Flintoff frustrated on return

Andrew Flintoff removes Graeme Smith, his first Test wicket in almost 18 months

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Andrew Flintoff’s return to Test cricket was not without controversy after a remarkable day at Headingley Carnegie.

Flintoff was clearly furious to give his wicket away for 17 but it was his performance with the ball which dominated discussions during and after play.

The Lancashire all-rounder had already removed South Africa captain Graeme Smith for 44 when a diving Michael Vaughan appeared to catch Hashim Amla low down at mid-off.

Vaughan, captaining England for the 50th time in Tests, immediately claimed the catch and Amla showed little hesitation in walking off.

The batsman was three-quarters of the way to the boundary when he was met my non-playing team-mate Andre Nel, who advised Amla to stand his ground.

Amla did just that and, after a lengthy delay, was given not out on the recommendation of the third umpire.

South Africa’s challenge came after a similar incident involving Andrew Strauss this morning when AB de Villiers appeared to take a slip catch off the bowling of Morne Morkel.

De Villiers claimed the catch but Strauss remained at the wicket and his stance was vindicated when television replays showed the ball had bounced in front of the fielder.

That Amla was still at the crease at the close with no further loss with he tourists on 101 for three gave them the edge on day one after Smith put England in.

His decision proved sounder than at Lord’s as Dale Steyn and Morkel took four wickets apiece to dismiss England for 203 overcast conditions.

Alastair Cook can count himself unlucky to be given out caught behind down the leg side off Morkel when television replays showed the ball had brushed his thigh pad.

Like in the first Test, Vaughan was on the receiving end of a pearler from Dale Steyn.

Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bell continued their fine form from Lord’s before losing their wickets when set.

Bell will be particularly frustrated having played a Jacques Kallis delivery on to his stumps the ball after a sumptuous cover drive through the covers for four.

Flintoff managed just 17 with the bat on his return

Flintoff initially looked comfortable enough at the crease despite edging Morkel for four between the slip cordon and gully.

However, he perished to a rash front-foot swipe off Steyn and England’s innings did not last much longer, although Stuart Broad once again looked assured at the crease.

Steyn and Morkel excelled in the favourable conditions but Makhaya Ntini again looked a shadow of his former self.

England new boy Darren Pattinson took the new ball with James Anderson but was only given three overs by Vaughan.

His brief spell showed promise with one delivery to Smith leaping from a length and going through to wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose at head height.

Flintoff was introduced from the Kirkstall Lane End in the eighth over when he strayed onto Neil McKenzie’s pads to be clipped for four. That was about the only time his line erred.

After his initial three overs he switched ends and produced a fearsome spell in conjunction with James Anderson.

Flintoff soon exploited Amla’s apparent weakness against the short ball with a fiendish delivery that glanced the batsman’s helmet and went for four.

But Anderson was first to break through, finding McKenzie’s outside edge and Flintoff’s safe hands low at second slip.

Smith then became Flintoff’s first Test scalp for 18 months off a rising delivery that he edged to Strauss at first slip, before Kallis played on to Anderson who screamed his joy.

Flintoff then got one to hold up to Amla and celebrated Vaughan’s ‘catch’ only for Amla to clip his next delivery to the square-leg boundary.

Next ball Amla was relieved to see umpire Billy Bowden call a no-ball when Flintoff appealed for caught behind down leg.

The all-rounder finished one wicket shy of what he perhaps deserved but his seven consecutive overs dispelled any doubts over his fitness.