Honours even at attritional Newlands

The Third Test of England's series in South Africa remained, as has so often been the case this series, on an even keel at the close of the first day's play following three sessions of dour, determined, attritional cricket at Cape Town's picturesque Newlands ground.

England made one change, Mark Butcher's wrist prompting Robert Key's return to the number three position, whilst South Africa disposed of Martin van Jaarsveld and Dale Steyn in favour of Boeta Dippenaar - back from injury - and the uncapped 30-year-old left-arm swing bowler Charl Langeveldt. Having lost his sixteenth toss in twenty-two Tests as captain, Michael Vaughan's tourists were consigned to another long day in the field beneath the seemingly ever-present baking heat of a South African summer on a wicket offering little to the English bowlers.

Yet, for the second time in two matches, Herschelle Gibbs fell victim to Matthew Hoggard in identical fashion. With the total on nine, and himself on just four, the right-hander shouldered arms to the Yorkshire seamer only to see the ball continue serenely into the unguarded off stump. It wasn't to be a major setback for the hosts, however, as Graeme Smith - unusually restrained in his approach - set about building an imposing innings.

His partner Jacques Rudolph seemed less at home, especially against the pace of Simon Jones, and twice was fortunate to deflect the Glamorgan quick past the stumps to the fine leg boundary. As such, there were few complaints from the number three - on 26 - when another deflection found its way into Geraint's gloves behind the stumps.

The leisurely pace of scoring continued in the afternoon session as Jacques Kallis joined his captain Smith, and Ashley Giles and Andrew Flintoff toiled down containing lines. Giles in particular frustrated the left-handed Smith as he bowled over the wicket into the emerging footmarks outside his off stump to a slip, silly point and mid-off. The stalemate seemed to have reached a resolution with Smith on 70, as a bottom-edged sweep shot ballooned off his pad to the waiting 'keeper, but Daryl Harper was not convinced.

Smith, nonetheless, was unabled to capitalise on this let-off as, a boundary later, in the following over a slashing drive caught the outside edge and found its way to the reliable hands of Marcus Trescothick at slip, via Geraint Jones' thigh. By now, the pattern of the day's play had been firmly established and Kallis, joined by the returning Dippenaar, was content to potter along at marginally above two runs per over throughout the afternoon, with Giles and Flintoff maintaining their roles as chief misers.

Sixty-eight had been added for the fourth wicket, to go with the 61 and 75 for the previous two, but the slow scoring rate meant that South Africa never fully closed the door on England and when Giles found some turn from the rough to beat Dippenaar (29), the game was very much back in the balance once more, before Hashim Amla (21*) joined Kallis (81*) before the close and survived the new ball, leaving a solid foundation for the hosts to build on tomorrow.

On a less than helpful track, South Africa will see 400 as an absolute minimum if they are to build a platform to bowl England out twice and seal victory, whilst England will be backing their batting line up to match whatever their hosts set them before making a successful final-day chase. This series to date has shown, however, that matches are not won on the first day but on the fourth and fifth - and it would be a fool to pass judgement on the path of this match.

South Africa 247-4
JH Kallis 81*, GC Smith 74
AF Giles 2-58, SP Jones 1-37

Posted by Neil