(Adds details)
LEEDS, England, Aug 5 – England failed to make a
breakthrough when rain stopped play before tea on the fourth day
of the second test at Headingley on Sunday as South Africa
reached 39 without loss in their second innings.
Jacques Rudolph, opening in place of the injured Alviro
Petersen, was unbeaten on 21 while skipper Graeme Smith was on
17 as he continued to bat with a minor knee injury.
Thunder and lightning arrived just minutes after the players
left the field with the skies over northern England turning an
ominous dark grey.
It was a frustrating passage of play for England, who had
failed to capitalise on Kevin Pietersen’s exhilarating first
innings century that helped the hosts to 425 in reply to the
Proteas’ 419.
Smith survived a scare before lunch when England reviewed an
lbw appeal but it was rejected. Television replays showed the
ball would have bounced over the stumps.
Apart from a couple of edges that failed to carry through to
the slips the South African openers held their own.
Earlier on Sunday, Pietersen had resumed on 149 with the
team on 351 for five.
England had hopes of passing South Africa’s first innings
and taking a significant lead, but Pietersen was out to the
second ball of the morning – lbw to Morne Morkel without adding
to his overnight score.
Continued…
