Things are looking positive for us thanks to our fast bowlers and then Ashwell Prince and AB de Villiers, but you can never get too far head of yourself. Strange things happen at Headingley and the game changes quickly, so you can't get complacent.

Ash has played many an innings like yesterday's, when we really needed the runs to either get back into a game or to press ahead and into a winning position. Batting conditions were in our favour more than when England batted but Ash and AB made the most of them.

The overhead conditions played a big part in my decision to bowl first. I agreed with Michael Vaughan when he said on Thursday it was a bat-first pitch, but conditions change and with the clouds around the ball definitely did swing in the morning. It's too early, though, to say I'm relieved to have made the right decision as we still have to bat last on this wicket.

After what happened at Lord's, making the right decision was always in the back of my mind, as the pressure of making a wrong call goes with the territory of being a Test captain. You just have to go with what you feel is right.

I was happy to have bowled them out for 200. We didn't bowl well in patches but did in others. The ball got wet and we lost the swing, but we got the job done, especially Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn. Makhaya tried hard, as ever, but he is not picking up his usual amount of wickets at the moment. I've heard about the odd criticism of him in the media, but I'm backing him to come back strong.

Makhaya has taken 345 Test wickets and that experience is hard to replace. He probably wants more from himself because, like all of us who have been around a while, he expects a lot. I know him, and I know that he will be putting his hand up to turn things around.

We have asked Shaun Pollock to help out as he is technically very good and knows Makhaya well after playing a lot with him, so the support is there, hopefully it will pay off. He's not far away and I'm sure one good spell will click him back into gear.

There was some controversy on Friday with a couple of catches. I think both decisions were right. AB thought his catch was out - he thought the ball went from one hand to the other. The umpires referred it and that's fair enough.

Mickey made a statement after play about how AB received a few words from the England players at lunch and I don't really want to get into that. Mickey made a statement on behalf of the team and he is not lying about what happened, it happened across the board and probably by the end there was a bit of tension. But nothing was said after the game. There is still a lot of cricket to be played and all the players are focusing on that.

Finally, a word on Freddie Flintoff, after he managed to get me out. He bowls well to left-handers, especially round the wicket, and he created a bit of pressure after we were 50 for nought. He set up an iffy afternoon for us. But thankfully we came through.

I enjoy the battle against him. There is a lot of mutual respect and we share a nice rapport. It's very difficult to become best friends when you don't live in the same country and you play against each other, but if the chance is there I'm sure we'll get together during the series.

This Diary was Syndicated to The Sunday Telegraph