The weather reverts back to the norm, temperatures bearable and no where near the 40 degrees of yesterday.  Hard slog for England yesterday and South Africa are expected to push on and score quickly before declaring, we all expect England to have to bat for four sessions.

 

Smith and Kallis look to score quickly but England bowl well to a defensive field, South Africa struggle to get a momentum on the fourth morning. With more extravagant shots being played the chance of wickets will also be higher.  Smith eventually perishes as he skies one to Collingwood in the deep, a superb knock and the Skipper has set the base for a likely Proteas victory in this test.

 

England manage to keep the batsmen under control and wickets continue to fall at regular intervals, taking away any momentum that the batsmen were getting. All in all it's a positive return following the heat from yesterday.  A lot of talk about ball tampering but in all honesty it seems to be a lot of fuss about nothing, no official complaint posted just lots of talk, seems like a ploy to unsettle the England boys in all honesty. South Africa eventually declare on 447-7 a lead of 465.

 

So four and a half sessions for England to survive, it's going to be a tall order but the wicket does seem to have got easier.  Strauss and Cook come out to bat and endure some hairy moments early on, Strauss surviving with a referral.  Eventually they get on top of the bowling and it starts to look easy, Cook reaches his fifty and the hundred partnership is posted, immediately Cook gets a top edge to de Wet's short delivery and Boucher pouches the catch. Strauss than plays a nothing shot to Harris and bat pads it to short leg, disaster in the last few overs.

 

Trott is joined by Pietersen and once again he fails, lots of comments from the fans being made about lack of interest and not being a team player, has he just sufferred from expectation and the barracking of the home crowd.  Nightwatchman Anderson joins Trott and they survive to stumps, after a positive start England are on the ropes at 132-3.

 

Going to be a struggle tomorrow and a likely victory for the Proteas.