South Africa slump as England press for win

BIRMINGHAM (England), Aug 2: South Africa, chasing 281 for victory, lost four wickets for 28 runs to slump to 111 for four at tea on the fourth day of the third Test against England at Edgbaston on Saturday.

Captain Graeme Smith was undefeated on 55 and A.B. de Villiers nine not out after Neil McKenzie (22), Hashim Amla (6), Jacques Kallis (5) and Ashwell Prince (2) had been removed.

Smith reached his half-century in 86 balls and a lot of pressure is resting on his shoulders as South Africa, already 1-0 up, look to secure victory in the four-match series.

After resuming on 11-0 after lunch after England had been dismissed for 363, South Africa openers Neil McKenzie and Smith made serene progress to reach 65-0 with few alarms.

But Flintoff struck when McKenzie lost sight of a yorker that caught him flush on the toe and umpire Steve Davis gave him out leg-before-wicket for 22.

Monty Panesar then trapped Hashim Amla in front for six, before Jacques Kallis on five became the third lbw victim of the innings when he also lost sight of Flintoff's full toss and was hit on the thigh.

Kallis stood his ground in disbelief, but Davis raised his finger to leave South Africa on 83-3.

Ashwell Prince made two before James Anderson slanted a ball across to have him caught behind by Tim Ambrose to leave the tourists on 93-4.

Smith brought his half century up just before tea, and he remains South Africa’s best chance of claiming victory.

Earlier, Smith and McKenzie survived a tricky 20-minute spell before lunch after England was bowled out.

Paul Collingwood was the last man out for 135, caught by wicket-keeper Mark Boucher off Morne Morkel.

England had the worst possible start when Ambrose was bowled by Morkel on the second ball of the morning for 19.

Ambrose and Collingwood had added 76 for the seventh wicket and the wicket-keeper's departure brought Ryan Sidebottom to the crease.

Collingwood and Sidebottom continued to frustrate the South Africa bowlers by compiling a 65-run partnership, before Sidebottom became Morkel's second victim of the morning when he gloved a catch to Amla at short leg.

Anderson was bowled by Kallis for one, and Collingwood was out when his cut stroke at Morkel was edged to Boucher.

Collingwood left the field to a standing ovation after an innings widely believed to have saved his Test career.

Collingwood, who had scored only 96 runs before this innings this season in first-class cricket, reached his sixth Test century with a six on Friday to keep England afloat.

Collingwood and Kevin Pietersen, who stroked a majestic 94, put on 115 in just 138 deliveries after England had been reduced to 104 for four 30 minutes before tea.

After Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff (2) had fallen in quick succession, Collingwood and Ambrose then put on an unbeaten 76 for the seventh wicket.

Collingwood reached his fifty from just 61 balls and three figures in 133 after scoring just four in 44 minutes in the first innings.

His finest moment came when he lofted left-arm spinner Paul Harris over long-on for six to reach his century.

Pietersen looked set to complete his 14th Test century until he tried to loft Harris once too often and drove him to de Villiers at mid-on to end his 136-ball innings. He smashed his bat into his pads twice in disgust with himself.

In Harris's previous over, Pietersen had played two audacious switch-hits to the cover boundary in three balls.

Scoreboard

ENGLAND (1st Innings) 231 (A.N. Cook 76, I.R. Bell 50).

SOUTH AFRICA (1st Innings) 314 (N.D. McKenzie 72, J.H. Kallis 64; A. Flintoff 4-89).

ENGLAND (2nd Innings, overnight 297-6):

A.J. Strauss c Kallis b Morkel 25

A.N. Cook c Boucher b Ntini 9

M.P. Vaughan c Amla b Nel 17

K.P. Pietersen c de Villiers b Harris 94

I.R. Bell c Boucher b Ntini 20

P.D. Collingwood c Boucher b Morkel 135

A. Flintoff c Amla b Harris 2