England crawl on SA spills

DURBAN, DEC 26: England captain Nasser Hussain made a cautious half-century as the first day of the third cricket Test against South Afric...

DURBAN, DEC 26: England captain Nasser Hussain made a cautious half-century as the first day of the third cricket Test against South Africa ended in near stalemate at Kingsmead today. England crawled to 135 for two in 85.1 overs before bad light ended play half an hour early.

Hussain batted for almost five hours in making an unbeaten 51 off 218 balls with five fours. He shared in partnerships of 75 in 161 minutes with Mark Butcher 48 and an unbeaten 53 in 136 minutes with Darren Maddy batting 24.

On a day of heat and high humidity neither team could claim an advantage as both batsmen and bowlers struggled to master a slow pitch. South Africa, though, had cause to regret missing four chances.

Out-of-form opener Butcher was dropped before he had scored when Paul Adams could not hold a difficult chance at short-leg off Allan Donald8217;s second ball of the day and missed on 15 by Jacques Kallis at second slip off Lance Klusener. Adams also had a good lbw appeal against Butcher turned down.

Maddy, playingin place of Michael Vaughan who was ruled out due to an injured right index finger, was nonplussed by the unorthodox left-arm spin of Adams, who was South Africa8217;s most impressive bowler. He was dropped twice off the spinner, at first slip by Daryll Cullinan when he was on one and again on seven when a thick edge bounced off Boucher8217;s right glove.

Scoreboard
England 1st innings: Mark Butcher c Klusener b Adams 48, Michael Atherton b Hayward 1, Nasser Hussain batting 51, Darren Maddy batting 24; Extras: lb9, w2 11. Total: for 2 wkts, 85.1 overs 135
Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-82.
Bowling: Donald 7-3-7-0, Pollock 18.1-8-24-0, Hayward 13-3-34-1, Kallis 11-6-12-0, Klusener 14-4-23-0, Adams 22-10-26-1.

NO RHODES SHOW
South Africa surprisingly left out home town favourite Jonty Rhodes, who made two half-centuries in the drawn second Test at Port Elizabeth.The selectors had been criticised for leaving out spin bowler Paul Adams at Port Elizabeth, leavingSouth Africa short of bowling options. Adams was included in the final line-up on Sunday.

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The selectors retained Hayward, who took five wickets on his debut, even though all-rounder Jacques Kallis was fit to bowl, which had not been the case in the earlier Test. Cronje said at the toss that he had not been involved in the decision to drop Rhodes.

It was the first time in South Africa8217;s last 17 Tests that Rhodes had not featured in the middle order or at his familiar fielding position of backward point.