A weary man after his third five-wicket haul in successive Test innings against South Africa, Fraser needed a massage and a long hot bath when he came off the field at Headingley last night.

His plan is to put his feet up in the England dressing-room and let the batsmen do the business. His only thought is how to celebrate - and that will probably be a visit to one of the famous fish-and-chip emporiums which abound in Leeds.

He said of his day: ``The breeze messes your rhythm about and I'm thankful I only bowled five overs up the slope into the wind. Darren Gough must be feeling absolutely shattered doing the work at that end.''

He added: ``But this is a wicket to make the most of with the new ball, which produces the hardness and bounce. As it gets old, life gets a little easier for the batsman.

``They have to be patient, wait for the occasional four-ball. If they try to force the pace, as we've seen, they pay the price.''

Fraser is in no doubt that the Leeds crowd will be watching a battle royal on the final days, saying: ``It''s game on, now. We're set for a fantastic outcome and I'm sure the ECB are laughing all the way to the cash till.''

He is shrewd enough to recognise that his present purple patch will not last for ever. ``I must make the most of it all. There will be other days when I go off kicking at the ground while others are taking the wickets.''

Six years Fraser's junior, Dominic Cork celebrated his birthday yesterday with two wickets - and watched two slip catches go down off his bowling.

But where Cork might once have shown his displeasure, now there was only a sympathetic smile on his face. ``They don't drop them on purpose, you know.

Nasser Hussain and Graeme Hick are both superb fielders, up there with the best in the world. At the end of the day you just have to see the lighter side.''

Cork recognised that the outstanding, one-handed catch which Mark Ramprakash held to dismiss Jacques Kallis may have helped him to find his best bowling rhythm. ``Things like that can change the whole course of a Test. We'll have to wait and see.''