Monday, July 21, 2008

England aim to defy South Africa

England will need to show the same defiance South Africa did at Lord's if they are to save the second Test.

England will resume on 50-2, still 269 runs behind at Headingley, after South Africa were all out for 522.

Bowler James Anderson said: "They're going to come out all guns blazing and we're going to battle hard and put in a similar performance to what they did.

"Obviously a couple of guys are going to need to get big hundreds," the nightwatchman added.

South Africa were staring down the barrel at Lord's after being forced to follow-on in the first Test but on a flat pitch they managed to bat out the match to salvage a draw.

They are on top in the second of the four-match series, thanks to a second successive century by Ashwell Prince and 174 by AB De Villiers.

De Villiers said the abuse he suffered from England fans spurred him on to hit his big century.

He told BBC Radio 5 Live: "It's the first time in my life I've been booed onto the field which was disappointing.

"I rate myself as a gentleman of the game but (the abuse) motivated me. It was my most disciplined innings."

De Villiers had claimed a catch on the first morning of the Test, which replays showed had clearly been dropped by the fielder before he caught it on the first bounce.

Though Andrew Strauss had waited for the third umpire to make the correct ruling on the decision, England had been so angry at the time that captain Michael Vaughan walked into the South African dressing room at lunch to complain.

De Villiers said of the incident: "I was never 100% sure and I told my captain straight away. He said there's nothing to worry about because they'll be referring it to the third umpire.

"It was disappointing to see how everyone handled it but that's life."

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