'Don't worry about it', Hall (right) tells Pretorius

He was the second South African to be left high and dry on 99 not out in less than a year following Shaun Pollock's misfortune against Sri Lanka last November.

But Hall had the satisfaction of knowing that he had confirmed himself as the natural heir to star all-rounder Lance Klusener.

Fevered debate resulted from the decision to omit Klusener from the tour party to England, a country where he was Player of the Tournament at the 1999 World Cup.

And had things gone according to plan, Hall should not have even been playing in the Test series, having initially been selected for the one-day squad only.

But Jacques Kallis' return home following the death of his father prompted a call to Hall for the second Test at Lord's where he contirbuted five wickets to a crushing win.

The 28-year-old is not a player to be fazed by any set of circumstances which he may encounter on a cricket field.

99 NOT OUT IN TESTS G Boycott, England v Australia, Perth 1979 S Waugh, Australia v England, Perth 1995 A Tudor, England v New Zealand, Edgbaston 1999 S Pollock, South Africa v Sri Lanka, Centurion 2002 A Hall, South Africa v England, Headingley 2003

He has been toughened by two ordeals at the hands of armed criminals.

In 1997 he was shot at six times while withdrawing money froma cash machine, a bullet lodging in his hand.

And last year he was the victim of a gunpoint 'car-jacking' and only released after a 45-minute ordeal.

When Hall strode to the wicket at Headingley, South Africa were 219-6 - already in a healthy position with a 254-run lead.

England may have been sensing a further breakthrough as his two previous innings had ended in first ball ducks.

Hall's intention was clear from the outset, however, as he took a largely inexperienced England attack by the scruff of the neck and shook it like a rag doll.

A flurry of boundaries either side of lunch were struck with Klusener-like ferocity and when Andrew Flintoff tried to shake him up with a bouncer, it was summarily despatched for six.

Hall unleashes a shot of which Klusener would have been proud

Hall cleared the ropes again, with a low trajectory blow over long-on after dancing down the wicket to James Kirtley.

A single followed, carrying him to 99 from only 87 balls, but last man Pretorius could not see him through to three figures.

"It's obviously something you always dread," admitted Hall. "I was a bit disappointed, but even before I had just said to him: 'Give me your best'.

Skipper Graeme Smith, watching from the players' balcony, was even more frustrated than Hall.

But as Smith continues to gain experience as an international captain, he knows that in Hall, he has a player who will not back down from a challenge.