It was a day for hard-grafting foot soldiers at Port Elizabeth on Friday. The Fancy Dans barely got a look-in.The first day of the first Test between South Africa and England, history and form suggested, would be about the wide bats of Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis, countered by the explosive pace of strike bowler Steve Harmison. Smith seemed to have set his own scene by winning the toss and opting to bat on a docile St George’s pitch.But he lasted just two balls and two minutes before edging to slip. England barely had time to sledge him.All rounder Kallis, averaging 87.91 runs per visit this year, also went for a duck, lasting just six balls.The big contributions, meanwhile, came from the relatively low-profile blades of Jacques Rudolph and Boeta Dippenaar.Harmison, meanwhile, Michael Vaughan’s heavy artillery, never really found his range. His 92mph yorker that clattered into the base of Kallis’ off stump, however, was still a major contribution.All rounder Andrew Flintoff took three for 62, including the wicket of Jacques Rudolph for 93, but Matthew Hoggard, a classic English seamer with a low profile and an even lower voice, was the man of the day as the home side closed on 273 for seven. He set the tone by getting rid of Smith. Then, the shadows lengthening, he returned to remove South Africa’s dangerous all rounders Shaun Pollock and Andrew Hall.Brief scoresSouth Africa (1st Innings): 273 for 7 (J Rudolph 93, B Dippenaar batting 79, S Pollock 31; M Hoggard 3/41, A Flintoff 3/62) vs England
