TROY Corser bounced back from almost crashing to take provisional pole position for Sunday's seventh round of the World Superbike Championship at the Kyalami circuit in South Africa.

But Carl Fogarty had early problems and could only post the 11th fastest time, one place behind Burnley's Neil Hodgson on Kawasaki.

Corser began Friday's opening qualifying session by running off the track and through a gravel trap before hitting back with a time which is five seconds inside the existing Kyalami lap record.

As the World Superbike regulars got to grips with the 2.65-mile track on their first visit it was Corser who ended the session half a second faster than Castrol Honda's Colin Edwards. Edwards powered the 750cc RC45 Honda into second place but admitted it was hard work powering a superbike around Kyalami.

"The track is very bumpy, a lot like Phillip Island in Australia," said Edwards. "I'm happy with the second fastest time and we'll make some changes to the Honda overnight before tomorrow's final qualifying."

Corser's Ducati team-mate Pier-Francesco Chili was third fastest with Japanese Kawasaki rider Akira Yanagawa fourth. Edwards' Castrol Honda team-mate Aaron Slight heads the provisional second row, alongside former World Superbike champion Scott Russell, Suzuki's Peter Goddard and promising Spaniard Gregorio Lavilla.

British riders Jamie Whitham and Hodgson complete the top 10. Early season sensation Noriyuki Haga was 12th.

Friday qualifying times: 1 Troy Corser, Australia (Ducati) 1m 44.294s, 2 Colin Edwards, USA (Castrol Honda) 1m 44.869s, 3 Pier-Francesco Chili, Italy (Ducati) 1m 45.046s, 4 Akira Yanagawa, Japan (Kawasaki) 1m 45.109s, 5 Aaron Slight, New Zealand (Castrol Honda) 1m 45.117s, 6 Scott Russell, USA (Yamaha) 1m 45.153s, 7 Peter Goddard, Australia (Suzuki) 1m 45.237s, 8 Gregorio Lavilla, Spain (Ducati) 1m 45.286s, 9 Jamie Whitham, GB (Suzuki) 1m 45.371s, 10 Neil Hodgson, GB (Kawasaki) 1m 46.045s.

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