After his side lost the inconsequential fifth ODI against Sri Lanka on Friday night, Dhoni said the team did miss a few players but the youngsters responded well to fill in the vacuum.

"It is not about depending or not depending on a few players. Of course it is an achievement but you can not just sit back on it and say we won the Twenty20 World Cup, the tri-series in Australia or now here in Sri Lanka. You have to continue doing it," said Dhoni, insisting winning should be a habit for the side.

"If you have players like Sachin and Sehwag, it really helps in doing and achieving these things consistently. But their absence is not really in control, because at times you will have injuries. We didn't have Ishant Sharma, we didn't have Sachin and Veeru (Sehwag) who was in prime form. But it is upto other individuals to take up the responsibility, because there is no point in sitting and sulking about guys who are not there.�

"They are the guys who are part of the 16 who can really make a difference and they were doing just that," Dhoni said, before adding ‘But of course you miss individuals, specially the great players.’

Looking back, Dhoni said India negated the threat from Sri Lanka's two-pronged spin attack and played well in the 20-40 over stretch to win the series 3-2.

"In the middle, it is very important to rotate strike and we have been able to do that. We have got the partnership. We have played the spinners well. We negotiated Muttiah Muralitharan well. I think we played him really well. It has been tough over the years to play Murali in Sri Lanka. I think we tackled Ajantha Mendis quite well too," Dhoni said.

"Overall, I was quite impressed by the way we performed from the 20th till the40th over. Of course in some games we lost wickets and you are really not in a position to do anything, but that is part and parcel (of the game)," he said.

Dhoni skipped the Test series due to fatigue and he said the break really helped him.

"I really enjoyed the break and the main thing is, I was enjoying the practice session more and it sets a good trend. You have to give 100 per cent there as well, you just can not bat for 20 minutes and go under the shade. When you feel from inside to go under the shade, that is the time when you realise your body needs a bit of rest. I was happy to get some rest, thanks to the selectors and the BCCI. When I came back here I really enjoyed the couple of sessions that I had in Bangalore. They were tough. It was skill-related and I really enjoyed the sessions. I was doing the keeping and batting and also enjoyed fielding," he said.

Dhoni also took the occasion and thanked the selectors for backing him.

"When you have the right side it helps. It is not about just randomly picking someone. The guys who have performed well in the domestic circuit and others have been picked up in the side," he said.

Sources in the Pakistan Cricket Board have confirmed that March is the deadline for confirming the venue of the tournament which was to be held in Pakistan from September 12 but has been postponed due to the security concerns raised by some teams.

"The ICC is having a meeting on September 11 and 12 to decide the best dates for the tournament when it is held next year. But the final decision on whether it will remain in Pakistan will be taken in March," one source said.

He said in case some countries still refuse to play in Pakistan next year, the ICC will relocate it but Pakistan would get compensation of USD three million which is the hosting fees for the event.

"The ICC member countries have basically decided to wait and see if the situation changes in Pakistan in the next six months and if this happens then the Champions Trophy would remain with us," the source said.

The ICC has also asked its member countries to send in suggestions for making slight changes in the Future Tours Program to accommodate new dates for the eight-nation tournament.

"There will be some changes in the FTP as the Champions Trophy where ever it is held will take three weeks for which all teams must be available," the source said.

He confirmed that the ICC Executive Board teleconference in which it was decided to postpone the Champions Trophy some members had pushed for the ICC to announce a new venue the same day.

"But we and India threatened to boycott the event if any hasty decision was made after which it was decided to adopt a wait and see policy until next march.

"The Indian team's tour to Pakistan from early January will be used to make assessments about the security situation in Pakistan," he stated.

The Indian ODI captain, however, could not attend the function as he was leading the team in the fifth and final match of the ODI series against Sri Lanka, which India has already won.

His father Paan Singh received the award on his behalf.

President Pratibha Patil presented Rs 500,000, a scroll of honour and a medal in recognition to his spectacular and most outstanding performance in sports.

Apart from the 27-year-old Dhoni, it was also a red letter day for 11 other sportspersons, who were bestowed Arjuna Awards at a packed Ashok Hall which reverberated with thunderous applause.

Olympian shooter Avneet Kaur Sidhu, veteran hockey forward Prabhjot Singh, and Beijing Olympic quarter-finalist rower Bajranglal Takhar were among those who were honoured with the Arjuna awards at the magnificent ceremony.

World junior champion in women's chess D Harika, ace golfer Arjun Atwal and powerlifter Ferman Basha could not make it to the award function.

Harika's sister Anusha, Atwal's father Harminder and Basha's wife Andorita received the awards on the behalf of the respective sportspersons.

Once again none of the men cricketers featured in list of Arjuna awardees' since Harbhajan Singh won it in 2003.

“I have no regrets at all. What I did I did because Hair (Darrel) had called us cheats, he called Pakistani cricketers cheats. It was a slur on our team and nation and I can’t tolerate that,� Inzamam said in a television interview on Friday.

The Oval Test played in August 2006 went down in history as the first test to be forfeited after Darrel Hair and fellow umpire Billy Doctrove awarded the match to England after Pakistan failed to come out on time after the tea break before which Hair had penalised Inzamam and his men for ball tampering.

“Even the ICC match referee adjudicator, Ranjan Madugalle who is an experienced referee said later at the hearing that Hair had acted in haste and he didn’t use his authority properly,� Inzamam said..

Hair was later suspended from umpiring Test and international matches by the ICC but earlier this year he was reinstated again, a decision which didn’t go down well with Inzamam. Hair, however, recently announced he was retiring from umpiring international matches.

Inzamam made it clear that no matter what people said he took the right decision and he had the support of the players.

“I will say again if this incident was to happen again I would do the same thing. Hair called us cheats and the ICC adjudicator later cleared us of the same charge.�

He said he was happy that the ICC recently reversed the result of the Oval test to a draw from a win for England but said it didn’t really matter much to him.

“At times national honour is more important than victories or defeats. In that match I stood up for Pakistan cricket,� he said.

Inzamam also revealed that it was a combination of circumstances, death of coach Bob Woolmer and the subsequent loss of passion in cricket that led him to announce his retirement during the 2007 ODI World Cup.

“Certainly the board didn’t support us at that time and afterwards in the aftermath of Woolmer’s death. I and the other players were disheartened. We expected more support from our board,� Inzamam said.

“I didn’t leave the captaincy specifically because of our defeat to Ireland but yes it was heart breaking for me and Bob as both of us had in the last two years worked towards one aim to do well in the World Cup. And when Woolmer died the passion for the game just went out and I decided I didn’t want to be captain anymore,� he recalled.

Inzamam who played 120 tests and 378 one-day internationals in his illustrious career also slammed out at the umpires referral system recently experimented with in the India and Sri Lanka test series.

“I don’t want to see this become a permanent feature because it breaks the momentum of the match. The charm of cricket is that you go by the umpires decisions and you expect mistakes since they are human beings."

Though India won the five-match Idea Cup series 3-2 but Friday's loss their heaviest in Sri Lanka proved a dampner to the series win.

Chasing a revised target of 216 from 44 overs after rain interrupted the match for 90 minutes when India were wobbling at 70 for 3 in the 15th over, the visitors were skittled out for just 103 from 26.3 overs, their lowest score in Sri Lanka after the hosts had put up 227 for 6 from 50 overs.

None of the visiting batsmen offered any resistance to Lankan bowlers Nuwan Kulasekara and Ajantha Mendis who shared eight wickets between themselves, with Virat Kohli top-scoring with 31 while seven batsmen were out for just 33 runs in 12.1 overs.

Kulasekara ran through the Indian top order claiming four for 40 from nine overs with the scalps of openers Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina and Rohit Sharma while Mendis claiming another four for 10 from 4.3 overs. Dilahara Fernando chipped two wickets for 24 runs.

The Indians began on a cautious note with openers Gambhir and Kohli scoring just three runs after three overs with the first and third overs bowled by Kulasekara being maiden overs.

But two fours by Gambhir off Thilan Thushara and a huge six by Kohli off Kulasekara eased off the pressure and India were 20 after the fifth over and the run rate of four was maintained till Gambhir was out in the last ball of ninth over after scoring a mere 11 from 16 balls which included two fours.

The senior of the Delhi openers knicked a Kulasekara delivery while playing away from the body and Kumar Sangakkara did the rest behind the wicket to reduce India to 38 for one.

Kohli paid the price for playing across for too many as he was plumbed LBW nine balls after Gambhir's departure though after making a useful 31 off 46 balls which included three fours and a six.

India were at a spot of bother at 45 for two but Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina began the repair work with some lusty blows.

Raina, however, was to be blamed for getting out off a poor shot and the Uttar Pradesh youngster tried to play a pull shot off Kulasekara to a ball which was not short enough only to hole out at mid-off to Dilhara Fernando for 10 (13 balls; 2X4).

Rohit Sharma, who came after the 90-minute rain intervention, did not last long and was out LBW to Kulasekara for 3 though he was unlucky to have got the verdict as the ball was outside the line at the point of impact.

Nine balls later mystery bowler Ajantha Medis claimed Yuvaraj's wicket in his first ball which hit the stumps after having an inside edge and India were looking down the barrel at 79 for 5 then.

Any hopes of fightback went up in smokes after Dhoni was out for one in the 20th over with Fernando cleaning up the Indian captain's stumps for just one off seven deliveries to send the visitors to 85 for six.

Pathan (7), Zaheer Khan (3) and RP Singh (4) and Pragyan Ojha (5) went back to the pavillion like a processionn to complete the route.

Earlier, gritty unbeaten knocks by Thilan Thushara (54) and Jehan Mubarak (47) down the order helped Sri Lanka reach 227 for six in their allotted 50 overs after electing to bat.

Sri Lanka were gasping for breath at 133 for six when the two joined hands and mauled the Indian attack to lend some sort of respectability to the hosts' total with a sterling unbeaten 94-run stand off just 78 balls.

The home side received a rude jolt in the second over when run-machine Sanath Jayasuriya (1) perished, much to the dejection of the crowd at the Premadasa Stadium.

The 39-year old, slashed at a Zaheer Khan delivery only to see the top edge flying to Pragyan Ojha at third man.

Malinda Warnapura (30) and the new man Mahela Udawatte (43) then tried hard to consolidate the innings but runs proved hard to come by. In fact, the first 10 overs produced only 28 runs and the pressure started mounting on the batsmen.

Warnapura was lucky to be dropped by Rohit Sharma at cover point even though it was a tough chance, while Udawatte gained in confidence by smashing a Zaheer delivery.

Despite best of their efforts, Sri Lanka's 50 runs came in 79 balls before both decided to up the tempo.

Zaheer gave away 33 runs in his first spell of seven overs even though Munaf Patel was more economical, conceding just 15 runs in his six-over spell.

The Indians then fought back with Irfan Pathan inducing a top edge from Warnapura with Gautam Gambhir running back from cover to take a well judged catch.

The Baroda bowler then struck again as he trapped the well-settled Udawatte.

R P Singh then joined the party as Kumar Sangakkara (1) once again flopped with the bat and perished at first slip with Gambhir taking his second catch of the match.

Jayawardene (12) got a life of sort as Pragyan Ojha almost caught him off his own bowling but he could not make the most of it as the Indian spinner had the last laugh.

Jayawardene turned away his bat to a dipping delivery from Ojha and ended up lobbing it tamely towards the cover where an agile Yuvraj Singh took the sitter.

Chamara Kapugedera (26) and Mubarak then pushed for singles as Sri Lanka reach 126 for five in 35 overs. Kapugedera's heroics, however, came to an end in the 37th over when he holed out to RP Singh off Ojha.

Sri Lanka averaged less than four at 143 for six even after 40 overs, suggesting the effectiveness of the Indian bowlers.

Thushara, however, had other ideas. After edging Pathan to the third man boundary, Thushara launched the left-arm seamer into the gap at deep cover boundary much to the delight of the flag-waving spectators.

Jehan Mubarak on a comeback trail also chipped in with the odd boundaries as the two toiled to take the islanders to a meaningful total.

R P Singh came in for some beating as both the batsmen swatted him for boundaries in the 44th over but even then, it was too late and they could not push the score near the 250-mark.

His all-round efforts and an unbeaten 78 from Andrew Flintoff from 77 balls enabled England to clinch the five-match series 3-0.

"We came into the series as underdogs for sure … but the boys have been magnificent," captain Kevin Pietersen told Sky Sports television. "It is an exciting place to be, the England dressing room.

"But we want to improve and try to win 5-0 if we can. I want the guys to enjoy this victory and then turn up on Sunday (at Lord's) ready to go 4-0 up."

Patel, playing only his fourth one-day international, shared a 74-run partnership with Flintoff in England's impressive 296 for seven after acting South Africa captain Jacques Kallis had won the toss and elected to field.

England got off to an electric start courtesy of Ian Bell, who hit 73 off 77 balls and put on 101 for the first wicket with Matt Prior (33) off just 15.2 overs.

But the hosts suffered a top-order collapse after Bell's departure, Owais Shah (23) and Pietersen (5) both falling to Kallis in quick succession for the addition of just 11 runs.

Punishing Strokes

Their demise brought Flintoff to the crease and the all-rounder produced some punishing strokes to take England to an impressive score.

Flintoff survived a blow to the head from a Morne Morkel delivery midway through his innings to strike nine fours and a six.

He also made an important contribution with the ball, taking two wickets, including that of the influential Kallis for nine.

By then, James Anderson had already pegged South Africa back with some economical bowling, conceding just 17 runs from his opening seven overs during which he took the wicket of Herschelle Gibbs.

Hashim Amla, opening the batting, top scored for the tourists with 46 before edging Steve Harmison to Prior, the first of three wickets to fall for just 15 runs which left South Africa reeling on 82 for four.

Patel then took over, ripping through South Africa's lower order with the wickets of Mark Boucher, Albie and Morne Morkel, Johan Botha and Makhaya Ntini.

Kallis, in charge because of the absence of the injured Graeme Smith, said: "We are not playing good cricket but England are playing unreal cricket.

"They are one of the better one-day sides and are outplaying us in all departments. We are not firing on all cylinders and these are hard times for us at the moment."

Symonds was sent home following a recommendation by the team leadership group late on Friday, CA said in a statement.

It did not give a reason for his departure but said it would discuss the issue at the post-game press conference following the first one-day international on Saturday.

Symonds has been in trouble with team management in the past over his behaviour.

He was left out of the team for a one-day match against Bangladesh during Australia's tour of England in 2005 after arriving for the game under the influence of alcohol.

Australia are due to play Bangladesh in three one-day internationals, all in Darwin, including further matches next Wednesday and on Sept. 6.

Dhoni's men, who won the ODI series 3-2, landed in the coastal city, where supporters gathered to have a glimpse of their heroes.

Pace bowler Zaheer Khan, had returned earlier in the day, taking an early flight from Colombo.

India pocketed the five-match series on Wednesday, with one match to spare and avenged their Test series drubbing.

Shabbir was among the original list of 16 players who signed up with the ICL in 2007 and since then the board has placed a complete ban on these players to take part in any cricket activity in Pakistan.

Shabbir showed up at the academy on Thursday and had a long bowling session at the nets. "I am preparing for the start of the new ICL season this year and so far no one has told me not to practice here," he said.

"There was never any ban on Shabbir Ahmed to practice ... he is only banned from representing Pakistan in Tests and ODIs and from first class cricket," a senior board official explained.

"He is a Pakistani and we have no objection in his practicing at NCA," Shafqat Naghmi the chief operating officer said.

But he made it clear that this should not be seen as the board deciding to reconsider its stance on ICL players.

"Any player who has represented Pakistan can practice here but that does not mean we are thinking about changing our policy on the ICL. It remains the same when the ICC recognises it we will also adopt a softer line," he stated.

Shabbir, whose bowling action has always under the scanner, hoped the board would allow them to play the domestic season starting October.

"Right now I am here to train and get tips from Aaqib Javed and Geoff Lawson who are at the academy," he stated.

• 1 India 102
• 2 Australia 100
• 3 Bangladesh 98
• 4 England 90
• 5 South Africa 87
• 6 Sri Lanka 56
• 7 New Zealand 55
• 8 Pakistan 40
• 9 Zimbabwe 35
• 10 West Indies 30

Dubai: Indian ODI captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni can inch closer to top spot of ICC batting chart if he continues his good form of the Asia Cup in the five-match series against Sri Lanka starting on Monday.

Dhoni, who was on top of the batting list for a week in April 2006, is 19 points adrift of table topper South African Graeme Smith in the latest ICC ODI batting list with 773 rating points to his kitty.

Sixth-placed Sachin Tendulkar is likely to lose ground after an elbow injury has sidelined him for the ODI series. A player loses one per cent of his rating for missing every match.

Yuvraj Singh (15th) and Gautam Gambhir (19th) are the other India batsmen in the top 20. Both are well placed to move upwards if they perform well in the forthcoming matches.

Sri Lanka's 10th-placed Kumar Sangakkara can cause some reshuffling in the top 10 while veteran teammate Sanath Jayasuriya (15th) also has a top 10 spot firmly within his sights.

In the bowlers' list, headed by Australian Nathan Bracken, off-spinner Harbhajan Singh is the highest ranked Indian at 24th and is well placed to enter the top 20.

Karachi: Desperate to probe his innocence in the Indian Premier League doping scam, embattled Pakistan pacer Mohammad Asif and his lawyer have left for Geneva, on Friday night, where his "B" sample test would be conducted on Monday.

Asif, who tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug during the IPL, would come to know whether he faces more disciplinary action or not only after the "B" sample test.

Asif's lawyer Shahid Karim has informed that they have hired a British sports medicine specialist Dr Graham who would accompany them to ensure that the test is conducted under specifications of the World Anti-Doping Agency rules.

"We have obtained the best possible help to assist us in the case as Asif is adamant he is innocent," Karim said.

Although the pacer -- who spent 19-days in detention in Dubai airport for carrying a banned substance while returning home from India after playing in the IPL -- has a tainted past, he said he was mentally prepared to face every situation and insisted that he never did anything wrong in his career.

"We are having the 'B' sample test for the reconfirmation. And we have to be present there. Inshallah! I will be cleared," said Asif, who had tested positive along with fellow paceman Shoaib Akhtar for banned substance - Nandrolone in 2006 before the Champions Trophy, but escaped bans after an Appellate Tribunal cleared them on technical grounds.

Asif is presently suspended by the Pakistan Cricket Board and was not selected in next month's Champions Trophy squad, but he maintained he would come out clean and earn his place back in the national team.

"If I am cleared which I am confident I will be, I will try to make a place for myself in the Pakistan team as soon as possible," he said.

Mumbai: Sri Lanka’s Dammika Prasad’s recent success in Test cricket has earned him double offer from two Indian Premier League (IPL) teams – Team Hyderabad and Team Bangalore – for the next season.

"I have been approached by Hyderabad and Bangalore and that is quite exciting," Prasad has been quoted as saying in The Times of India on Saturday.

The new ball bowler who had an interesting Test debut scalping the prize wickets of Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid among others, left for South Africa to play a series of matches for the Sri Lankan A team.

• 1 Australia 130
• 2 South Africa 128
• 3 New Zealand 116
• 4 India 112
• 5 Pakistan 110
• 6 Sri Lanka 106
• 7 England 106
• 8 West Indies 95
• 9 Bangladesh 46
• 10 Ireland 18

Colombo: A limping India have been forced to cling to the rock face of pain as Rahul Dravid rescued the side from what has been another batting debacle.

With an undefeated 46, he has at least helped India wipe off the second innings deficit on day three of this third Test against Sri Lanka at P Sara Oval. But it hasn't been without its moments of drama, a record as well as some controversy over the review system.

Maybe the fight is not over as Dravid and VVS Laxman are still together with some thoughts turn to the Eden Gardens and 2001 against Australia are resurfacing.

Laxman though has an ankle injury that requires Gautam Gambhir to run for him and although he has looked comfortable enough, the pressure on a dodgy ankle could work against India's plan to put up a worthwhile total on the board.

On a day when only one batsman, century-maker Kumar Sangakkara has shown how to bat in such difficult conditions as this, the remainder have struggled to put runs together with the same determined focus and quality strokeplay.

In response to Sri Lanka's 396, India in their second innings were 161-5 which (with 249) gives them a lead of 14 runs. But with only three fit lower-order batsmen and the injured Ishant Sharma remaining, the Dravid-Laxman partnership needs to prosper against two of the world's top spinners in Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis.

As it is, the two second innings wickets that Sri Lankan Army second lieutenant Mendis collected with lbw decisions against Parthiv Patel and Sachin Tendulkar has now taken the most wickets in a Test series of three or four matches with 25. He had surpassed a record that has lasted 62 years and was held by the now 90-year-old Sir Alec Bedser.

Bedser was playing in his first Test series against India, led by the Nawab of Pataudi (Snr), father of Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, picked up 24 wickets.

The dismissal of Tendulkar by Mendis after the referral saw India slip to 131 for five as the ball had pitched in line with the off-stump and his failure to play a shot counted against him.

Tendulkar injured his right elbow during the afternoon session on Saturday and did not field during the rest of the Sri Lankan second innings. Laxman's ankle was rendered almost immobile by an accident before the start of the day's play and for a while there had been some doubt whether he would be fit enough to bat.

For some reason, Tendulkar's batting has been circumspect in the three Tests and at times he was unconvincing against the spin of Mendis and Murali, although in the first innings he went lbw to debutant Dammika Prasad.

While Sourav Ganguly's career could be over as the selectors would have been looking for a lot more from him than the 96 runs in a series of this nature at an average way above the return of 16, there has been a growing doubt this series about the other three members of the fab four as well.

It has not been a great time for India to struggle the way they have against attacking spin bowling that achieved far more than no doubt first imagined. The pitch here at P Sara has taken a little turn, but not so much to trouble such well-travelled batsmen like Ganguly and Dravid who had their Test debuts at Lord's in 1996.

Lahore: The PCB spokesman Mansoor Sohail altogether dismissed the rumours of shifting the Champions Trophy matches from Rawalpindi. He also urged people to wait for the ICC task team’s visit on August 10.

There were media reports that had claimed on Friday that the slow pace of renovation work at the Rawalpindi Stadium, besides some security concerns by the ICC security personnel have forced the authorities to shift matches from the city, while the matches would be played only at Lahore and Karachi.

Mansoor was quoted as saying by The Post that any proposal to shift the matches from Rawalpindi was not under consideration at the moment and they were committed to hold the matches as per the previous schedule.

“I know that there had been some reservations regarding the Rawalpindi Stadium to host matches due to construction work and the environment of the stadium but the PCB and security agencies believe that they could manage to host the matches at the Stadium successfully,” he told the newspaper.

“It is expected that the stadium will be completed in time and will be the venue to be handed over to the ICC for preparations of pitches and other logistical arrangements,” Mansoor added.

There were suggestions to distribute the 15 matches of the tournament under the revised schedule with Karachi hosting seven matches and Lahore eight including the final.

The spokesperson also maintained that PCB chief operating officer Shafqat Naghmi had given a deadline of August 20 for completion of renovation work in the Pindi Stadium and Pakistan Cricket Board has full confidence in the government’s assistance to make the arrangements of the Champions Trophy.

“Efforts are on to assure these countries and their boards that they would be provided top level security and cover for the Champions Trophy if they should tour Pakistan on schedule,” Mansoor confirmed.

He also informed that the ICC task team will meet the interior ministry and other officials to get briefing on the security arrangements. The team members would also be given on ground briefing and presentation regarding the foolproof arrangements.

London: A defiant innings by AB de Villiers held up England's charge towards victory on the fourth day of the fourth and final Test against South Africa at The Oval on Sunday.

South Africa were 265 for seven in their second innings at tea, a lead of 143.

De Villiers, who went to the wicket when his side were only 16 runs ahead with four wickets down, hit 76 not out as he stood between England and a consolation victory in a series already won by South Africa. But there was hardly any support for De Villiers after fast bowler Steve Harmison struck two crucial blows early in the day.

Harmison dismissed both overnight batsmen, Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis, in a hostile eight-over spell in which he took two wickets for 12 runs. Amla was out for 76 to the 19th ball of the day when he was forced on to the back foot by a lifting delivery from Harmison which he edged to wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose. He added only five runs on Sunday.

Kallis never looked settled against the pace and bounce of Harmison and the swing of James Anderson. He had an escape on nine when he drove Harmison low to wide mid-off where England captain Kevin Pietersen dropped the chance. But he was out next ball without adding to his score when he edged Harmison low to Paul Collingwood at third slip.

For Kallis, long regarded as South Africa's most reliable batsman, it completed his least successful series since he became an established Test player. In seven innings he scored 104 runs at an average of 14.85, with 64 of his runs coming in one innings in the third Test.

He was the only member of the South African top six in the batting order not to score a century during the series. Ashwell Prince was troubled early on by Harmison but seemed fairly secure as he advanced to 24. But then he slashed at a short ball from Andrew Flintoff and edged a catch to Andrew Strauss at first slip.

Mark Boucher helped De Villiers add 40 for the sixth wicket before Anderson extracted extra bounce from the pitch and Boucher was caught off the splice of his bat by Collingwood at backward point.

Morne Morkel was caught at short leg off left-arm spinner Monty Panesar before Paul Harris joined De Villiers in a stand which was worth 47 by tea despite England taking the second new ball five overs before the break.