South Africa build slim lead

ASSOCIATED PRESS

LONDON: South Africa reached 33-0 at tea on the third day of their third and final Test at Lord's, to lead England by 27 runs on Saturday after dismissing the hosts for 315.

Alviro Petersen was unbeaten on 20 and Graeme Smith was 13 not out. A last-wicket stand of 32 by Graeme Swann, who made 37 not out, and 10 from Steven Finn had given England a slender first-innings lead of six runs.

Jonny Bairstow fell five runs short of a maiden Test century, with a knock of 95 from 196 balls that included 13 fours, before he was bowled by Morne Morkel. Morkel finished with 4-80 while Dale Steyn took 4-94.

Resuming on 208-5, England survived for half an hour until Matt Prior fell to the first delivery with the new ball, from Vernon Philander. Stuart Broad played fluently but was out for 16. It might have been worse for England, but Swann successfully referred an lbw decision when he was on 12.

Bairstow's innings had almost ground to a halt once he'd entered the 90s. After a tortuous spell of 45 minutes he failed to score from 15 straight balls from Morkel, the last of which crashed into the off and middle stumps. The capacity crowd nevertheless gave the 22-year-old batsman a standing ovation as he walked off.

James Anderson was out to the sixth ball of the afternoon session, caught off Steyn by Jacques Rudolph, but Steven Finn brilliantly pulled the same bowler for four to take England past 300. Cheers greeted both the single Swann took from Steyn to level the scores and the single Finn took from the next ball to nose England ahead and there was

a roar when South Africa captain Smith dropped Swann after he edged Philander to first slip.

It was an easy chance, but in the next over Finn was out for 10, when JP Duminy took a looping catch at point, handing Morkel his fourth wicket.