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Lunch England 29 for 1 (Cook 6*) trail South Africa 309 by 280 runs
Vernon Philander passed fifty for the first time in Test cricket © PA Photos
The skies turned blue as England began to bat at Lord's and Andrew Strauss was in his 100th Test. More than eight years ago, he made a century on debut on his home ground. With the Test series against South Africa in the balance, a capacity crowd hummed with respectable debate about whether he could possibly make another one.
He could not. Once again, it was his old terroriser, his old adversary, Morne Morkel, who silenced that thought in the last over before lunch, bringing one back down the slope to demolish Strauss' stumps and, in the process, destroying any assumptions in north London that in the wake of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the London Olympics, history could be so pre-ordained.
In one delivery, Morkel had reminded us that Test cricket was a hard school where statistics had to be earned. Morkel has been Strauss' perpetual nightmare. He began his innings with 112 runs against Morkel at an average of 17. As he walked to the pavilion, he was in no mood to update the statistics; the media will do that for him.
Graeme Smith allowed himself a stern smile of satisfaction. South Africa's captain had again preferred Morkel for the new ball ahead of the No. 1-ranked Test bowler, Dale Steyn. He was initially plagued with inconsistency, and Strauss took boundaries of both Morkel and Vernon Philander with easeful leg-side flicks, but he tightened up as the short pre-lunch session, 10.4 overs in all, developed. Strauss played and missed and was struck in the ribs, his unease again evident.
South Africa were defending only a moderate first-innings total, but they knew that if they could get an early crack at England's inexperienced middle order, where Jonny Bairsdtow and James Taylor had only four previous Tests between them, they would take a step towards avoiding defeat and winning the series.
Philander earlier took his best Test score to 61 before he was last out, stumped trying to advance to England's offspinner Graeme Swann, as South Africa were dismissed for 309 on the second morning of the third and final Test.
The total represented a fine recovery from South Africa after they had lost half their side for 105 on the opening day, but even with some cloud cover about, England would have sensed an opportunity on a docile pitch.
South Africa, 262 for 7 overnight, added another 47 runs in 13.4 overs. Philander, 46 not out at the end of the first day, reached his half-century by pulling Stuart Broad through square leg. Broad's pace, again noticeably down in his 50th Test, was causing growing conjecture about his state of health only a month before he is due to lead England in World Twenty20.
The first day had concluded with Steyn struck on the body by Steven Finn and successfully protesting that with two Lord's floodlights inoperative it was too murky to continue. The second morning began with Steyn peppered by James Anderson and flinging a glove up to protect his face.
The days when the fastest fast bowler in the world could prop confidently forward without any fear of taking a bruising have long gone. When Steyn became the eighth batsman to fall, pouched by Swann at second slip as he edged a drive at Broad, Morkel came in for some short balls of his own. Retaliation will come later.
When Morkel also began to provide useful late-order runs, South Africa's resilience was again beginning to put England's four-strong attack under pressure. Finn's introduction, his rhythm still far from satisfactory, offered further licence, but he picked up his fourth wicket with a wide ball delivered from around the wicket as Morkel's edge was expertly intercepted in front of first slip by Matt Prior. Finn finished with 4 for 75.
Vernon Philander passed fifty for the first time in Test cricket © PA Photos
The skies turned blue as England began to bat at Lord's and Andrew Strauss was in his 100th Test. More than eight years ago, he made a century on debut on his home ground. With the Test series against South Africa in the balance, a capacity crowd hummed with respectable debate about whether he could possibly make another one.
He could not. Once again, it was his old terroriser, his old adversary, Morne Morkel, who silenced that thought in the last over before lunch, bringing one back down the slope to demolish Strauss' stumps and, in the process, destroying any assumptions in north London that in the wake of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the London Olympics, history could be so pre-ordained.
In one delivery, Morkel had reminded us that Test cricket was a hard school where statistics had to be earned. Morkel has been Strauss' perpetual nightmare. He began his innings with 112 runs against Morkel at an average of 17. As he walked to the pavilion, he was in no mood to update the statistics; the media will do that for him.
Graeme Smith allowed himself a stern smile of satisfaction. South Africa's captain had again preferred Morkel for the new ball ahead of the No. 1-ranked Test bowler, Dale Steyn. He was initially plagued with inconsistency, and Strauss took boundaries of both Morkel and Vernon Philander with easeful leg-side flicks, but he tightened up as the short pre-lunch session, 10.4 overs in all, developed. Strauss played and missed and was struck in the ribs, his unease again evident.
South Africa were defending only a moderate first-innings total, but they knew that if they could get an early crack at England's inexperienced middle order, where Jonny Bairsdtow and James Taylor had only four previous Tests between them, they would take a step towards avoiding defeat and winning the series.
Philander earlier took his best Test score to 61 before he was last out, stumped trying to advance to England's offspinner Graeme Swann, as South Africa were dismissed for 309 on the second morning of the third and final Test.
The total represented a fine recovery from South Africa after they had lost half their side for 105 on the opening day, but even with some cloud cover about, England would have sensed an opportunity on a docile pitch.
South Africa, 262 for 7 overnight, added another 47 runs in 13.4 overs. Philander, 46 not out at the end of the first day, reached his half-century by pulling Stuart Broad through square leg. Broad's pace, again noticeably down in his 50th Test, was causing growing conjecture about his state of health only a month before he is due to lead England in World Twenty20.
The first day had concluded with Steyn struck on the body by Steven Finn and successfully protesting that with two Lord's floodlights inoperative it was too murky to continue. The second morning began with Steyn peppered by James Anderson and flinging a glove up to protect his face.
The days when the fastest fast bowler in the world could prop confidently forward without any fear of taking a bruising have long gone. When Steyn became the eighth batsman to fall, pouched by Swann at second slip as he edged a drive at Broad, Morkel came in for some short balls of his own. Retaliation will come later.
When Morkel also began to provide useful late-order runs, South Africa's resilience was again beginning to put England's four-strong attack under pressure. Finn's introduction, his rhythm still far from satisfactory, offered further licence, but he picked up his fourth wicket with a wide ball delivered from around the wicket as Morkel's edge was expertly intercepted in front of first slip by Matt Prior. Finn finished with 4 for 75.