Smith keeps hopes alive

LONDON – South Africa captain Graeme Smith ground out a 23rd test half-century yesterday to keep alive his teams hopes of saving the first test against England at Lord’s.

At tea on the fourth day South Africa were 128 without loss in their second innings after being asked to follow on 346 runs in arrears. Smith had scored 71 and his opening partner Neil McKenzie was on 50.England captain Michael Vaughan switched his bowlers and fielders around repeatedly in an attempt to conjure a wicket but was thwarted by a combination of obdurate batting and an excellent pitch offering nothing to the bowlers apart from some slow turn to Monty Panesar.Panesar, who captured four for 74 as South Africa succumbed for 247 on Saturday, was the pick of the bowlers again.An inside edge from Smith hit Tim Ambrose’s pads before the wicketkeeper could react and several frenzied lbw appeals were turned down.Otherwise there was little to excite a large Sunday crowd hoping for an England victory to break a sequence of five test draws at cricket’s world headquarters.The 50 partnership took 164 minutes and the century stand was posted 109 minutes later with a controlled edge by Smith to the third man boundary.Nampa-ReutersSmith had scored 71 and his opening partner Neil McKenzie was on 50.England captain Michael Vaughan switched his bowlers and fielders around repeatedly in an attempt to conjure a wicket but was thwarted by a combination of obdurate batting and an excellent pitch offering nothing to the bowlers apart from some slow turn to Monty Panesar.Panesar, who captured four for 74 as South Africa succumbed for 247 on Saturday, was the pick of the bowlers again.An inside edge from Smith hit Tim Ambrose’s pads before the wicketkeeper could react and several frenzied lbw appeals were turned down.Otherwise there was little to excite a large Sunday crowd hoping for an England victory to break a sequence of five test draws at cricket’s world headquarters.The 50 partnership took 164 minutes and the century stand was posted 109 minutes later with a controlled edge by Smith to the third man boundary.Nampa-Reuters