South Africa dominate despite rain Print E-mail
Category: Match Reports
Written by Luke Tagg   
Saturday, 16 January 2010 19:27
England were left reeling on 48/3 at the end of Day 3 of the fourth Test against South Africa in Johannesburg, as the hosts edged ever closer to a series-levelling win.

Having dominated with the bat, South Africa's pacemen rooted out three vital English wickets late in the day after an excellent declaration from Graeme Smith, which gave the England top order the unenviable task of batting amidst rain and light delays for 13 nasty overs.

The only consolation England can take from the day is that a further 21 overs was lost forever, which - depending on the weather for the last two days - may be vital to their cause.

Otherwise, they were hopelessly outplayed in all departments.

They actually began pretty well in the morning. Hashim Amla (75 off 138 balls) could only add two runs to his overnight score before Stuart Broad got the last ball of his first over to swing late, foxing Amla into a drive which got a healthy nick to a diving Matt Prior.

It was immediately evident that there was plenty of extra bounce and pace in the pitch and six balls later it paid handsome dividends for Ryan Sidebottom.

After swinging the ball both ways to Jacques Kallis in the over, he directed a vicious bouncer at the head and Kallis attempted to pull out of an ill-advised pull, top-edging a looping catch to James Anderson in the gully.

It was a brilliant catch from the fast bowler - he got some serious toe going and had to dive, taking it one-handed about an inch off the ground.

South Africa were left on 217/4, with a lead of just 37, and it took just half an hour before they found themselves at 235/5 when the woeful JP Duminy (7 off 20) prodded forward at Graeme Swann with an angled bat face, rolling it off nicely to Paul Collingwood at slip.

It's not the first time in the series he's got out to Swann in that manner. It's because he's playing the ball too early and pointing the bat face at cover, giving himself only half a bat to play wickedly turning balls.

Screw Hunter S. Thompson, man - that's The Edge.

South Africa's plans were rapidly gurgling down the very fine Wanderers drain, but a 120-run partnership between AB de Villiers (58 off 119) and Mark Boucher (95 off 118) at more than four runs per over took the game away from England.

It was brilliant stuff, particularly from Boucher. De Villiers was patchy - he's not in his best form - but Boucher was breathtaking at times and cruelly unlucky to miss out on a ton.

After that knock - his third half century in seven innings - he's become my favourite for Man of the Series. I've never seen him bat so consistently well in a series - he's always good for a some lower order runs but in this series he has stepped it up bigtime, scoring more runs to date than any English top order batsman (341 runs at 56.83).

He was batting at a time when a declaration was imminent and had been mired in the nineties for a long time - not due to any tentativeness on his part but largely because Sidebottom was pinning him down on one end while debutant Ryan McLaren was playing beautifully on the other.

McLaren (33* off 56) looked more solid than most on this pitch and played some cracking drives - one in particular off Anderson was the shot of the match so far.

He's had a pretty decent debut so far - his 1/30 in England's first innings was worth at least another two and his 64-run partnership with Boucher was crucial to Smith's declaration aspirations.

His innings was interrupted when an electric storm arrived with rain and play was suspended for an hour. South Africa batted on for another 10 overs before Smith called it on 423/7, with a lead of 243.

That gave England a horrible session to bat as Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel came out with a shiny new ball, muggy weather and The Sultans of Swing blaring in the background.

Alastair Cook (1 off 6) was first to go, off the fourth ball of Morkel's second over. Pitched on a good length and angling across him, he had to defend and the edge went to Smith at first slip.

Jonathan Trott (8 off 9) once again looked to get going by being belligerent, as he did in the first innings, but got a jaffer from Steyn that swung away, caught the edge and was taken at second slip by de Villiers.

After eight overs the umps called bad light, which was a little premature as play continued with four overs lost after a cloud had passed.

Only a further five overs were played when bad light stopped play for the day, during which time Wayne Parnell got his first Test wicket.

In the 12th over Morkel bowled a brute of a ball at Andrew Strauss which reared up, hit him on the gloves and got his head jerking back violently. Then the unthinkable happened: Morkel got in his face and followed up with an almighty sledge, which got a red-faced Strauss swearing right back.

It was the first time I had ever seen Morkel sledge anyone. I've always thought he's way too nice - he doesn't even stare down batsmen after bowling good balls, but this time he picked his moment to perfection.

Clearly rattled, Strauss was relieved to get off strike... but his problems were just beginning.

Parnell was the man waiting for him when the over was called. The second ball of the over was possibly the worst ball of the series - short, wide, looping beautifully and with "Four!" written all over it, which turned out to be an accurate prediction as Strauss cut it through point with authority.

The next ball was full and seamed in viciously, striking Strauss on the back leg. After a long appeal he was given out by Tony Hill, but Strauss called for the DRS.

Hawk-eye showed the ball hitting in line at the top of off stump and the decision was upheld. It was Parnell's first Test wicket and perhaps an indication of a fine career to come. Early days yet, to be sure, but if you can get the England captain out you a'ight.

One over later play was called off for the day and England were left on 48/3, with Kevin Pietersen (9* off 20) looking assured and Collingwood (0* off 3) yet to get off the mark.

Weather permitting the game could well be over on Day 4, depending on how Brigadier Block goes. In the first innings he was Sergeant Spanky with his 47 off 61, but Colly can't exactly replicate that sort of hitting under these sort of circumstances.

Mind you, the last thing England should be doing on Day 4 is playing for the draw - it's too early for that. A defensive mindset will get them nothing but a date with an innings defeat, or near as dammit.

They have to try and make 500. It's unlikely to happen, but South Africa could have scored 500 with ease had they not had to declare.

At the very least they have to try and make South Africa bat again. The deficit is still 195 - assuming 30 overs will be lost to rain that means that if they bat the day they should have wiped out the lead. Then they could try and extend it as far as possible on Day 5 and hope the weather does the rest.

It's a plausible theory, although it would require a lot of things to go right for England for that to happen.

A far more likely scenario is that Steyn, Morkel and Parnell pick up where they left off, with a deteriorating pitch that is starting to offer a number of troublesome dead spots to go with steepling bounce, swing and seam.

Steyn and Morkel have been sensational so far and I've seen nothing to indicate they intend to slack off from here on out. The red flag is waving and to it must they charge, like a bull unto a flame. A moth unto a bull. A red flag covered in mothbulls. I dunno man - that thing.

Personally, I need seven wickets. I don't care what anyone else gets - I need seven. Every time I randomly encounter the number 19 these days I spontaneously projectile-vomit.

I think the time has arrived - this one has an air of inevitability about it.
Share
Tags:
 

Add comment

Note: you can skip this entire process - including using the spam protecting Captcha image - by registering. The details of registered members are automatically filled in and there is no security image to deal with. Just a thought.

 


Security code
Refresh

Hot Right Now

Most Popular

Latest Entries

Latest Sledges

I Support

Random Quotes

I have no problem with the concept of freelance cricketers, but I can understand why cricket boards across the world might be choking on their watercress soup.

From: Freelancers: a threat or good for the game?


Popular Taggs

Live Cricket Commentary

Live coverage of English cricket, from the Test Match Sofa.

Cricket Webring

Equator - a cricket webring

Prev

List

Next

hosted by The "Silly Point"

Feed Me Cricket link

Barmy Army

We have 46 guests online