CRICKET/Third Test: England's bruised but determined attack produced a stirring fightback to leave the outcome of the third Test hanging in the balance after a thrilling fourth day at Trent Bridge.
Dismissed for a lowly 118 - their lowest Test total on home soil since slumping to 110 all out against South Africa at Lord's five years ago - England looked on course for another comprehensive defeat, with the tourists needing only 202 runs for victory.
But just as South Africa seemed set to claim a stranglehold on the series following their innings victory at Lord's, England reduced them to 63 for five when bad light stopped play with 11 overs remaining.
Given a head start by an ill-judged decision from umpire Daryl Harper to give South Africa captain Graeme Smith leg before in the ninth over of their reply - television replays suggested he had got an inside edge onto his pads - England produced an adrenaline-fuelled display to thrill the enthusiastic crowd.
That early breakthrough from James Kirtley was followed by an almost identical decision, this time a correct one, in his next over to remove Jacques Rudolph before he had scored.
Kirtley's superb early spell prompted England to gamble on Steve Harmison, who had earlier been cleared after being sent for a scan on a calf injury sustained the day before, and the Durham fast bowler responded with an excellent spell and the key wicket of opener Herschelle Gibbs.
Despite displaying his discomfort at the end of each delivery stride, Harmison caused difficulties with the extra bounce he exerted from the wicket and frustrated Gibbs into an ill-judged pull shot, fetching the ball from outside off stump and looping the ball high in the air for Ashley Giles to catch at mid-on.
With James Anderson also contributing to remove Jacques Kallis and Boeta Dippenaar during his spell, the fluctuating fortunes of the fourth day had accounted for 14 wickets in only 67 overs and leaves the tourists needing a further 139 runs to claim victory on a tense final day.
England had begun the fourth day on a perilous nought for one leading by 83 and believing that a lead of around 250 would prove hard to chase on an ever deteriorating Trent Bridge wicket.
However, Shaun Pollock gave an object lesson in the art of seam bowling to dismiss England for their lowest total since Australia set the tone for last winter's Ashes by removing them for 79 in the opening Test at Brisbane.
Pollock claimed six for 39 and pressurised England's batsmen into almost elementary mistakes and set the tone for South Africa's later efforts with Jacques Kallis and all-rounder Andrew Hall also chipping in with crucial wickets.
