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Prince puts Proteas in control
19/07/2008 17:12 - (SA)
Leeds - Ashwell Prince's second century in consecutive tests took South Africa past England's modest total as they went to tea on day two of the second test on 262 for four at Headingley on Saturday.
The tourists, replying to England's 203 all out, led by 59 runs at the interval and were beginning to take control of the match. The series is currently tied after the draw at Lord's.
Prince, on nine overnight, was 100 not out from 200 balls after striking the second ball of the day for four through the covers. He reached his hundred with a single five minutes before tea.
AB de Villiers was on 44 as South Africa lost only one wicket in the first two sessions, with Hashim Amla departing in the morning session.
The left-handed Prince, whose innings of 101 was a significant reason why South Africa saved the first test after following on, rarely looked in danger as he took advantage of the sunny conditions that made batting comfortable.
England were bowled out when the weather was cloudy.
Prince registered his eighth test fifty with a sweetly timed lofted drive straight over bowler Monty Panesar's head for six to prove his growing confidence.
He repeated the stroke soon after to a wider long-on position as the ball sailed even further back into the stands. De Villiers has played a patient supporting role in a fifth-wicket partnership that was worth 119 at tea.
Before lunch, England's Darren Pattinson, the swing bowler plucked from relative obscurity by the selectors, claimed his first test wicket with an lbw from a full toss that cannoned into Amla's pads.
Replays showed the ball may have missed leg stump, though umpire Daryl Harper gave him out after taking his time over the decision.
De Villiers, who was beaten outside off stump first ball by Pattinson, was booed by the capacity crowd as he walked to the crease after claiming a catch on Friday morning that was shown by replays to have been grounded.
Andrew Flintoff, playing his first test after an 18-month absence due to injury, had figures of one for 36 from 21 overs at the break.
He showed no rustiness and gave little away in a disciplined and sometimes speedy exhibition of pace bowling but got little help from a pitch that is increasingly better for batting.
- Reuters
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