A.B. de Villiers continued to frustrate England by completing his sixth Test hundred after debutant Darren Pattinson struck again by removing Ashwell Prince for a Test-best 149 at Headingley.
South Africa, at lunch on the third day of the second Test yesterday, were 384 for five in reply to England’s 203, a commanding lead of 181.
De Villiers was 103 not out and Mark Boucher 8 not out.
PHOTO: AFP
Pattinson, a controversial selection as he was brought up in Australia albeit born in the east coast English port town of Grimsby, had taken the only wicket to fall on Saturday when he had Hashim Amla leg before wicket.
But, as happened then, he had to wait his turn yesterday behind fellow pace bowlers James Anderson, Andrew Flintoff and Stuart Broad.
However, in his second over of the day, the 29-year-old got the breakthrough England so badly needed when, bowling from around the wicket, he induced an edge from Prince outside off stump to give wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose a simple catch.
PHOTO: AP
Prince, who had also made a century in the drawn first Test at Lord’s, had batted for almost seven hours, facing 284 balls with two sixes and 17 fours.
His stand of 212 in 75 overs with de Villiers was a new South Africa record for the fifth-wicket against England, surpassing the 192 shared by Gary Kirsten and Boucher at Durban in 1999.
De Villiers though made Pattinson pay for dropping short on a placid pitch when he cut him through the offside for four in front of square to go to 99.
A fired-up Flintoff twice beat de Villiers, who had angered England on Friday by claiming to have caught Andrew Strauss when the ball had in fact bounced, outside off stump.
But having spent 13 balls on 99, his single off Flintoff saw de Villiers complete his second Test century against England, off 264 balls with 11 fours.
Flintoff’s mood would not have been improved when Boucher, on 8, edged him to second slip only for Alastair Cook to drop the catch.
On Saturday, the Proteas were 322 for four when bad light forced an early close on the second day.
“It was hard work. They left the ball well and exploited the better batting conditions,” England coach Peter Moores said. “I think we can still win. It’s been a trait of this team that we can get out of tough positions and put the opposition under pressure. If we can get wickets early on Sunday and then get a score on the board, it could be hard to chase.”
Hashim Amla said that England’s tactic of banging the ball in short was not a problem for him.
“I’m not surprised. They did the same at Lord’s and I got runs,” he said.
South Africa started the final session on 262 for four, 59 ahead, with 31-year-old left-hander Prince, in his 43rd Test, exactly 100 not out and de Villiers unbeaten on 44.
De Villiers went to a 126-ball fifty, including five fours, with a two off Anderson.
He then moved up a gear, stylishly forcing Anderson off the back foot for four through the offside and pulling Pattinson for another boundary.
England took the new ball before tea, but Prince’s response was to drive Flintoff down the ground for four to go to 99.
A single off Anderson saw Prince to his second Test hundred against England off 194 balls, with two sixes and 11 fours.
After 58 overs of an all-seam attack on a placid pitch, England captain Michael Vaughan brought on Monty Panesar, whose 60 second innings overs at Lord’s failed to yield a wicket.
And his first few in Leeds were hardly more rewarding, with Prince striking him for a straight six to complete his fifty.
Also see: India’s batsmen struggle in warm-up
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