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Lunch England 385 and 177 for 5 (Bell 36*, Prior 29*) trail South Africa 637 for 2 dec by 75 runs
Ravi Bopara was the only casualty of the morning for England © Getty Images
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Matches: England v South Africa at The Oval
Series/Tournaments: South Africa tour of England
Teams: England | South Africa
England battled hard on the final morning against South Africa as they tried to salvage a draw but still face a huge task over the remaining two sessions. Ian Bell, who has faced 166 balls for his 36, and Matt Prior formed a gritty sixth-wicket stand after Ravi Bopara's difficult return to Test cricket had continued with a bottom edge off Dale Steyn.
South Africa created the opportunity to remove Bell on 20 when Imran Tahir found the edge in his first over with a ball that turned but AB de Villiers could not gather the chance. It was a regulation edge for a keeper against a spinner, but was also de Villiers' first mistake of the match.
The visitors began with two quick bowlers, Steyn and Morne Morkel, and the former was by far the most impressive. Morkel struggled for a consistent line although, with so many runs to play with, Smith could still afford to give him a decent burst.
Initially Bopara suggested solidity with a tight defence and a couple of confident shots into the leg side, although he came within a millimetre of losing his off stump when he left a delivery from Steyn which shaped back. Then, in Steyn's next, his eyes lit up at the offer of some width but instead of the ball finding the cover boundary it took a bottom edge into middle stump. The days between this Test and Headingley will be filled with further debate over his Test place.
After the early spells from the quicks, Tahir, who created plenty of problems on the fourth evening especially for Andrew Strauss, was introduced and should have ended his first over with a wicket. Instead he was soon employing the curious tactics of bowling round the wicket outside Bell's leg stump despite England still being a long way behind.
Prior did the majority of the scoring and collected some well-timed boundaries including a back-foot drive off Jacques Kallis. However, for the second time in the match he and Bell were nearly involved in a run out when Prior played a ball square to cover and Bell was a little slow responding for run, but de Villiers could not quite gather JP Duminy's throw.
Bell, who has memories of saving a Test against South Africa in Cape Town, added just 22 runs during the morning but finished the session by on-driving a full toss from Tahir down the ground. By the break England had whittled down to deficit to 75 and were not giving in.
Ravi Bopara was the only casualty of the morning for England © Getty Images
Enlarge Related Links
Matches: England v South Africa at The Oval
Series/Tournaments: South Africa tour of England
Teams: England | South Africa
England battled hard on the final morning against South Africa as they tried to salvage a draw but still face a huge task over the remaining two sessions. Ian Bell, who has faced 166 balls for his 36, and Matt Prior formed a gritty sixth-wicket stand after Ravi Bopara's difficult return to Test cricket had continued with a bottom edge off Dale Steyn.
South Africa created the opportunity to remove Bell on 20 when Imran Tahir found the edge in his first over with a ball that turned but AB de Villiers could not gather the chance. It was a regulation edge for a keeper against a spinner, but was also de Villiers' first mistake of the match.
The visitors began with two quick bowlers, Steyn and Morne Morkel, and the former was by far the most impressive. Morkel struggled for a consistent line although, with so many runs to play with, Smith could still afford to give him a decent burst.
Initially Bopara suggested solidity with a tight defence and a couple of confident shots into the leg side, although he came within a millimetre of losing his off stump when he left a delivery from Steyn which shaped back. Then, in Steyn's next, his eyes lit up at the offer of some width but instead of the ball finding the cover boundary it took a bottom edge into middle stump. The days between this Test and Headingley will be filled with further debate over his Test place.
After the early spells from the quicks, Tahir, who created plenty of problems on the fourth evening especially for Andrew Strauss, was introduced and should have ended his first over with a wicket. Instead he was soon employing the curious tactics of bowling round the wicket outside Bell's leg stump despite England still being a long way behind.
Prior did the majority of the scoring and collected some well-timed boundaries including a back-foot drive off Jacques Kallis. However, for the second time in the match he and Bell were nearly involved in a run out when Prior played a ball square to cover and Bell was a little slow responding for run, but de Villiers could not quite gather JP Duminy's throw.
Bell, who has memories of saving a Test against South Africa in Cape Town, added just 22 runs during the morning but finished the session by on-driving a full toss from Tahir down the ground. By the break England had whittled down to deficit to 75 and were not giving in.