Three years ago he took seven for 43 on debut in West Indies' second innings to help England to victory on the same ground. Cork recognises that Lord's is somewhere special for him - and he revealed that the presence of the new stand helps the ball to swing all the more, giving him an extra ingredient in his demolition of the South Africa batsman.

Since that outstanding Test start Cork has run the gamut of highs and lows, facing personal and professional problems. Now there is a maturity about him on and off the field, and he admits to being a more relaxed person. But there is still the same inner drive to better himself.

``I'm striving for personal goals but at the end of the day I just want to be considered an England all-rounder. I always felt part of the set-up even when I was out of the Test reckoning.''

A no-ball cost him a fifth wicket, that of Jonty Rhodes, but Cork was sufficiently sanguine to shrug off the incident. ``I was just a tiny bit over the line. That's life. I haven't bowled a lot of no-balls for a while but sometimes you get into that sort of a rut.''

Glamorgan's Steve James is hoping that luck will turn his way today. The team view of the short-leg catch he took off Daryll Cullinan disallowed by the third umpire - was that the ball was held via leg and boot.

James said he had gone to bed on Wednesday night thinking he might be replacing the injured Mark Butcher. ``Just thinking I might play didn't make for the best night's sleep of my life.''