ANDREW Flintoff was at the hub of England's attempts to claw their way back into the second npower Test against South Africa at Headingley.
Talismanic all-rounder Flintoff, playing his first Test for 18 months, was involved in the first two South African dismissals and then at the centre of a controversial 25th over of the innings.
South Africa, who closed a wicket-heavy opening day o
n 101 for three, a deficit of 102, were 76 for three when Hashim Amla was given a reprieve following a claimed catch by England captain Michael Vaughan.
Amla was 20 yards shy of the boundary when, with England's players celebrating wildly behind him, he was advised by 12th man Andre Nel to stand his ground after initially taking his opponent's word on a clean catch.
Umpire Billy Bowden – whose error of judgement accounted for England opener Alastair Cook in the opening hour of the match – called for aid from television official Richard Kettleborough to assess whether the looping chance to mid-off had been scooped up by a diving Vaughan.
Moments later Amla was ushered back to the crease by the on-field umpires to a chorus of boos, as once again a TV replay prompted an element of doubt in a batsman's favour.
"Michael threw it up thinking he'd taken the catch, it was referred and the decision went against us," Flintoff said afterwards. "You can't blame Amla for walking back – the decision was made and you've got to get on with it."
With the action increasingly heated, Flintoff orchestrated a huge appeal for caught down the leg side two deliveries later only for the chorus to be deemed invalid by virtue of Bowden calling a disputed no-ball.
Flintoff celebrated his comeback following a fourth operation on his left ankle by removing Proteas captain Graeme Smith with some extra bounce from around the wicket earlier in his spell. He was also involved in the initial breakthrough, pouching a low catch at second slip to send back Neil McKenzie off the bowling of James Anderson, who extended Jacques Kallis' unusual barren patch with one which nipped through the gate via the edge.
But the evening session drama only strengthened South African momentum in the npower series.
Since Smith's team overturned their huge deficit at Lord's, where they came out with a draw after following on 346 runs in arrears, they have refused to relinquish their advantage.
Given morning leg-ups by winning the toss in favourable bowling conditions and Bowden's howler, when he adjudged Cook caught down the leg-side from a strangled appeal off Morne Morkel, South Africa dismissed the hosts in the equivalent of two sessions.
The other nine English dismissals were via edges – Ian Bell's the odd one out as he chopped into his stumps – as even free-scoring periods were studded by success for the bowlers. Pace duo Dale Steyn and Morkel each finished with four-wicket hauls under leaden skies.
Flintoff failed to resuscitate England with the bat, contributing just 17 at his new position of seven. Only Kevin Pietersen and Bell, centurions both last week in the draw at Lord's, appeared comfortable in the gloom, although openers Andrew Strauss and Cook threatened to lay another solid platform. Vaughan's landmark 50th Test as captain was tinged with disappointment when he was forced to play at one a fraction outside off-stump from Steyn and edged a straightforward chance to Smith at first slip.
That left England 27 for two but Pietersen initially continued his dominance over the country of his birth, once again playing some outrageous strokes, flicking full deliveries to leg for four and hooking a Steyn bouncer for six. He was fourth out, however, when he attempted to dispatch a full Steyn delivery, and nicked to Smith.
His dismissal during a run flurry shortly after the lunch interval followed that of Strauss who failed to make the most of his own second chance – the umpires annulled South African celebrations after a thick edge which was claimed by AB de Villiers at third slip despite the ball spilling onto the turf – when he was undone by Morkel's change of angle to around the wicket.
Having opted to recall Flintoff in place of Paul Collingwood, England's elongated tail was soon exposed and surprise debutant Darren Pattinson walked out for his maiden international innings before tea. Nottinghamshire's Pattinson, a former roof tiler who was born in Grimsby but raised in Australia, only joined the squad after net practice on Thursday due to back soreness felt by Anderson.
But the 29-year-old's ability to swing the ball at pace, which has reaped 29 first-class wickets in six appearances this summer, saw him taking the place of the injured Ryan Sidebottom. His inclusion, however, was even more of a surprise given that this is only his 12th first-class match, and three of the lauded 2005 Ashes attack, Steve Harmison, Simon Jones and Matthew Hoggard were overlooked. He bowled just three ineffectual overs with the new ball.
"We'd like to have scored a few more runs but I enjoyed being back in the side," Flintoff added. "Tomorrow morning will be crucial – we would have liked a bit more cloud cover this evening."
The Lancashire all-rounder continued: "I've waited a long time because of the lay-off but having got through the first ball I got a bit of a cheer from the Western Terrace and was disappointed to get out.
South Africa bowled well but I thought we stuck in there well tonight. I've had some good tussles with Smith (South Africa captain Graeme) and it was nice to get him out."
The full article contains 958 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
