Petersen Hundred Buries England

Alviro Petersen made 182

Hey: news from the Olympics ... well, the place where the Olympics are being held ... the number one team in the world gave up 400 again ... the one batsman they didn't rate made a big hundred ... and the part time off spinner got a wicket second ball.

Graeme Swann just sat in the rooms and scowled.

South Africa posted 419 on the second day at Headingley, built solidly around Alviro Petersen's 182, his highest Test score. That's consecutive Tests in which a South African has done that and against the "best pace attack in the world". A pace attack which has been added to for this Test on a wicket that would do them favours. A pace attack that bowled first when their skipper won the toss. A pace attack which conceded 400 plus for the second consecutive Test in a series to decide who is the best.

Hmmm.

We'd walk a million miles ...

Graeme Swann just sat in the rooms and scowled.

Petersen batted only a half hour short of ten hours, so it wasn't always pretty but this isn't an exercise in how but how many. It was effective but it was helped by buttery fingers and the DRS. Petersen three times survived DRS decisions, twice when England went upstairs and once when he did. He finished the job his captain started but even when he was seventh out at 353, JP Duminy added more than sixty with the tail. It was an imposing thing for Duminy to appear at the gate at the fall of the sixth wicket, with Petersen beyond 150 but it has been a depth in batting South Africa haven't needed as yet. His 48 not out was always going to be fraught with the disappointment of exhausting his partners but South Africa hunts as a pack these days.

All apart from Jimmy Anderson were disappointing but even he would have been upset at not being able to do more than hold the line. He created chances but his team mates denied him. Stuart Broad was sporadic or is that enigmatic or is that disengaged. Whatever it is, he isn't doing much of the grunt work England needs. He just runs in and expects glory. Andrew Strauss must have been loath to bowl Kevin Pietersen for fear of an answer raising further questions and there was no relief in his first over when he spun one sharply past Jacques Rudolph's bat and Matt Prior effected the stumping. There was joy and mirth on the field but Graeme Swann just sat in the rooms and scowled.

Strauss played the shot of the day

England batted without losing a wicket for the 18 overs which bad light and rain didn't claim in the last session. Strauss, in particular, batted brightly: a straight drive off Dale Steyn being the best shot of the day. It was a reminder to his team mates, under less pressure than they might have been if those contests imported from Greece had not coincided. It was a show of intent and a message to the likes of Pietersen that this may not be won - weather not being the least of the factors - but it will be fought for. It seems odd that a South African should be reminding his team they are Englishmen.

Graeme Swann was unavailable for comment.