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Proteas set 253 run target for England to win

Dunya News

South Africa declared on 258-9, setting England a target of 253 to win from 39 overs at Headingley.

An unexpectedly thrilling final session to the second test is in prospect at Headingley after South Africa declared on 258-9, setting England a target of 253 to win from 39 overs on Monday.The tourists collapsed from 120-0, after Jacques Rudolph and Graeme Smith had hit 69 and 52, respectively.The game looked to be meandering toward a draw until part-time offspinner Kevin Pietersen took 3-52 to remove South Africas top three batsmen.Stuart Broad, who finished with 5-69, then took four wickets from 20 balls including two in as many balls to reduce South Africa to 237-7 at tea.James Anderson caught and bowled Dale Steyn and when Morne Morkel soon after holed out to Broad, South Africa decided to declare, meaning all three results are still possible.South Africa began the final day under overcast skies and in an atmosphere that resembled that of a county match, with a few hundred spectators dotted around largely empty stands.Smith should have departed on the fourth ball of Bresnans first over of the day, but a diving Anderson failed to hold a difficult chance.Rudolph fell lbw to Pietersens second ball of the morning, a decision he unsuccessfully referred the spinner had also removed Rudolph with his second ball in South Africas first innings.The hosts were convinced Smith was out caught behind to Pietersen in the second over after lunch, but a referral upheld umpire Steve Davis decision that he hadnt touched the ball.In Pietersens next over, however, Smith did go, in contentious circumstances. He was hit on the pad and Davis ruled the ball had brushed his bat before it was caught by James Taylor at short leg.Smith referred the call and although replays looked inconclusive third umpire Asad Rauf sided with Davis.Anderson then dropped his second catch of the day when he put down AB de Villiers off Pietersen, but Hashim Amla fell for 28 in the 51st over when he drove a rank full toss from Pietersen straight to Alastair Cook at cover.South Africa scored so quickly that the game was going away from England until Broad took two wickets in as many balls in the 56th over.De Villiers was lbw for 44 to a ball that was drifting down the leg side and with South Africa having used both its referrals de Villiers had to walk.JP Duminy was lbw for a golden duck to Broads next ball and Vernon Philander fell, also leg before, to Broad in the 60th.Jacques Kallis, batting despite back spasms, was then caught behind off Broad for 27, forcing Alviro Petersen, who has a hamstring problem and was only due to bat in an emergency, to the crease.Anderson partly atoned for his earlier drops when he brilliantly caught and bowled Steyn for 3 early in the evening session and South Africa surprisingly declared when Morkel fell for 10.England reshuffled the batting order, promoting Pietersen, who made 149 in his first innings, to open alongside Cook, but after a quickfire 12 he was caught by Imran Tahir off Philander, with England on 21-1.South Africa, which leads the three-test series 1-0, will replace England at the top of the ICC world test rankings by winning the series.