LONDON, July 14: England batsman Andrew Strauss left Lord’s on the final day of the first Test against South Africa here on Monday to be with his wife Ruth, who was due to give birth to the couple’s second child.

With the opening match of this series heading towards a draw and the Proteas batting, it was no great inconvenience for England to let Strauss join up with his wife.

England captain Michael Vaughan led the way in adopting a more ‘family friendly’ approach when, three years ago, he raced off the field at Headingley during a Test against the West Indies in order to be at the birth of his first child.

Left-handed opener Strauss himself followed his skipper’s lead by missing the final Test against Pakistan in December 2005 and flying home to be present at the birth of his son Sam.

But all-rounder Andrew Flintoff adopted a more old-fashioned outlook when he remained in India two years ago after being given the England captaincy instead of flying home to be at the birth of his second child Corey.—AFP