South Africa 337 and 99 for 2 lead England 425 (Strauss 126, Butcher 79) by 11 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Three wickets from Makhaya Ntini helped South Africa fight back to end the third day at Port Elizabeth on even terms. That England got a decent first-innings lead was only down to spirited resistance from the tail after South Africa restricted England to 159 for the loss of seven wickets. In the final session, Graeme Smith and AB de Villiers got South Africa’s second innings off to a confident start, and by the close they led by 11 with eight wickets remaining.England’s innings was ripped apart by four wickets in 12 balls in the early afternoon just after they had overtaken South Africa’s 337, as Ntini bagged three in four. He was denied a hat-trick by Matthew Hoggard after he had removed Mark Butcher for 79, the dangerous Andrew Flintoff for 35 and Geraint Jones for 2.Butcher’s confident innings was brought to an unconfident close when Ntini’s innocuous delivery caught him in two minds and the impressive Thami Tsolekile took the feathered edge. Flintoff added a four before he too fell to Ntini, trying to replicate an earlier hooked six off Dale Steyn. But Flintoff came up short on the longer of the two leg-side boundaries, holing out to the perfectly-positioned Jacques Rudolph.

With the bit between his teeth, Ntini’s next ball surprised Geraint Jones with some steepling bounce, and an uncontrolled backfoot push was well held by a diving Boeta Dippennaar in the covers and England were reeling at 353 for 7. Next over, Andrew Hall removed Hoggard and England were facing the slenderest of first-innings leads.But they extended it to 88 runs after tea as South Africa made hard work of taking the last two wickets. Ashley Giles proved once more that he is no batting slouch, sharing a handy stand of 36 with Simon Jones before falling to Shaun Pollock for 26 (394 for 9). Steyn thought he had wrapped up the innings one run later as Steve Harmison skied one to Ntini at deep backward square leg. But Ntini dived over the ball, and England romped along in spirited style as, try as they seemingly might, they just could not give their last wicket away.The last pair were both nearly run out, while Jones edged over the slips and Harmison was caught by Tsolekile off Steyn, who was then no-balled for his troubles. To add insult, England scrambled a run as the keeper had thrown the ball away in misguided celebration. But, while Harmison and Jones provided amusement, they were adding a serious 31 runs before Steyn finally held a caught-and-bowled off Jones.Smith and de Villiers set about reversing the deficit in fine style, however, rattling up 26 from six overs before Hoggard took a superb return catch to dismiss de Villiers. Jacques Rudolph entered the fray, looking to match his sturdy 93 in the first innings. But Giles, eager to exploit the cracks after Smith had extracted turn earlier, sent him back on 28 after he edged to Marcus Trescothick at first slip. Giles’ turn had the batsmen in all sorts of trouble, particularly the lefthander Smith. But Smith remained unbeaten at the end of the day.

In the morning, South Africa struck vital early blows before Butcher and Flintoff stabilised the innings. Andrew Strauss added just six to his overnight 120 before spanking Pollock to de Villiers in the covers (238 for 2). Michael Vaughan’s recent good form wasn’t in evidence, and Hall’s first ball on target trapped him in his crease, prodding defensively at a good-length ball which took a firm edge to Smith at first slip (249 for 3).Then Smith brought himself on against Butcher and Thorpe, and Butcher, in particular, struggled initially with the turn. The captain kept himself on, and so delayed taking the new ball: a decision vindicated when he bowled Thorpe, who was attempting an ambitious sweep, around his legs for 4.The heat was on as England slipped to 277 for 4. Butcher was in superb form and his mounting confidence was tangible as he stroked successive boundaries off Pollock. Flintoff was more subdued, giving the occasional bad ball short shrift, as England’s run rate limped to just above three an over.But then came Ntini’s spell which nipped the recovery in the bud and ensured that the fourth day began with all to play for.Jenny Thompson is assistant editor of Cricinfo.

The recall of Jeff Wilson to the New Zealand cricket team after a 12-year absence was always going cause a stir, but the extent to which it has escalated defies belief.Wilson’s selection for the three-match one-day series against a World XI has been described in the press this week as “staggering” and “astonishing”, while some have suggested it is purely a marketing ploy. Add to that newspaper headlines such as “Canning, Adams not happy about snub”, and “Snubbed Franklin takes ND apart”, and suddenly a shadow has been cast over Wilson’s return.Then today came something almost unprecedented, as the Auckland allrounder and fringe NZ squad member Tama Canning gave his views on Wilson’s abilities. Canning told the New Zealand Herald: “Jeff will get a go [for New Zealand] and I hope he does well, but I don’t think he’s technically good enough for that level.”Canning’s comments came as no great surprise. Just about everyone in cricket, it seems, is unable to get to grips with the New Zealand selectors’ bold decision. The Dominion Post‘s suggestion that the red carpet has been laid out for Wilson reflects the fact that many cricket folk in New Zealand feel that he is the recipient of special treatment because of his status as an All Black rugby legend.It’s hard not to think that there’s an element of jealousy here. Wilson gave away rugby in 2002, and is now in his third season back in the whites. He has not sought attention, nor been given it unjustifiably. If anyone looked at how he did last season, they would realise that he went a long way towards proving himself. The surprise actually is that he has not figured in any New Zealand selections until now.The other point is, since when was it a crime to pick a bolter? What record did Daniel Vettori have behind him in his two first-class matches when he was selected to play a Test against England in 1997? Ditto Ian Butler, when he debuted against England in 2002. Both players were picked on raw talent. Wilson not only has talent, but he’s a proven matchwinner on the international stage, in rugby and cricket.The pot was stirred by the acknowledgment by the New Zealand coach John Bracewell that Wilson would probably not have been selected if the series against the World XI carried official ODI status. Canning was even quoted in the Dominion Post as saying that “John [Bracewell] actually said I’m in front of Jeff but they want to have a look at him to learn a bit about him.” That’s a good strategy – but a bad idea passing it on.That minor criticism aside, Bracewell and his fellow selectors should be applauded for picking Wilson. It is also interesting to note that while anti-Wilsonism is becoming more apparent on the first-class scene, the retired internationals Adam Parore and Mark Richardson both endorsed his elevation in their weekend newspaper columns. Chris Cairns added in the NZ Herald that Wilson possessed the attributes of “belief, confidence and experience, all of which cannot be taught”.The timing of his addition to the New Zealand squad could not be better. Not only is he hitting form, especially with the ball, but there are three Tests and five ODIs against Australia just round the corner. As Bracewell told the Sunday News today: “We’ve looked at him in terms of offering something that can challenge the Australians.”New Zealand’s chances of finishing on top of the ODI rankings by the April 1 deadline for the ICC Super Series in October are all but extinguished, as that requires Australia first to capitulate in the VB Series then suffer a hiding when they travel to NZ in February. Still, a series victory by New Zealand would do wonders for softening the Australians’ aura of invincibility. If there is anyone who could influence such a result it would be hard to go past Jeff Wilson.Andrew McLean is a presenter of The Cricket Club, New Zealand’s only national radio cricket show.

Australian Darren Holder has resigned after seven months as coaching manager for the West Indies Cricket Board. Holder, who had been in Australia with the West Indies team, albeit on vacation, will return to his home "due to a recent significant change in the circumstances surrounding his personal life."A release from the WICB quoted Holder as also saying that despite his "grave disappointment" at leaving, he enjoyed his stint in the Caribbean. "However there are things more important than cricket as the present situation at home has clearly demonstrated to me."The WICB also accepted the resignation of its Management Associate E-Commerce Operations, Marita Laurent, who has worked on marketing and the WICB’s website since 2001.

The British Council, in conjunction with the Bangladesh Cricket Board, has launched a week-long Cricket Carnival at the at the BKSP Sports Academy near Dhaka. The event, it is hoped, will foster leadership qualities among the nation’s young cricketers, and heighten the communication and cultural exchanges between Britain and Bangladesh.”The event will build better relations between two organisations, who have been working together for three years,” Khondokar Jamiluddin, the vice-chairman of the BCB development committee, told The Daily Star. The British Council was represented by the director, Dr June Rollinson, who added that it was involved in similar sports programmes throughout the world, particularly in Africa.The Council has already helped the development of Bangladesh cricket by arranging for ten promising young players to take part in the Surrey League. In return, six young Englishmen from the MCC’s Young Cricketers’ Programme – Andrew Colquhoun, Steven Coleman, Simon Roberts, Paul Radley, Jonkheer van Bange and Shaun O’Brien -will also be taking part in the week’s festivities. They will each be joining one of the six divisional teams – Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna, Rajshahi, Barisal and Sylhet – as well as experiencing life as a developing cricketer in Bangladesh.The teams, all including seven local players from the U-17 and U-19 development squads, have been picked by divisional coaches, but the cricketers will be on their own during the competition. “There will be no coaches to guide them and the players will be responsible for all their acts and decisions,” said BCB’s Sri Lankan official Carlton Bernadas. "They will even have to pick a substitute player in case a player is injured."When not taking part in matches, the cricketers will be involved in various community projects, from visiting a centre for the rehabilitation of the paralysed, and a junior clinic for girls’ cricket.

Cricket fans in Australia without satellite dishes will be able to watch the Ashes series this summer after all, thanks to a last-minute A$1.2million (approx. £500,000) deal with the SBS channel. The small multicultural broadcaster snatched the rights away from the ABC, which had been the front-runner to provide free-to-air coverage after the other main commercial channels had decided against showing the series.Now SBS are expected to broadcast all five Tests of the series, which starts on July 21 at Lord’s. Before this agreement was struck Fox Sports, the Rupert Murdoch-owned pay-TV sports channel, had the sole rights. The Australian newspaper claims the deal came after some “gentle prodding” from the Prime Minister, John Howard, and his Communications Minister Helen Coonan. The PM had a strong personal interest in the dealings, being a self-confessed “cricket tragic”.For the last few months ABC had been in secret negotiations with the ECB to try to secure the rights, but their first offer of A$500,000 (around £200,000) was rejected, as was a revised offer because ABC were not planning on broadcasting all the matches on their main free-to-air channel.It was looking increasingly unlikely that a deal would be reached for those Australians without pay TV. Earlier reports had thrown the situation into some confusion after documents apparently came to light questioning whether the free-to-air channels – ABC, Channels 7, 9 and 10, and SBS – had been given the chance to bid for rights when they were originally put on the table back in 2001.A senate committee was about to decide whether to release information into the public domain about the rights negotiations after Labor senator Stephen Conroy said there was written evidence that the free-to-air channels had not been involved with any discussions, as reported by the AAP news agency.When Australia last toured England in 2001, Channel 7 had the rights to free-to-air coverage but still didn’t show all the matches live, sometimes delaying their coverage to ensure maximum audiences. The timing of the cricket, which will be played during the Australian night, was one of the reasons given for the original lack of interest from the major channels, as they felt their investment would not be repaid with substantial audiences.But there was anger in Australia at the decision by the nation’s free-to-air broadcasters not to show the series, which is tipped to be the hardest-fought Ashes contest in 20 years. England’s rise up the rankings to No. 2 has created the hope that this series will give the Australian team – and public – the competition they crave after watching their side crush all comers in recent years.

Such is the purple patch that Daniel Vettori is enjoying this summer, it’s hard to believe that he went three years without a five-wicket bag. Last season Vettori was unable to capitalise when tailor-made opportunities such as the infamous Hamilton crater against South Africa or the wearing day-five Lord’s wicket presented themselves.In conditions perfectly suited to swing bowling, today it was again Vettori who troubled Australia the most from the moment his left-arm spin was introduced in the 15th over. Nathan Astle’s wicket-to-wicket medium pacers seemed the logical choice after a wayward start, from James Franklin in particular, but, as he has done all season, Vettori produced the magic.Justin Langer’s wicket followed a spell of seven overs packed with pressure and he conceded only 11. Matthew Hayden, who went to lunch with 23, was all at sea against Vettori. Pushing, prodding and thrusting the pad, Hayden’s defensive survival was a far cry from his impregnable aura earlier in the millennium.Vettori bowled unchanged for 23 overs at a cost of 52 runs while also picking up the prized scalp of Ricky Ponting for 9, made off 30 balls. Looking to increase the tempo, Ponting was beautifully deceived by Vettori as he swung across the line and was struck in front before his lunch had settled. At 100 for 2, Vettori had ensured New Zealand did not botch ideal conditions for bowling.After back-to-back five-wicket bags in Hobart and Perth in 2001, it was not until the second innings at Dhaka in October last year that Vettori repeated the feat. In his next four Tests against Bangladesh and Australia (3), he claimed five-fors in three matches and a four-wicket return in the other.During the drought after Perth, the consistent message from the New Zealand camp was that Vettori was bowling without luck rather than bowling badly. When the wickets almost dried up last season criticism of Vettori’s form intensified. Twelve months on, Vettori’s mere presence at the bowling crease brings caution from the cricket’s best batting line-up.Today Vettori claimed his 50th wicket against Australia in his 12th match and now has 51 at an average of 30.27, placing him just shy of John Bracewell’s average of 26.42 for his 38 wickets with his offspinners in 11 trans-Tasman Tests. Significantly, Vettori has operated without the support of the sort of attack Bracewell did, most notably a certain Sir Richard Hadlee.Cricket scripts ordinarily have pace bowlers breaking through early and spinners coming into their own with the older ball. Today Vettori laid the foundation from which Franklin and Astle constructed a frame of optimism. It may have been effective rather than pretty, but it was still a start to the day New Zealand will reflect on with a degree of satisfaction.

Contrary to earlier reports, Ricky Ponting’s bat – which is reinforced by a thin carbon graphite strip running down the spine – has not yet received approval from the International Cricket Council. Earlier this week, MCC kicked up a minor storm by suggesting that the modification gives Ponting an unfair advantage, although this was dismissed in the Australian media as an attempt to destabilise the team in the run-up to this summer’s Ashes.Peter Young, a spokesman for Cricket Australia, confirmed that the Australian board had no objections, but an ICC spokesman told Cricinfo that the matter had been referred back to the MCC who, in their capacity as the guardian of the laws of cricket, would determine whether the bat conforms to the regulations.”The bat is permitted pending a decision from MCC,” added the spokesman, who explained that it is the ICC who decides on the playing conditions of cricket, and so had the power to override the laws if necessary. The whole issue will be examined in greater detail by the ICC Cricket Committee at their meeting in Dubai in May.In a later press release, the ICC chief executive, Malcolm Speed, confirmed that the issue of bat reinforcement was of growing significance. “The ICC is increasingly concerned with issues surrounding the way in which bats are manufactured and `enhanced’,” said Speed. “During the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003 there were a number of oversized bats detected and manufacturers were put on notice that it was expected that they would produce bats that comply with the laws at all times.”One of the concerns we currently have is with the practice of `corking’ bats. We are getting consistent reports of bats being corked and that is something that we will be investigating further. One of the potential implications that arises if corking is taking place is that we may need to be able to be able to see the blade clearly from all angles to see if it has been tampered with.”Sam Halvorsen, Ponting’s manager, termed the whole issue as “absolute nonsense”, while Rob Elliot, the managing director of Kookaburra, said that Ponting’s bat met all the criteria. “In cricket the balance between bat and ball is critical,” Elliot said. “Golf and tennis have lost their way with the new technological advances in clubs and racquets. We understand more than anyone how important the fundamental elements of bat and ball are in cricket.”Ponting began using the bat in late December last year and cracked a fantastic double- century against Pakistan in the New Year’s Test in Sydney. He carried on the momentum with a hundred in the tsunami-relief game before tearing the New Zealand attack to shreds in the recent series.

John Wright, the former Indian coach, has said that the time for honorary selectors may be up, and has urged the Indian board administration to bring in professionals. “I have no problems with the selectors because they’re all trying to do a tough job,” said Wright in a frank interview with . “What I have a problem with is the system, whereby they’re voted in every year and they’re voted in by a geographical region. I don’t think that situation is healthy.”Wright said he had witnessed several passionate selection meetings, and noted that since selectors performed in an honorary capacity, they would be changed often, regardless of whether they were competent or otherwise. This process, he said, had to change because a large part of a team’s showing depended on the actions of the selectors.”Every year, generally, you have a new convenor and a different make-up on your panel, so the continuity is difficult. Sanjay Jagdale has been an outstanding selector and because his time is up he is no longer in that position. That to me just doesn’t make sense.”I feel that the system of picking your national selection panel may have done its course,” he continued, “and I would urge the BCCI to study the situation. I have a personal opinion that it should be a professional position, the way it is in a number of countries. You can have the best coaching system and your best coaches, but if you don’t get your selections right, you’re making it very difficult for yourselves.”Wright added that a selector who toured with the team could help matters, because he would be in a position to interact with the captain and coach on requirements and decisions. As for feedback on players at first-class level, utilising the services of coaches could be helpful. “I think there are some good coaches out there in the first-class system, and they should be used. I hope they establish a pathway for coaching in domestic cricket. There’s a new group coming through, guys like Paras Mhambrey, Venkatesh Prasad, Robin Singh. If you can get a system going where they feel there’s a career there, then that could be helpful.”Wright added that you could not rule entirely out a situation where coaches became surplus to requirement and the team was “taking responsibility for those decisions.”Which leads us to the Ian Chappell situation, where if a captain doesn’t really want anyone else around, then fine.”

Dermot Reeve, the former England allrounder and Warwickshire captain, has admitted that he was addicted to cocaine and even confessed to have commentated on a Test match for Channel Four under the influence of the drug. The Test match mentioned was the Lord’s Test between England and New Zealand last year and Reeve said he had “no recollection of seeing the ball” on two days of the game.”I had to watch the match video to hear what I said,” he told . “No-one seemed to notice much difference, they just said I was my usual self but more chirpy – and kept doing Imran Khan impressions off-screen. They said it was the funniest commentary they had ever heard.”Reeve, 43, quit Channel Four on Friday after five years as a member of their commentary team. Apart from leading Warwickshire to great heights in the early 1990s, Reeve also played 25 one-day internationals for England, including the World Cup final against Pakistan in 1992.Reeve also suggested there was widespread use of “illegal substances” within cricket when he played. “If every cricketer I knew at the time I played was banned from playing, you would not have seen very good teams out there,” he said. “I occasionally smoked marijuana at that time out of season, but it was never a problem.”He added, though, that his marriage to Fiona, his second wife, had helped him get over the addiction and said, “I have given up cocaine for a month at a time, but I have to be honest and say that I think about it every day that I have given it up. I want to be clean and healthy and fit for my kids and have normal highs that aren’t due to cocaine. If I need professional help, I will seek it.”

Mark Butcher’s hopes of playing in this summer’s Ashes have all but ended, due to a troublesome wrist injury that could now keep him out of action until August.Butcher’s finest hour came in the fourth Test at Headingley during the last Ashes summer in 2001, when his unbeaten 173 carried England to an astonishing victory. He went onto to play in 42 consecutive matches, until a bizarre run of injuries last summer – including a whiplash from a car-crash and a groin strain while moving house – loosened his grip on the No. 3 berth.”August is looking like the best I can hope for,” Butcher told BBC Sport. “I had hoped to be back playing by May, but things can move on. The Ashes still has to be in the back of my mind.”Butcher played in the opening two Tests of last winter’s tour of South Africa, but withdrew on the morning of the third match at Cape Town when his wrist problem became too severe to continue. He was appointed as captain of Surrey for the 2005 season – a move that many interpreted as the beginning of the end of his Test career – but as yet he has been unable to lead his side, with Mark Ramprakash standing in until his recent finger injury.”I went to see my specialist on Tuesday to have an injection,” Butcher added. “The problem I have now is the swelling from the operation. The ligament damage has repaired but the wrist has not got back to normal as far as the swelling is concerned.”Since his injury, Butcher has slipped way down the pecking order of aspiring England batsmen. Robert Key was his initial replacement in South Africa, but this summer the claims of Ian Bell and Kevin Pietersen have come to the fore. “There couldn’t have been a worse year for this to happen,” Butcher admitted, “but I just have to stay positive and hope everything goes well.””The injection seems to be working and it’s starting to look a little bit more like my hand now, but I have to keep a splint on it for another week. And then I have to start the arduous business of getting the exercises done, getting strength back into it and getting mobility back before I can even think about practising again.”But Butcher is well aware that when the Australians are in town, nothing can ever be ruled out. “One thing Ashes series have taught me over the years is that there always tends to be injuries and losses of form. That’s how I got back into the side in 2001, through other people’s misfortune. Without wishing that on anybody, there’s always the possibility.”