Rain frustrates England again as bowlers struggle to prosper

James Anderson’s dismissal of Peter Fulton was the tourists’ only success as rain limited day four of the second Test to 34 overs and, with more downpours forecast for the final day, made a second successive stalemate against New Zealand by far the likeliest outcome.

Kane Williamson (55no) and Ross Taylor doubled the total in an unbroken stand of 81, after Anderson had Fulton fencing an edge to slip in the fifth over of an uninterrupted morning session.

The remnants of Cyclone Sandra then arrived on cue at lunchtime, wiped out the afternoon and permitted only another five overs in total – during which the hosts advanced to 162-2 to trail by only 49 after following on.

Anderson’s body language was, throughout, that of someone battling physical issues – it has been suggested he has both a stiff back and sore heel – but bowling coach David Saker insisted afterwards England’s lynchpin seamer is injury-free.

Stuart Broad remained the most obvious threat, after his first-innings 6-51, but went wicketless – as did his fellow pace bowler Steven Finn – and although Monty Panesar found some turn, he could not add to his success the previous evening when he had Hamish Rutherford caught at leg-slip.

It all had Saker ruing both a steadfastly unresponsive surface and an attack which was not quite firing on full cylinders.

“Trying to get batsmen out on this, you need all three of your quicks working really well together,” he said.

“We’ve done that in patches, but we know when we put it together as a three-quicks-and-a-spinner combination we are pretty hard to handle – no matter what surface we get.”

Broad was the pick of the crop again, back to his best since the pain abated in his left heel after forcing him home early from England’s Test tour of India in December.

“He obviously struggled in India with an injury, and it is testament to the medical staff to get him back,” added Saker.

“He had an injury that could have lasted a lot longer than it did. He’s come back, looked good and his pace has been really encouraging.”

A record-breaking stand between Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers earned South Africa a thrilling 34-run victory in the third one-day international against Pakistan, but only after they survived a brutal innings from Shahid Afridi in Johannesburg.

Amla and De Villiers both clobbered centuries in the highest ever third-wicket partnership in ODIs of 238.

Amla scored 122, including nine fours and a six in his 113-ball knock, and De Villiers 128, his 108-ball innings featuring 12 fours and three maximums, to lead the hosts to 343-5.

The total looked well out of Pakistan’s reach until Afridi, in at seven, more than lived up to his nickname of ‘Boom Boom’ with a stunning 88.

It came from 44 balls and included five fours and seven sixes. But his dismissal by Lonwabo Tsotsobe left them with too much work to do.

The tourists were bowled out for 309 with 11 balls remaining as South Africa took a 2-1 lead in the four-match series.

YORKSHIRE Vikings were denied a chance to reach the final of the Barbados T20 Cup when they lost by five wickets to Nottinghamshire at the Keinsington Oval.

Yorkshire – who beat Hampshire the previous day – made 128-7 from their 20 overs, but their opponents made it home with seven balls to spare.