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Lunch South Africa 84 for 0 (Petersen 59*, Smith 24*) v England
Alviro Petersen leans into a drive during his half-century © Getty Images
England finally heard the sound of South African stumps falling as the second Test got underway at Headingley, but to their frustration it was Steven Finn knocking them over with his knee at the bowler's end - and losing the chance of a wicket in the process.
Finn had Graeme Smith caught at first slip by Andrew Strauss when he was only 6, but England's relief was shortlived as the Australian umpire, Steve Davis, called dead ball as Finn's buckled right knee knocked off the bails.
It all contributed to a galling first morning for England as South Africa, fresh from their innings victory at The Oval, enjoyed a wicketless morning. Smith and Alviro Petersen reached 84 without loss by lunch, extending England's overs without taking a South Africa wicket to 128.5.
Strauss, England's captain, jogged down from slip to protest but it was a pointless gesture. Davis was within his rights under Law 23.4 (vi) which states that either umpire can call dead ball if: "The striker is distracted by any noise or movement or in any other way while he is preparing to receive, or receiving a delivery."
Finn, a gangling quick, had collided with the stumps three times in his first couple of overs without Davis intervening but once he did call dead ball he did so for the rest of the morning. There was a suspicion that South Africa must have made quiet representations, and why ever not? His colliding with the stumps occurs so regularly that it is an irritation and, if South Africa had observed as much before the match, they had shown basic professionalism.
Australia's captain, Michael Clarke, who was bowled in the NatWest Series at Chester-le-Street when Finn also collided with the stumps, will now realise that he missed a trick; England will realise they have a problem.
Finn has reportedly been working on the issue with Middlesex's bowling coach, Richard Johnson, but clearly to no avail. One of the most promising fast bowlers in the world, he is nevertheless not short of frailties. When he first came into the England side, he kept falling over in his delivery stride. Now he stays on his feet, but keeps hitting the stumps.
Petersen had an escape on 29 when he was dropped by Alastair Cook, a routine chance to second slip which slipped through his hands and struck him on the knee. He was there because of the absence of Graeme Swann, but his occasional flirtations with the slip cordon have not been successful and Jonathan Trott would have been a better option.
Finn had been called into a quartet of fast bowlers as England pinned their faith in Headingley malevolence of old - it was the first time since 2003, on the same ground against the same team, that they had not played a frontline spinner - but no matter how much statistical analysis they were able to produce, the exclusion of Swann and a reliance on an all-pace attack represented a considerable gamble. By lunch on a bright and breezy morning, with the pitch sedate, and nothing untoward occurring, there was little to justify the move.
Headingley lurches between swing bowler's paradise to one of the flattest pitches in the land and to omit Swann on the grounds of a green-tinged pitch and an unsettled forecast for the second half of the match had a hint of desperation. Until England find a batsman in the top six who can bowl, there is no easy solution.
Swann, instrumental in England's rise through the Test rankings, was omitted after 43 successive Tests and settled down for a disconsolate read of the Test match programme in the home dressing room. He found himself on the front cover under the headline Turning The Tide. It was unlikely to enhance his mood.
England put South Africa into bat, as their selection insisted that they must, but they were not exactly imbued with attacking spirit. Strauss is a conservative captain, and his approach is perhaps favoured by his coach Andy Flower, and Smith found himself met with two slips and a gully and four fielders on the leg side, three saving a single.
Smith had worked straight balls repeatedly through the leg side during his mammoth stand with Hashim Amla at The Oval, but he had also recently returned from a long haul flight to be at the birth of his first child and had not batted since. England could at least have seen whether he got the sleep out of his eyes.
As it was, Petersen took most of the new ball, along with some misanthropic chuntering from James Anderson as the pitch proved to be a sedate one. He enjoyed a comfortable start as Stuart Broad's line strayed and the expectant mood of the Headingley crowd began to dissipate.
By the time Tim Bresnan tested him with two short balls, both of them pulled to the mid wicket boundary, he had a half-century from 78 balls. As for Smith, his grimacing, bottom-hand shovels were becoming more effective by the minute. South Africa's grip was tightening.
Alviro Petersen leans into a drive during his half-century © Getty Images
England finally heard the sound of South African stumps falling as the second Test got underway at Headingley, but to their frustration it was Steven Finn knocking them over with his knee at the bowler's end - and losing the chance of a wicket in the process.
Finn had Graeme Smith caught at first slip by Andrew Strauss when he was only 6, but England's relief was shortlived as the Australian umpire, Steve Davis, called dead ball as Finn's buckled right knee knocked off the bails.
It all contributed to a galling first morning for England as South Africa, fresh from their innings victory at The Oval, enjoyed a wicketless morning. Smith and Alviro Petersen reached 84 without loss by lunch, extending England's overs without taking a South Africa wicket to 128.5.
Strauss, England's captain, jogged down from slip to protest but it was a pointless gesture. Davis was within his rights under Law 23.4 (vi) which states that either umpire can call dead ball if: "The striker is distracted by any noise or movement or in any other way while he is preparing to receive, or receiving a delivery."
Finn, a gangling quick, had collided with the stumps three times in his first couple of overs without Davis intervening but once he did call dead ball he did so for the rest of the morning. There was a suspicion that South Africa must have made quiet representations, and why ever not? His colliding with the stumps occurs so regularly that it is an irritation and, if South Africa had observed as much before the match, they had shown basic professionalism.
Australia's captain, Michael Clarke, who was bowled in the NatWest Series at Chester-le-Street when Finn also collided with the stumps, will now realise that he missed a trick; England will realise they have a problem.
Finn has reportedly been working on the issue with Middlesex's bowling coach, Richard Johnson, but clearly to no avail. One of the most promising fast bowlers in the world, he is nevertheless not short of frailties. When he first came into the England side, he kept falling over in his delivery stride. Now he stays on his feet, but keeps hitting the stumps.
Petersen had an escape on 29 when he was dropped by Alastair Cook, a routine chance to second slip which slipped through his hands and struck him on the knee. He was there because of the absence of Graeme Swann, but his occasional flirtations with the slip cordon have not been successful and Jonathan Trott would have been a better option.
Finn had been called into a quartet of fast bowlers as England pinned their faith in Headingley malevolence of old - it was the first time since 2003, on the same ground against the same team, that they had not played a frontline spinner - but no matter how much statistical analysis they were able to produce, the exclusion of Swann and a reliance on an all-pace attack represented a considerable gamble. By lunch on a bright and breezy morning, with the pitch sedate, and nothing untoward occurring, there was little to justify the move.
Headingley lurches between swing bowler's paradise to one of the flattest pitches in the land and to omit Swann on the grounds of a green-tinged pitch and an unsettled forecast for the second half of the match had a hint of desperation. Until England find a batsman in the top six who can bowl, there is no easy solution.
Swann, instrumental in England's rise through the Test rankings, was omitted after 43 successive Tests and settled down for a disconsolate read of the Test match programme in the home dressing room. He found himself on the front cover under the headline Turning The Tide. It was unlikely to enhance his mood.
England put South Africa into bat, as their selection insisted that they must, but they were not exactly imbued with attacking spirit. Strauss is a conservative captain, and his approach is perhaps favoured by his coach Andy Flower, and Smith found himself met with two slips and a gully and four fielders on the leg side, three saving a single.
Smith had worked straight balls repeatedly through the leg side during his mammoth stand with Hashim Amla at The Oval, but he had also recently returned from a long haul flight to be at the birth of his first child and had not batted since. England could at least have seen whether he got the sleep out of his eyes.
As it was, Petersen took most of the new ball, along with some misanthropic chuntering from James Anderson as the pitch proved to be a sedate one. He enjoyed a comfortable start as Stuart Broad's line strayed and the expectant mood of the Headingley crowd began to dissipate.
By the time Tim Bresnan tested him with two short balls, both of them pulled to the mid wicket boundary, he had a half-century from 78 balls. As for Smith, his grimacing, bottom-hand shovels were becoming more effective by the minute. South Africa's grip was tightening.