test2wa

Cricket

England continued their fightback in the Edgbaston Test by dismissing South Africa for 314 on the third morning.

Michael Vaughan's team took the four wickets required to bowl the tourists out inside 75 minutes this morning as new-ball pair Ryan Sidebottom and James Anderson claimed an even share.

Captain Vaughan claimed the spectacular catch to end the innings when he held a slice to deep extra-cover by Mark Boucher off Anderson's bowling.

That meant England, who batted poorly after winning the toss, restricted their opponents' advantage to just 83 runs on first innings.

Left-armer Sidebottom prised out Ashwell Prince early when he was the beneficiary of a loose slash at a wide one, which gave wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose a straightforward dismissal.

That built on Andrew Flintoff's heroics with the ball yesterday evening which dragged England back into a contest they must win to level the npower series.

Moments later Flintoff would have been celebrating only his third five-wicket haul in Tests had Paul Collingwood clung on, diving to his right, after Mark Boucher edged to second slip on 12.

However, he was soon replaced by Anderson at the pavilion end after number nine Morne Morkel's enthusiastic start to a brief innings.

Left-handed Morkel announced his arrival at the crease emphatically, twice square-driving Flintoff for four, the second of which took the tourists' lead to 50.

Another boundary, straight-driven down the ground, followed in what turned out to be Flintoff's final over of his spell.

A further weather disruption to the innings - there were several delays for rain yesterday - stopped play but did not offer enough time for all the players to leave the field.

Upon resumption, Anderson's leg-before appeal against Morkel was upheld by Pakistani umpire Aleem Dar, who adjudged the ball had pitched in line with leg-stump.

Sidebottom followed up in the next over, the 88th of the innings, by removing Andre Nel's middle stump with an inswinger.

That sparked Boucher into a vicious counter-attack which included three boundaries in Sidebottom's next over.

Neither was Sidebottom's mood improved when his final delivery - a bouncer - was hooked straight to fine-leg where Monty Panesar floored a straightforward chance.

Thankfully for all concerned it did not prove costly as Vaughan dived to cling on at full stretch two balls later.

And with further rain falling between innings, the officials opted to bring lunch forward and announce a 1.10pm restart.