For the first time in the second Test at Kingsmead, the sun shone in all his glory and England's Alastair Cook and Paul Collingwood ensured England would make the most of it.
alastair cook1
South Africa found themselves behind in the first innings after England capitalized on a full day of sunshine to take a lead of forty-three runs with five wickets still int he bag at the end of the third day's play in Durban.
While weather remained dodgy over the past two days, it shone perfectly on Alastair Cook's career in need of a respite. And he made the most of the situation where in England were well placed overnight on eighty-eight for one and all that mattered was that they kept the pressure on the South African bowlers.
Morne Morkel sent back Jonathan Trott early, which was a relief for the hosts given the latter's time wasting idiosyncracies and the next wicket came just before lunch, that of Kevin Pietersen to a struggling Paul Harris for thirty-one as England went into lunch at 190 for three.
The middle session continued to push matters England's way as Collingwood and Cook raised 142 for the fourth wicket. Cook really need an innings of strength under his belt and he could not have asked for more encouraging environments with the host bowlers under pressure, a largely benign pitch, the sun bearing down and a strong situation for England to build on. His century then came as no surprise.
And Collingwood was rewarded, nearly, for his contribution in denying South Africa hope. His ninety-one runs were another annoying measure for the desperate South Africans but that his innings ended in the hands of JP Duminy would have perhaps annoyed him just as much.
With Ian Bell and Matt Prior to hold the hosts off until stumps, England built a lead of forty-three runs and it will be upto South Africa to rethink a way to pull themselves out of a potentially more depressing situation, although they did try but the weather really did have the Barmy Army in raptures.
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