SA favourites to win the third Test Print E-mail
Category: Match Reports
Written by Luke Tagg   
Wednesday, 06 January 2010 20:04
Yet another riveting, action-filled day of cricket at Newlands saw the balance swing in South Africa's favour as three crucial wickets tore the heart out of England's batting, late on the fourth day of the third Test in Cape Town.

Still 334 runs in arrears and with only seven wickets in hand, England face a desperate final day as they attempt to survive another 90 match-saving overs.

It could all have been so different for England after a superb century opening stand between Alastair Cook and Andrew Strauss, which took more than an entire session out of play for South Africa.

At 101 without loss everyone but the most cynical was entertaining thoughts of an historic England win - had they gone to the close of play without losing more than one wicket they could have played themselves into contention.

There's a very good reason no side in 133 years has ever chased more than 418 to win a Test match, however - it's as hard as buggery. A strip of dirt that has been pounded repeatedly by man and machine for five straight days under an angry sun is simply not the ideal theatre for batsmen to express themselves.

Another major factor is that when chasing massive fourth innings scores teams have to score relatively quickly but not lose any wickets, two concepts which rarely engage in holy matrimony.

When wickets tumble they have to put on the brakes to try and survive, and when you're in survival mode attacking fields can be set and massive pressure applied.

So yes, Geoffrey Boycott, one day some side will chase down 466, or 500. It's going to happen - just not this time.

To win this match England will have to bat at 3.7 runs to the over from ball one - and that's if 90 overs get bowled, which is unlikely considering the poor over rates.

With only seven wickets in hand - and a nightwatchman at the crease - that's not attainable, I'm afraid. Had they been no wickets down with 300 to get, it would have been a completely different story.

The third possible result - an England win - has been taken out of the equation, which means the final day will be all about whether or not England can survive.

It was unquestionably South Africa's day. Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis resumed in the morning and each added another 20 or so quick runs to their tallies before Smith (183 off 273) hooked Graham Onions down the throat of Paul Collingwood at fine leg and Kallis edged James Anderson to Matt Prior when slashing at a wide one.

There were no other significant partnerships, as a succession of batsmen came and went in the pursuit of quick runs.

AB de Villiers (34 off 49) looked good but skied Anderson to Stuart Broad, who took a fine running catch at long off. JP Duminy (36 off 41) looked back to his dangerous best and it took a strangle down leg from Anderson to end his and South Africa's innings.

Mark Boucher played a cameo knock of 15 off 10 balls and Dale Steyn was undefeated on 1* when Smith declared the innings at 447/7, setting England a target of 466 to win.

All the talk was about the new ball and how important it was for South Africa to make full use of it - after 20 overs it was going to be a huge slog until the next new ball.

Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn both bowled well, although Morkel was a little short, but neither could break through the defences of Strauss and Cook.

Friedel de Wet was given a three-over burst and only conceded 4 runs, but didn't look threatening.

Paul Harris was introduced in the 14th over and his second ball to Cook was driven confidently through deep midwicket for four. Having been underwhelming since Centurion, South Africa simply couldn't afford to have England dominate Harris once again, but it looked for all the world as though that was going to happen.

Not that there were no chances for South Africa - there were tons. Strauss edged one from Steyn that dropped centimetres short of Graeme Smith at first slip; Cook hooked a ball that sailed over De Wet's head for four - had he been on the ropes the catch would have been easy; Strauss edged Morkel to bisect two gullies; and Kallis found Cook's edge but the ball dropped a metre short of AB de Villiers at third slip.

By the time the ball had softened Strauss and Cook were into their work. First Cook went to his half century - his second of the match - then the pair brought up their 100 partnership in the 36th over.

The Barmy Army were warming up, Cook looked almost belligerent and Strauss was hunkered down, poking his head out occasionally to thrash a four through cover.

Such moments in Test cricket are there to be savoured, for they never last. It's the cruel mistress that is our beautiful game.

After 219 legal deliveries, Friedel de Wet finally struck. Or rather, he ponied up a long hop to Cook who looked to hook it out of the park, only for it to go straight up.

Boucher watched it all the way down with the intensity of an Olympic athlete on the starting blocks, milliseconds before the gun at the start of the 100-metre dash, and South Africa were on their way.

Cook (55 off 116) went back to the changerooms and stuck a Biro in his left eye. Or so I'm told.

Six overs later Strauss (45 off 107) was done by the first ball Paul Harris had turned all summer - a ripper which pitched in the footmarks outside off, turned and caught the inside edge of a nothing shot onto the pad, before looping high for Hashim Amla to fondle at short leg.

With Jonathan Trott and Kevin Pietersen at the crease it would still have been okay for England if they could have lasted until the end of the day, but Smith brought his two best bowlers back on with 20 minutes left in the day and it provided the killer blow.

Pietersen (6 off 22) has looked out of sorts of late and today had no idea what he was supposed to be. Positive, conservative, his old self, a responsible new one - the poor guy was a muddle of conflicting emotions and it took but one ball from Steyn's new spell to put him out of his misery.

The ball seamed in from outside off at an alarming angle and KP tried to play it across his pads while on the back foot, but it hit his knee roll and the appeal was instantaneous and rewarded.

KP didn't bother calling for a review - he did briefly ask Trott if he was out as he walked past and although we didn't see it on camera the response was clearly a resounding affirmative.

When your own guy gives you out you're as out as dammit, which was confirmed by the replay. Leg stump uprooted.

Nightwatchman James Anderson managed to fend off 15 balls without scoring to get England to the close of play at 132/3 after 51 overs, still 334 runs behind (or one less, if you want to get technical about it).

The one good thing for England is that Anderson will be facing a very old ball tomorrow and won't have to deal with the new ball - he'll be out long before then.

Getting Anderson early will be key for South Africa because at four down England will feel even more pressure.

Provided South Africa can keep their over rate up the new ball will be available shortly after lunch, which could prove to be the most critical moment of the match. If they strike early with the new ball, having removed one or two with the old one, they'll be on course to win at around teatime.

If only it were that easy.

England still have Trott, Collingwood, Ian Bell and Prior in the bag, all of whom can bat long. The tail can hang around and Graham Onions is a last-over-of-the-Test specialist.

It's not over by a long shot for England - the pitch is good, the weather better and there's a sense of occasion about it all, which could help them mentally.

But I can't see them batting out the day. Or rather - I can see them batting out the day, through rose-tinted spectacles and a warm soft-focus lens.

They shouldn't be allowed to, however. No side worth their salt would permit such a Great Escape if there's something in the pitch, which there has been all along.

If you want to beat the best sides you have to bowl them out. South Africa has 90 overs to do just that.

If England can escape this one they can chillax in the final Test, safe in the knowledge that they can win the series by not hitting a damn thing. They can just stand there and chew on rhubarb all day, which they'll have thoroughly earned.

If South Africa get about their business in an orderly fashion and win the game to level the series, the ever-growing Legend of Graeme Smith will continue to haunt the ghosts of England captains past and present. And bonus: we get the greatest series decider in history.

Come on, Barmies - fall on your swords for this one. It's the right thing to do.
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