England need great escape

7:14pm Sunday 20th July 2008

England were left needing a great escape of South Africa's Lord's proportions, after conceding a 319-run first-innings lead in the second Test.

After a record fifth-wicket stand of 212 between AB de Villiers (174) and Ashwell Prince (149) had carried South Africa to 522 all out at Headingley, the hosts almost immediately lost Andrew Strauss for a duck.

Captain Michael Vaughan also fell just before stumps in a total of 50 for two, and England needed to bat most if not all of the final two days - as the tourists did last week, after following on, to salvage a draw in the first Test.

England's bowlers toiled for the majority of the third day - initially while De Villiers and Prince were extending their partnership to set a new best for South Africa's fifth wicket against these opponents.

With Prince finally gone after hitting 17 fours and two sixes from 284 balls, De Villiers ploughed on for 380 deliveries in all - finding the boundary 18 times.

James Anderson and Monty Panesar each finished with three wickets - the latter sneaking out the tail - but their efforts, on a pitch which has largely favoured the batsmen so far, appeared to amount to too little too late.

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