England frustrated by South African openers at Lords
South Africa need a vast improvement on their first innings score of 247 to salvage a draw.
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Sunday, 13, Jul 2008 02:32
England's bowlers failed to find a breakthrough at lunch on day four of the first Test at Lords.
South Africa are on 75-0 after being forced to follow-on, still 271 runs behind England's mammoth first innings score of 593.
Skipper Graeme Smith grinded out an unbeaten 36 while Neil McKenzie scored just 18 runs in two hours.
The tourists' eked out just 54 runs in 28 overs in their bid to snatch a draw after being outplayed for the first three days.
Starting the day on 17-0, the South African openers saw off the new ball with Ryan Sidebottom and James Anderson unable to make any inroads.
Monty Panesar, the hero yesterday with four wickets, was brought on in the 15th over. The spinner had two lbw appeals turned down when bowling to McKenzie but failed to get much turn on the dry pitch.
Panesar created England's best chance of the session to breaking the deadlock when Smith got a inside edge to a floating delivery which hit wicket-keeper Tim Ambrose's pads.
Kevin Pietersen bowled the last over for lunch, which went for six runs, with the openers holding firm. And they need more of the same in the remaining two sessions to prevent a likely England victory.