quite well with soft, tiny hands. I'll be surprised if he makes ten.
Anthony writes: "I said yesterday that England will be bowled out shortly after lunch on Monday for 287, with Jimmy A. forgiven the dropped catch by carrying his bat to 63 not out. Or maybe 64! But even this is begining to look slightly optimistic! All out for 193 before lunch? However, I insist that it will be the West Indies who will be ranked number one in two years time and therefore the team to beat." You sir, are mad.
OVER 22: ENG 40/3 (Trott 22* Taylor 2*) Morkel is taken off, but there is no respite for England as Dale Steyn picks up the standard. Steyn has the ball swinging but he's perhaps a few inches too wide in this over. An appeal for a catch down the legside but Trott didn't touch that one. Maiden. The run rate, if you're bothered, has ticked over 3.8
Andries van der Walt says: "I remember on your famous prime ministers once saying “...we shall never surrender...” And the British were proud to be British. Where has it gone wrong. Cameron perhaps?" Almost certainly, I should think. Cameron and the Euro. Possibly trade unions as well."Philander's filling his boots," says Roger Jones. "Man of Match award or just to the whole squad?"
OVER 21: ENG 40/3 (Trott 22* Taylor 2*) This Philander is a touch of class, I'm saying. Another top-notch over. Trott is living a charmed life at the moment, slashing and missing at a wide delivery. He picks up a single past gully.
OVER 20: ENG 39/3 (Trott 21* Taylor 2*) Trott flicks Morkel into the legside for a nice three.
"The end is neigh. I have just seen a big girl practicing her scales, again..." writes Alastair Donald.
That is a good one: "the end is neigh". A much better expression, I think. I'm going to adopt it.
OVER 19: ENG 36/3 (Trott 18* Taylor 2*) New batsman James Taylor cover drives his third ball for a pleasant two.
WICKET! Bell c Smith b Philander 4 Pretty tame effort from Ian Bell - not for the first time when the chips are down - as he flicks cross-battedly at a decent delivery from Vernon Philander. Smith needs two grabs at it but hangs on eventually at slip.The ball wasn't short enough for the flat-footed forcing shot that Bell aimed at it. He did not add to his overight score in 11 balls this morning. FOW 34/3
OVER 18: ENG 34/2 (Trott 18* Bell 4*) Down on one knee, a flamboyant drive square of the wicket that rattles to the point boundary. It's Cuthbert Jonathan Trott! A major wide in that over from Morkel as well.
OVER 17: ENG 29/2 (Trott 14* Bell 4*) I should have added: tenner for seniors if you want to go to Lord's today. Twenty for other adults, free for under 16s. Cash only. Very un-Trott like so far from Trott. Slashes wildly at a ball from Philander that flies over the slips for four. Another swing and miss in the over.
Andrew Holgate says: "We've not been very good since the winter series in Arabia. We were tepid against the Windies and now a proper team have come out to play our frailties have been shown. Whether it is complacency, team dynamics or exhaustion, we don't deserve to be number one at present."
OVER 16: ENG 24/2 (Trott 9* Bell 4*) Trott is having a torid time out there at the moment. Just about evades a hostile bouncer from Morne, and then flashes and misses twice. Single to him off the last ball of the over.
OVER 15: ENG 23/2 (Trott 8* Bell 4*) Classy over from Vernon Philander. After a nice push for two from Trott, Philander beats that batsman a couple of times, one of them comprehensively, with some lovely outswing bowling. The swing is too much for AB de Villiers to handle, and he gives up a bye - and then a four byes as the ball dies on him. Incidentally, it's worth paying tribute to the fact that South Africa have achieved this (presumed) series win after losing a key team member, keeper Mark Boucher, in the most horrible circumstances in the build up. De Villiers has done a terrific job as stand-in. Not certain he is the ideal long-term bet as keeper, but that's for another day.
Michael Maxwell: "Much talk about England dropping catches and how the game / series would have been so much different. Little mention how SA has been terribly unlucky with three 3rd umpire calls! Kallis the victim twice. Now those could've been game changing mistakes which would've been a real shame. SA dropped catches too over the 3 matches. Basically: Enough with the excuses! SA has the better bowlers and batsman." Not too sure about the use of the word "excuses" there, but you're right: England have had the rub of the green with a couple of umpiring calls, no doubt.
OVER 14: ENG 16/2 (Trott 6* Bell 4*) Good start from Morne. Accurate and probing. Finds Bell's outside edge, but the Warwickshire man played with soft hands. He jags a ball back to hit Bell on the pads. Too high.
10.59 Morne Morkel will start to Bell with three slips, a gully, and a deepish short leg.
10.57 The players are out at a very gloomy Lord's. Cloud cover, lights on. Decent crowd in. Still tickets available - twenty quid for adults and under 16s ride free.
10.55 So this will be England's 11th Test since the India series ended. Three wins, two draws, five defeats and...?
10.45 The problem facing England - one of the problems - is that if they do look like getting near the total, South Africa can shut the game down. Get the yeoman Kallis to bowl it wide of off stump, have Tahir bowl from around the wicket... Is there any English batsman who could score quickly enough to somehow wrest this game way from South Africa? Step foward, Kevin Pietersen. Well, actually, don't. We've decided we're better off without you. Absolute madness in my view.
10.35 We're getting a look at the pitch on the TV now. It still looks pretty decent, albeit there will be a bit of variable bounce. Bowling from the Nursery End, there should be some rough for Tahir to bowl into, caused by the follow-through of Jimmy Anderson, according to Mike Atherton.
10.30 Good morning and welcome to what will surely be England's last day on top of the world Test rankings for a while. Whether or not you buy into this newfangled league table thing, with its caprices of mathematics, few could argue that England have been second best to South Africa in this short series. If they can somehow score 330 runs today, having already lost their openers overnight, it will be one of the great sporting escapes. I think it is very unlikely. So where has it gone wrong?
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