Under-fire Cook and Bell Respond With Scores At Durban
Under pressure Alastair Cook and Ian Bell responded with a tenth century and 22nd half century in Tests respectively as England finished day three 43 runs ahead of South Africa at Durban.
England 386/5 (Cook 118 Collingwood 91, Morkel 3/69) lead by 43 runs
South Africa 1st innings 343 all out (Smith 75 Kallis 75, Swann 4/110)
Perceived to be the next England captain, Cook led by example, restricting himself almost exclusively to legside scoring on his way to 118 with his reworked technique.
After adding just one to his overnight score, England lost Jonathan Trott early, on 18, as Morne Morkel induced an edge to Mark Boucher from a delivery pitched up further.
Paul Harris then repeated the dose as his fuller length defeated Kevin Pietersen; rapped on the shin attempting to sweep and adjudged leg before on 31.
The in-form Paul Collingwood then partnered Cook to the tune of 142 runs, as Cook reached his first century since May and Collingwood his own fifty.
Having notched just one score of note with 95 at Lord’s in the 2009 Ashes, it was a welcome return for Cook on the three months invested with Graham Gooch.
Reverting to a straighter, higher pick-up, Cook’s revised method bears instant comparison to his Essex mentor and England run-getter Gooch.
Cook limiting his offside play to cut shots off Paul Harris however earmarks him as a predominantly back foot player, even if his hunger for runs matches Gooch.
Bell (pictured with Monty Panesar and fans) entered the fray on the back of Cook’s dismissal, nicking to Jacques Kallis from Morne Morkel round the wicket. In every sense Cook’s gutsy act was tough to follow at number six.
Responding with fluency and aggression, Bell went over the top against Harris and pulled imperiously on his way to 55 not out – compounding the enigma of why he has yet to dominate after 51 Tests, given his ability.
Collingwood was denied his century as he edged behind off JP Duminy nine short but Bell and Matt Prior will hope to bat England to a substantial lead tomorrow morning, after negotiating the final passage of play.
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