LEEDS, England – Alviro Petersen survived a testing morning to take his overnight score to 170 not out and steer South Africa to 336 for six at lunch on day two of the second test against England at Headingley on Friday.
JP Duminy was also not out at the interval on 10 after replacing Jacques Rudolph (19), the only wicket to fall in the session. Left-hander Rudolph was stumped from a ripping turner by part-time spinner Kevin Pietersen after the decision was sent to third umpire Asad Rauf.
England began the day with six maidens and it took 25 minutes for South Africa to score their first run against very accurate and threatening bowling from Stuart Broad and James Anderson.
But the Proteas came through and maintained their advantage.
Petersen, on 124, successfully reviewed an lbw decision that umpire Steve Davis initially gave as ‘out’. The replay showed that the ball from Anderson would have bounced over the stumps.
It was the second such occasion Petersen had reviewed an out decision from Davis after Steven Finn thought he had him lbw on Thursday evening.
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Rudolph rarely looked comfortable against hostile bowling but he would be disappointed to have been dismissed by Pietersen, who was only bowling because England omitted their lead spinner Graeme Swann from the team for the first time in three years.
Petersen was less troubled and, despite being dropped on 29 by Alastair Cook on the first morning, has looked assured at the crease, which he has so far occupied for 503 minutes.
Conditions changed throughout the morning between sunny and overcast, but South Africa are well placed to put pressure on England who trail 1-0 in the three-match series.
England need to avoid defeat in the series to hold on to their top ranking and prevent South Africa from leapfrogging them.