In the next over some loose ones from an ineffective Chris Martin allowed him to get off the mark with three boundaries in an over, featuring some classical drives, but Vaughan too was soon beaten after leaving a chasm between blade and leg guard.

BBC: Pietersen century rescues England

Events with the sabre, which has a dual edge and a curved guard on the handle, are the only ones where a fencer can score with the edge of the blade, not just the point.

WSJ: The Finer Points of Balancing Fencing and Family