South Africa will target vulnerable England middle order

By John Mehaffey

LONDON (Reuters) - South Africa will target England's vulnerable middle order in the opening match of the four-test series starting at Lord's on Thursday.

At a news conference on Tuesday, coach Mickey Arthur said the South Africans thought Ian Bell at number five and Paul Collingwood one place lower would be under pressure.

Neither batsman was convincing in the recent three-test series against New Zealand, won 2-0 by England, nor in the following one-day series which the Kiwis won 3-1.

In addition Collingwood, the England one-day captain, was banned for four matches when his team failed to bowl their overs in the allocated period for the second time within a year while he was in charge.

Firing the opening salvos in the propaganda war before a keenly awaited series, Arthur said the England pace bowlers would also be aware that all-rounder Andrew Flintoff would return to the side at some stage once he proved his fitness.

"I think at five and six, those two players will be under some pressure going into this series," Arthur said.

"I think the Flintoff factor lingers over, he's too good a player not to play, he's got to come back for somebody, there's going to be somebody unlucky.

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