Test cricket doesn't throw up a lot of old fashioned 'bat out for the draw' situations these days, but it's something club cricketers face with regularity.

Your team might only need to last 50 or so overs to rescue a draw, imagine how hard it would be to see off 160. The South African second innings in the first Test against England was an education in how to save the game.

What can club teams learn from this masterclass?

It's very hard to bowl out a team hell bent of defence.

England's bowlers are all solid and reliable types. On a flat, slow wicket with no swing or spin Anderson, Broad, Sidebottom and Panesar just didn't have the firepower to rip through a team who's only aim was to potter along at 2 an over.

Let's face it, many greater bowlers throughout history would have struggled.

It's a common dilemma for club captains too. Rarely do you find a club attack with the teeth to knock over the opposition. While the poorer standard of club wickets will help bowlers, there will be times when the weather is set fair and the pitch is a road.

What is the solution as a fielding captain?

Micheal Vaughan would not have risked it in the Test, but you can do the following:

Set a challenging but gettable declaration target.

Keeping the opposition in the game by setting them a target they think they can get has an advantage over racking up a huge total. They play to win.

They will play their shots and (as club players are limited) will be more likely to make a mistake.

This is not an easy thing to get right. Make a mistake and the game is lost. You need to be an expert judge of:

• The pitch and conditions. What is a par score?
• Your bowling attack. How many runs do your bowlers need to play with?
• The opposition's batting. How many players are capable of a match winning innings? (Hint: probably less than you think).
• The game situation. Who is on target to win?

What if the opposition still go for the draw?

Like England found themselves in the Test, there will be times when the opposition have no chance of winning. Perhaps you misjudged the total or their only decent batter fell for a low score.

Some captains will try their bowlers and cross their fingers.

This is only the start. When things are not happening it's time to really mix up the methods.

• Vary your lines and lengths. It's not all about pitching the ball up on off stump. Try a leg stump line for a while, or bowl a bit shorter or a bit too full. Get bowlers toexperiment with variations like cutters. Get spinners to throw the ball up.
• Set unusual fields. At one point England had a 3-6 leg side field and set several unusual positions like a couple of short extra covers or a very straight silly mid on. The wicketkeeper can stand up to add pressure.
• Use occasional bowlers. Your weaker bowlers (especially the slow ones) can take wickets with bad balls, they can also get a team back into the match enough to bring your proper bowlers back.
• Be cunning. Stay within the Laws and spirit of the game, but try some really unusual stuff if you have to. It's funny how a star bowler suddenly 'pulling a hamstring' makes a side rethink the score they can get.
• Stay positive. A confident side knows that sometimes winning a game takes hard work. Confidence is essential to success and lack of confidence is a key element in failure. It's hard to fake, but if your team trust you they will be more likely to win.

Just like Test cricket, club games throw up a number of situations that require some thought and work to get through. Unlike the England vs South Africa game you can force a result with some intelligent judgement.

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