Cricket: Flintoff takes 4-44 as South Africa stumble

CENTURION - All rounder Andrew Flintoff took four wickets for 44 as England reduced South Africa to 9-247 on the second day of the fifth Test on Saturday.

Showing no sign of an ankle injury which may need surgery, Flintoff found steepling bounce to trouble all the batsmen.

Bad light ended play 22.5 overs early with Andrew Hall 11 not out and Andre Nel on one.

South Africa had lost the toss and were put in to bat.

AB de Villiers top scored with 92, his highest test innings.

De Villiers, playing in his fifth test, was elevated in the order to an opening berth and batted for 244 minutes, faced 165 balls and hit 15 fours.

He was finally trapped in front by left-arm spinner Ashley Giles three overs before tea.

South Africa could have been 15 for one in the sixth over, but Marcus Trescothick at first slip failed to hold a regulation edge offered by Herschelle Gibbs off fast bowler Stephen Harmison.

Gibbs was out for 14 three overs later, edging the last ball of Flintoff's first over to wicketkeeper Geraint Jones.

De Villiers and Jacques Rudolph scored fluently, but De Villiers, on 34, edged the sixth ball of Harmison's second spell to Andrew Strauss in the gully. Strauss just failed to hang on to the low, dipping chance that would have seen South Africa on 77 for two.

Instead, they reached lunch on 108 for one but lost their second wicket two overs into the second session when Rudolph on 33 spliced an attempted hook off fast bowler Matthew Hoggard and was well caught by Robert key at square leg.

The dismissal ended a stand of 88, and seven overs later South Africa were 3-144 after Flintoff bowled Jacques Kallis for eight with a full delivery that swung away late and clipped the outside of the off stump.

De Villiers and captain Graeme Smith shared 43 runs for the fourth wicket before De Villiers attempted to sweep Giles and was trapped leg-before.

Flintoff struck twice in the second over after tea when Smith, who scored 25 after dropping himself down the order, edged an expansive drive to Trescothick at first slip.

Two balls later Shaun Pollock dragged a wide delivery onto his stumps to be bowled without scoring as South Africa slipped to 200 for six.

Fast bowler Simon Jones took the first of his three wickets when he had Mark Boucher caught by Trescothick at slip for 25.

Jones then had Nicky Boje caught at short mid-on by Graham Thorpe for nine, and in his next over Makhaya Ntini, on six, skied a catch to Hoggard at mid-on.

England could have ended the innings with what became the last ball of the day's play when Hall heaved a ball from Jones to Harmison at long leg, but it was ruled a no-ball.

Jones took three for 47 from 15.1 overs.

Friday's first day was washed out by rain. England lead the series 2-1.

- REUTERS