Twelve years since a major series win is long enough but last night, as England fretted over their fate, must have seemed interminable. An extraordinary Test of excruciating tension and lurching fortunes is reborn this morning with England needing two wickets and South Africa 34 runs. Only the foolhardy would begin to predict the outcome.
To suspend play in such circumstances last night, with South Africa 185 for eight and no recourse to the extra half-hour, was maddening for a crowd beside itself with exhilaration. Darren Gough, revelling in the Headingley day he has dreamed of since childhood, was in his element but England's overworked three-man seam attack was close to exhaustion. England's calculation was that a night's rest will do the trick, that is if anybody is able to sleep.
Gough's jolly, barging strut dominated a final hour which strengthened England's hold on a final Cornhill Test that a gutsy and positive century stand, from the calamity of 27 for five, by Jonty Rhodes and Brian McMillan had threatened to swing in South Africa's favour.
Here was a fast bowler in his element, roared forward by his home crowd, theatrically doffing his cap to the Western Terrace as every wicket brought fresh adulation. He resumes today with five for 36 in 19 overs and, if England win, he has assured himself of a place in folklore.
How many more twists can these two sides withstand? Yesterday alone produced an England batting collapse - their last six wickets tumbling for 34 runs for the second time in the match - a South African collapse of even greater proportions and a magnificent recovery.
Gough duly ticked off Gerhardus Liebenberg by lunch, the opener's pitiable series ending with a ball that cut back to have him lbw. Gary Kirsten, his Old Trafford double-century apart, has also had an unproductive time; Gough removed him immediately after the interval as Michael Atherton held on at gully. Darryl Cullinan, leg-before, was the third victim in a new-ball spell of three for 10 in nine overs.
The pitch was rarely to play as unevenly as England had hoped but Jacques Kallis's tentative push at Angus Fraser, to be leg-before, illustrated South African apprehension.
As questionable decisions continue to multiply, the broad smile has become the new form of dissent. Hansie Cronje departed like the Cheshire Cat as he was adjudged caught at the wicket in Fraser's next over, endless television replays failing to determine whether or not the ball had flicked the edge.
Rhodes's adrenalin-fuelled rush to the crease was backed up by an immediately positive outlook. His early Test innings were often tortuous; now he bristles with attacking intent. McMillan, in the first innings, had looked bereft of form but South Africa's desperate situation whetted his competitive instincts.
It was during Ian Salisbury's eight overs on either side of tea, again plagued by full tosses and long hops, that England's attack looked enfeebled. Every over Salisbury bowled encouraged regret that England had preferred the leg-spinner to Alan Mullally, an extra seamer. When England failed to persuade the umpires to change the ball, their concern was evident.
Dominic Cork sought a spark, almost hysterically at times, and McMillan, met by a second bouncer in one over, skied his hook to Stewart. That cleared the way for Gough. Rhodes, who made 85 from 147 balls, became his 100th Test victim when he clipped him to Flintoff at short mid-wicket, Mark Boucher fell lbw and Gough bounded around with an air of tomfoolery as if he was engaged in a welly-chucking competition at a summer fete.
Another England batting collapse had dominated the morning. After the solidity of Saturday, when Nasser Hussain edged England to 206 for four, came chaos, engineered by a world-class fast bowler. Allan Donald, 32 in October, bade farewell to Test cricket in England with a tenacious morning spell of four for 14 in 9.2 overs, driven by a sense of his place in history.
Shaun Pollock surfed on Donald's emotional wave to take the other two wickets. The blitz from the only two South African bowlers given licence to attack, and resuming with a new ball only 11 overs old, was irresistible.
Donald's affinity with England, sharpened by his seasons at Warwickshire, has driven him forward all summer. The magnitude of his summer, 33 wickets at 19.78 when not fully fit, can hardly be understated.
The night-watchman, Salisbury, was dispensed with by the second ball of the morning, edging to the wicket-keeper, Boucher. But it was the dismissals of Hick and Flintoff with the first and last deliveries of Donald's second over - both measured at 75mph, about 10mph below his average pace - that left England's innings in ruins.
