First Test: South Africa bowlers fight back after a poor first day but the home side's batsmen manage to continue their good work

THE build-up to the first Test of a summer series is always a predictable affair. Long before the Tories coined the slogan "New Labour - New Dangers", successive England captains were trotting out the "new season - new optimism" line that followed the inevitable series defeat abroad.

1947: Compo's golden summer - 753 runs in the series, four hundreds (3,816 and 18 in all first-class games). In the Second Test at Lord's Denis Compton made a kingly 208, shared a then record third-wicket stand of 370 with his partner in breaking bowlers' hearts, Bill Edrich, and England won by 10 wickets. Anybody who was there says they really don't make them like it any more and it is easy to believe them. Series score: England 3, SA 0.

Dazzler v Destroyer: England rely on man of spirit and speed as tourists look to an uncompromising talent

South Africa 205-8; England 206-3 England win by seven wickets

ECHO OF THE PAST

Texaco Trophy: Yorkshire paceman passes the big test but stumbling England surrender their silverware

First one-day international: Hollioake's nervous captaincy exposed as home side fall to fifth successive limited-overs defeat

ONE significant development in international cricket in the 1990s has been the arrival of the third umpire. No one-day or Test series can any longer escape the attentions of television cameras and it became manifestly stupid that umpiring decisions which could be seen to be blatantly wrong should be allowed to stand.

Iain Fletcher finds an optimistic Englishman who knows South Africa's strengths

Sri Lanka 165-3 v South Africa

South Africa 418 & 264 Sri Lanka 306 & 306 South Africa win by 70 runs

Manchester City 0 Sheffield United 0

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