SA openers blitz England attack

ENGLAND’S cricketing revival was brought to a shuddering halt at the start of the Test series with South Africa delivering a brilliant performance which firmly stamped their authority on the opening encounter at Edgbaston.

Lifted by their triumph over the tourists in the NatWest Series final at Lord's nearly two weeks ago and by stories of divisions within South Africa's dressing room, England entered the key part of their summer confident they could continue the feelgood factor currently running through the cricket community.

Yet despite England's apparent psychological advantage against a South Africa side struggling for form and without key all-rounder Jacques Kallis back in Cape Town mourning the recent death of father Henry it was the tourists who produced a record-breaking scoring frenzy.

South Africa batted first and their prolific openers took England's attack apart to reach a towering 398 for one by the close. Captain Graeme Smith and Herschelle Gibbs, playing only their 10th innings as a partnership together, enjoyed their second triple century stand of their fledgling combination to become the only pair in Test history to achieve such a feat.