TheSportsCampus

There is absolutely nothing to choose between England South Africa heading into the business end of the third and final test of the series at Lord's with the hosts squeezing out a narrow 6 run lead in the first innings on the back of a career defining innings of 95 from 22-year old Jonny Bairstow. South Africa in their second innings ended the day at 145-3 with Hashim Amla taking charge of proceedings with an unbeaten half-century. Day 4 is certain to be 'moving day' as far as this test match is concerned, and should the Proteas batsmen be able to bat through two sessions, England will have their work cut out for them in terms of leveling the series.

Jonny Bairstow and Matt Prior walked out to carry on the England recovery on the third day of the final test of the series at Lord's. But the new ball again proved costly for the hosts as Vernon Philander struck with his very first delivery to send back Prior( 27) who could not deal with the away movement and edged straight to Kallis at second slip. Stuart Broad came next and scored some quick runs with Bairstow, who displayed great timing against the South African pacers.

Just when England crossed the 250 mark, Dale Steyn fired an aggressive short ball which Broad(16) found too difficult to tackle and was caught by Hashim Amla at short leg. Morne Morkel returned once again to get the prized wicket of Bairstow (95), who fell short of a well deserved century at the mecca of cricket, by uprooting his middle stump. After offering a lot of resistance, James Anderson(12) was sent back by Steyn, who again banged in a short pitched delivery which Anderson awkwardly played it to the point region where an alert Rudoplh took a fine catch.

Graeme Swann meanwhile tried to make the most of the remaining overs as the English innings approached the end and added 32 runs for the final wicket with Steve Finn who was caught at point by JP Duminy off Morkel to mark the end of England innings at 315. But the indispensable final wicket partnership between Swann(37*) and Finn(10) made sure that England take a marginal 6 run lead at the end of their first innings to set up an exciting second half to this test match.

The South African openers Alviro Petersen and Graeme Smith began the second innings rather comfortably and saw off the new ball without too much trouble from the English seamers. The duo had put on 33 runs for the first wicket, defending most of the deliveries towards the end of the second session of play, when the umpires signaled tea.

England came back strongly immediately after the tea break with Graeme Swann trapping Smith leg before for 23, attempting the sweep shot, but missing the ball completely. It was a brave decision, one which would have been given in pre-DRS days, but Smith opted not to review. 46-1 soon became 50-2 with Alviro Petersen following his opening partner back to the hutch also trapped leg before, this time by Stuart Broad.

South Africa's innings was rescued by the old firm of Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis, who added 81 for the third wicket before the latter fell late in the day, the third leg before victim of the innings with Steve Finn the man getting amongst the wickets. Kallis was convinced that he had hit the ball, and immediately reviewed the decision, but hot spot and replays showed that he had actually hit his own pad with his bat, and there was no evidence of contact with the ball.

Amla survived the day in the company of nightwatchman Dale Steyn, ending unbeaten on 57 as the South African innings trudged along to 145-3, keeping this match tantalizingly poised heading into what could well be a decisive day in this test series.

Teams:

England: A Cook, A Strauss(c), J Trott, J Bairstow, I Bell, J Taylor, M Prior(wk), S Broad, S Finn, G Swann, J Anderson

South Africa: A Petersen, G Smith(c), H Amla, J Kallis, AB de Villiers(wk), J Rudolph, JP Duminy, V Philander, D Steyn, M Morkel, I Tahir

Mini Scorecard:

South Africa 1st Innings 309 all out (101.2 Overs, 3.04 rpo)
V Philander 61 (93) S Finn 4/75
JP Duminy 61 (158) J Anderson 3/76

England 1st Innings 315 all out (107.3 Overs, 2.93 rpo)
J Bairstow 95 (196) M Morkel 4/80
I Bell 58 (157) D Steyn 4/94

South Africa 2nd Innings 145/3 (50 Overs, 2.9 rpo)
H Amla 57* (98)
J Kallis 31 (58)

File Photograph Copyright: Privatemusings