Ahead of the 1st Test against England at Lord’s starting on July 10 the South African team has two first class warm up games to get back in rhythm. This is welcome news for the visitors who could use the match practice to get into full flow as they have not played an international match for the last two months. Their 1st warm-up game of the tour is currently being played against Somerset. After setting an imposing total of 515 for 3 declared in the first innings, in which all the Proteas batsmen except opener Neil McKenzie found form Somerset went in to bat and was bundled out for 249. Morne Morkel was the pick of the South African bowlers. Morkel is no novice to English conditions having played county cricket for Kent and Yorkshire before. But this was his first stint for the country in England and he picked up 3 wickets for 64 runs in his 13 overs. Bowling well within himself, Morkel surprised the Somerset batsmen with some unusual bounce on what was considered a flat and lifeless pitch. On the first day of the match Andy Caddick captain of the Somerset team commented that the wicket was too flat. But the South African bowlers who held back their full potential and were solely concentrating on hitting the right line and length seemed to make the best of a lifeless pitch. Apart from Morkel’s 3 wicket haul Makhaya Ntini and Paul Harris picked up two wickets a-piece while Andre Nel picked up the sole wicket of Somerset opener Neil Edwards. Morkel seemed happy with his 3 wickets haul and admitted to playing around with his lengths a little more in this match, as it was his first international outing since his injury earlier this year and after two days of play South Africa looks in a commanding position with a 322-run lead over Somerset and the team is currently batting at 56 for 1. The touring Proteas will play another first class warm-up game against Middlesex on Friday before taking on the English at Lords on July 10 for the first Test. Jacques Kallis and Hashim Amla.
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