South Africa trail by just 26 Runs

South Africa closed in on England's mediocre total on the second day at Edgbaston, despite losing two key wickets during the afternoon session, reaching 205 for 4. Neil McKenzie fell for a stubborn 72, becoming Andrew Flintoff's 200th Test wicket, but Jacques Kallis was looking ominous by tea on 48 as he aims to make up for a quite couple of matches with the bat.

England had their moments, but they were too few and far between to put them back in the match. They were frustrated by a second-wicket stand of 77 between McKenzie and nightwatchman Paul Harris, although there was a small opening after James Anderson produced a wonderful catch off his own bowling to shift Hashim Amla. This was soon followed by Flintoff's milestone strike, but once again South Africa's strong middle order began closing the door as Kallis and Ashwell Prince added 70.

Conditions were perfect for swing bowling in the morning with a heavy atmosphere, but England's attack failed to make the most of them. Flintoff was hostile, but Anderson and Ryan Sidebottom were wayward in their early spells, failing to make the batsmen play on off stump.
McKenzie continued as he has throughout the series, judging what to play and what to leave, drawing the bowlers to attack the stumps and then clipping them through the leg side. For a moment McKenzie thought his innings had ended on 29 when he edged Flintoff low to Andrew Strauss at first slip, but not for the first time in this series there was doubt over the carry. Strauss thought he'd caught it but didn't look entirely convinced, McKenzie remained and Flintoff stayed on 199 wickets.

Next over he sent a slashing cut straight through Paul Collingwood at gully and the indication was that it wasn't picked up out of the background. The bowlers' line continued to vary from too wide outside off, to drifting onto the pads with Anderson guilty of straining too hard. Harris played his role perfectly as he repelled a short-pitched attack. He is a limited batsman, but got behind the line as Flintoff peppered him and even the edges evaded the slips. Eventually, though, his luck ran out as he sparred outside off and sent a comfortable edge to Alastair Cook at third slip.

McKenzie's hard work was rewarded when he brought up his fifty off 100 balls shortly before lunch. After the break he received a life on 57 when Collingwood's miserable match continued with a spurned chance at second slip off Flintoff. However, Anderson then gave England a much-needed boost with a brilliant piece of athleticism, sprinting from his follow through to hold Amla's inside edge that ballooned into the off side. Anderson once again performed manfully for Michael Vaughan, moving the ball late at pace to trouble all the batsmen and could easily have had another wicket.

Anderson's pumped celebrations were soon followed by Flintoff's as he trapped McKenzie plumb in front, being the 12th Englishman to reach 200 Test wickets. Another wicket and England were back in contention, but it was only going to be a matter of time before Kallis made a contribution. It wasn't without fortune, though, as he was twice troubled by yorkers, edging one past second slip and another within inches of his stumps.

Slowly the fluency returned as he picked off consecutive boundaries from Collingwood, although a thick inside edge did rocket into Tim Ambrose's leg as he was stood up to the stumps. Vaughan eventually turned to Monty Panesar in the 52nd over, but he began poorly with a couple of short balls which were easily put away by Kallis. Rain was threatening as tea approached, but South Africa will be very content with their position.