CRICKET SECOND TEST DAY FOUR:THIS IS only one defeat, the series is still alive and England can talk of moving onwards to Edgbaston and the Oval, spirits still intact. But the damage will run deep.
England, who succumbed to a 10-wicket defeat in evening sunshine, have been so thoroughly outplayed that it will require quite a transformation if they are to respond.
South Africa have been unyielding with the bat and have shown disciplined aggression with the ball. England have not only been beaten, they have been ground down, in the latter stages of the Lord's Test and now 200 miles north. Any sense of worth that was gained from series wins, home and away, against New Zealand has largely dissipated against much more powerful opponents.
England lost this match on the opening day when they lost the toss and batted sketchily under leaden skies. Their demise yesterday was respectable enough: 50 for two overnight, the last eight wickets lost for a further 277 in 83 overs, South Africa at least made to bat again, scorebook closed by 6.30pm.
If Darren Pattinson's dad is looking worried in Dandenong, Melbourne, it will not be because of any sense that England are a gathering force ahead of the Ashes next summer, not even because his lad might not get another Test for England, but because Australia face tough home and away series against South Africa starting in December.
England's selectors have much to ponder and just to make things more difficult one young man under pressure, Stuart Broad, whose wickets now cost more than 50 runs each, batted like a prince in an ebullient last-wicket stand of 61.
Defeat was inevitable, pressure non-existent, but the quality of Broad's stately drives and pulls against the pace bowlers paraded his immense promise. One on-drive against Dale Steyn brought sighs of approval. He finished 67 not out from 60 balls with 11 fours and now averages 41.22, more than his father, Chris, an opening batsman.
England registered only one other 50 in the match and Alastair Cook's 60 from 178 balls was of a different character. He never quite looked in form but sought to match South Africa's batting patience and clung on until 11 overs into the afternoon session when a leading edge against Jacques Kallis arced to extra cover.
As the fourth day loomed, some had invoked the spirit of Headingley '81 and Ian Botham's derring-do in desperate circumstances against the Australians.
Others preferred to track back 13 years to recall Michael Atherton's 10½-hour vigil against South Africa in Johannesburg. Two very different innings: one famously flamboyant, one steeped in courage and self-discipline. In the end, England threatened neither.
Jimmy Anderson produced a redoubtable nightwatchman's stint. Not out nought overnight, he batted for all but 14 balls of the morning session, reaching his highest Test score of 34 and encouraging fleeting hopes that England might fashion prolonged resistance, withstanding considerable pain in doing so as he took a fearful pummelling from Steyn in the latter stages of his innings.
Steyn is a skiddy fast bowler who does not make maximum use of his 5ft 11in, and this Headingley pitch offered limited bounce.
The combination made ducking the short ball a hazardous occupation, and when Anderson's doughty resistance burgeoned into elegant drives off back and front foot against Paul Harris's slow left-arm, Steyn reverted to roughing him up.
He was hit twice in succession. The first struck him on the wrist as he ducked into a short one. England's physio, Kirk Russell, was barely off the field when he then took a sickening blow on the grille of the helmet.
It was efficient, uncompromising fast bowling, perfectly justifiable, and it took courage for Anderson to stay on.
Asked how he was, he told Russell he was okay and at least it had taken his mind off how much his wrist was hurting. Armed with a new helmet, he ducked no longer and a few more defiant blocks brought cheers. Then Steyn bowled one fuller and the lbw decision was an easy one.
What must Anderson have made of Kevin Pietersen's innings as he was checked over in the dressingroom.
It might have been the sight of Anderson felled that left Pietersen bursting with belligerence, it might have been an understandable belief that England's only hope rested in his own unrestrained counterattack. But 13 in five balls, with three fours, looked wilful. He whipped and off-drove Steyn for boundaries as if putting him in his place and then dispatched Kallis through point. He tried to leave the next delivery but instead feathered a catch to Mark Boucher.
Ian Bell departed limply, fending Morne Morkel to backward point, and, after Cook followed, Andrew Flintoff and Tim Ambrose settled into strokeless defiance. They resumed more adventurously after tea and Flintoff dispatched a couple of meaty blows, but with Ambrose's greater adventure came immediate vulnerability. He became Boucher's ninth catch in the match, Flintoff flayed at Morkel and was caught at slip, and it was left to Broad to add a cheerful veneer.
Guardian Service
