NOTTINGHAM, 17 August 2003 — England still held a narrow advantage in the third Test after fluctuating fortunes yesterday, bowling out South Africa for 362 to secure a lead of 83 before controversially losing Marcus Trescothick to the first ball of their second innings.

The hosts had looked likely to be in a far stronger position when James Kirtley claimed two wickets in the day’s first over to reduce the touring side to 88 for four, and the South Africans were indebted to gutsy innings by Neil McKenzie (90) and Mark Boucher (48) for keeping them in the game. McKenzie and Boucher batted through the afternoon session, putting on 129 for the sixth wicket to take their team past the follow-on target of 246 before Shaun Pollock’s quickfire 62 left them with realistic hopes of protecting their 1-0 lead in the series.

The likelihood of a South Africa win increased with what became the final ball of the day when Trescothick was given out caught at short leg by Paul Adams off Pollock to leave the home side on nought for one.

Television replays suggested the batsman had been unfortunate, with the ball appearing to miss his bat or glove before looping up off his thigh pad. The day had started so brightly for England when fast-medium seamer Kirtley, on his Test debut, removed Jacques Rudolph and Boeta Dippenaar with his fifth and sixth deliveries.

Rudolph edged a catch to wicketkeeper Alec Stewart for 15 and Dippenaar was adjudged lbw to a ball that cut back into him, though replays suggested it might have just missed leg stump. Jacques Kallis, dropped by Stewart in Kirtley’s second over, and McKenzie steadied the ship with a partnership of 44 that was ended by James Anderson, who ended with five wickets.

The young seamer bowled Kallis for 27 when the all rounder raised his bat to leave the ball and watched helplessly as it cut back and kept low before cannoning into his off stump. Steve Harmison caused a few problems for McKenzie and Boucher with his steep bounce, but the pair took their side to 167 for five at lunch.

McKenzie played a number of handsome strokes through the covers, while the feisty Boucher combined dogged defense with the odd lusty attacking shot as the pair survived the second new ball comfortably.

The 27-year-old McKenzie, playing his first match of the series in place of the injured Gary Kirsten, was 10 runs short of his third century in his 31st Test when he drove loosely at a wide ball from Anderson and edged a comfortable catch to Trescothick at first slip.

Boucher fell soon afterward when Andrew Flintoff pinned him back on his stumps and Anderson bowled Andrew Hall through the gate for 15. Pollock batted beautifully, striking Anderson for three successive fours, played several fluent attacking shots and Adams made a useful 13 before he was also bowled by Anderson.

Pollock reached his fifty from 70 balls, including eight fours, before becoming Anderson’s fifth victim when he mistimed a pull to Kirtley at mid-on. Anderson’s figures were five for 102 from 27.5 overs, his second five-wicket haul in his fifth test. Kirtley took two for 80, Flintoff two for 91 and Harmison one for 42.

Inzamam Back in Pakistan Team

Pakistan, meanwhile, recalled experienced middle order batsman Inzamam-ul Haq for next week’s first cricket Test against Bangladesh, selectors said in Karachi yesterday.

Inzamam, 33, was one of eight players dumped after Pakistan’s first round exit from this year’s World Cup in southern Africa and was ignored for one-day series in Sharjah, Sri Lanka and England.

Pakistani selectors have named seven uncapped players to the 15-man squad: all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez; batsmen Yasir Hameed, Saeed Bin Nisar and Farhan Adil; and pacers Umer Gul, Shabbir Ahmad and Mohammad Khalil.

Pakistan was also to host South Africa and New Zealand this season for six Tests and 13 one-day internationals.

Squad:

Mohammad Hafeez, Taufeeq Umar, Yasir Hameed, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Yousuf Youhana, Misbah-ul-Haq, Rashid Latif (captain), Shoaib Akhtar, Umer Gul, Shabbir Ahmad, Danish Kaneria, Saeed Bin Nasir, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Khalil and Farhan Adil.