South Africa escape defeat

Bad light forced a draw on the fifth day of the second Test between South Africa and England on Thursday with the tourists needing only two wickets to record a ninth straight Test win.

South Africa, who were set a target of 378, were 290 for eight in their second innings when the umpires offered the light to the batsmen with 15 overs left in the match, much to the disgust of England captain Michael Vaughan.

England's players decided not to return to the dressing room and sat down on the turf in case the light improved but the game was then called off.

Despite their disappointment, England have gone through 2004 without losing, winning 11 out of 13 matches.

Jacques Rudolph's 61 was South Africa's top score while England pace bowler Matthew Hoggard took two for 58 and Steve Harmison claimed two for 62.

England won the first test by seven wickets in Port Elizabeth last Tuesday and take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series into the third Test in Cape Town on Sunday.

Scorecard

England 1st innings 139

South Africa 1st innings 332

England 2nd innings 570-7 decl

South Africa 2nd innings (overnight 21-1)
G.Smith lbw b Hoggard 5
H.Gibbs c Giles b Harmison 36
N.Boje c Thorpe b Flintoff 10
J.Rudolph c Strauss b Giles 61
J.Kallis

Extras (b-8 lb-4 nb-3 w-1) 16

Total (for eight wickets, 86 overs) 290

Did not bat: D Steyn

Fall of wickets: 1-12 2-33 3-87 4-103 5-172 6-173 7-183 8-268.

Bowling: Hoggard 19-2-58-2, Harmison 19-4-62-2, Flintoff 14-5-38-1 , S.Jones 14-4-36-1, Giles 19-1-84-1, Vaughan 1-1-0-0.

Result: Match drawn.

England lead five-match series 1-0.