JONATHAN TROTT, the Cape Town-raised Englishman who proved to be such a thorn in South Africa’s side in the tumultuous first Test in Centurion, heads into the Boxing Day Test at soggy Durban insisting: “I will give it my all.”

Trott, who batted a marathon 212 balls and over five hours (316 minutes with five boundaries), scoring a defiant 61 to help guide England to a draw – by a single wicket – insists he relished the experience of playing under the baking sun for five days against the nation of his birth.

And he is all geared up for the post-Christmas showdown at Kingsmead, where he will get little sympathy from the partisan locals who inhabit the notorious Castle Corner.

Trott, red-faced from the blazing sun after his first overseas Test, said: "You always wonder what it will feel like if one day you have the opportunity to play a Test match back in South Africa – I enjoyed the whole experience and look forward to a few more, I hope."

Trott and Pietermaritzburg-reared Kevin Pietersen produced a 145-run partnership for the fourth wicket which held South Africa at bay for xxx hours – and both came under fire from South Africa captain Graeme Smith.

Smith felt Trott takes too long to prepare for each ball when he is settling down to repel the opposition. Smith ranted: “It’s frustrating. I take a while to prepare myself but when he’s stopping the bowler in mid-run-up all the time, something has to be done. He’s been warned in the one-dayers and he’s been warned in this Test.”

But Warwickshire warrior Trott, 28, appears undaunted by Smith’s trenchant criticism. He says, which a distinct South African burr: "I’ve never had complaints before and I won't be trying to do anything different."

It was only when Trott departed – the first victim of 29-year-old debutant Friedel de Wet in a devastating new ball spell of 3-11 off seven overs – that England began to look shakey, losing Ian Bell, Matt Prior, Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann in an alarming last hour collapse. No11 Graham “Bunions” Onions and the ever-reliable Paul Collingwood were left to see off the South Africans in a tense finish on Sunday night.

Trott shrugged off his endless crease scratching and pitch flattening, insisting: "It's one of those things I do to get myself prepared and make sure I'm in the right frame of mind to help contribute to the England side.

"I don't play cricket to get under people's skin - I play cricket to be effective. I have my things I do to get myself ready for battle.

"Maybe it can mess with their over rate or whatever, but it's just what I do - and I won't be changing it.

"It's what's got me to this position to be able to play for England - and it's an exciting time."

Though the Durban showdown is likely to be hit by rain – the local weather forecasters are saying there is a 60 percent chance of daily interruptions in the tropical port city – Trott says the mood in the camp is strong as they settle in at their plush hotel in Umhlanga, 10 miles north of Durban, where the Indian Ocean’s crashing waves draw the surfing fraternity.

He said: "It was a great effort by the guys to pull through and for Paul and Bunions to get us out of a spot of bother and keep the series level at 0-0. The team showed good spirit and guts to get through it."

Labels: centurion, durban, england tour, graeme smith, jonathan trott, kingsmead, second Test, South Africa cricket, south african world cup draw

FORGET Centurion, think Rourke’s Drift as England face the ferocious South Africans with the sun beating down, missiles whistling past and backs firmly to the wall. Unusually though, three South Africans in English colours – Andrew, Strauss, Kevin Pietersen and Jonathan Trott – were charged with leading the resistance.

By lunch, Strauss and Trott were gone leaving Pietersen – on 27 including a welcome six off spinner Paul Harris – and true Brit Paul Collingwood (5 not out) to guide the tourists to 142-3. England put on just 55 in the 27 overs of the morning session, they are still a distant 275 behind. But at least a massacre had been averted.

The once-docile first Test pitch, which allowed the home side to plod along to 418, has given way to a snarling day-three monster which claimed captain Andrew Strauss just seven overs into the morning session, having added just two runs to his impressive overnight 44.

It was drinks all round (above, at 11am here!) as Makhaya Ntini, on his 100^th appearance, got one to zip through low beneath Strauss’s desperate defence to rattle the furniture. Sponsors Castle lager were offering a free beer to everyone in the ground when Ntini takes a wicket.

The Barmy Army were first in the queue, despite their chronic disappointment – and there may be more to come as this pitch refuses to behave in a civilised manner. In his second over Morne Morkel got on to fizz low and deviate off an indentation, leaving the cautious Trott befuddled.

And four balls before Strauss eventually fell, Ntini did likewise. He pitched one on a length, Strauss played forward, and the ball slid beneath his blade and almost brushed the stumps. Strauss shrugged, defeat in his eyes. We all knew what he was thinking. It’s hot, it’s nasty and we’re 300 runs behind. How am I supposed to survive this?

Ntini promptly struck with England on 98, having added a paltry eight off the seven overs bowled. Suddenly the ease with which Strauss and Trott added 63 in 17 overs last night was forgotten. And so where the scathing remarks from non-bowling all-rounder Jacques Kallis last night, who slammed his bowlers for their initial efforts.

Kallis had said the South Africans had a plan for Strauss, who dominated England’s last tour here five years ago. But he complained: “Our bowlers let us down, they didn’t stick to the plan.”

They didn’t need a plan today. Just bowl quick and straight, let the dry, hardening pitch with nasty indentations do the work. Local hero Allan Donald, the retired quickie, said as much at the end of day one when captain Graeme Smith and coach Mickey Arthur went out to have a squint at the track. Donald said: “They’re looking for indentations. This will get harder and faster and it may suit South Africa. It’s a bit of a road at the moment, but it could become a real test of character.”

As Strauss’s wicket broke, Ntini ran to sun-soaked fans, arms raised. His 389^th wicket puts him one closer to Shaun Pollock’s South African record of 421 Test victims. Not a bad morning for South Africa’s first black cricketer, who had already received a congratulatory letter from Nelson Mandela, the former President who brought peace to this nation and added colour to their sports teams in 1993.

Following Strauss’s abject departure, Pietermaritzburg-born Pietersen came out to join Cape Town-born Trott. The only non-South African on the field? Paul Harris, born in Salisbury, Rhodesia, now known as Harare, Zimbabwe.

Pietersen got a remarkably quiet welcome from the Centurion fans, who are no great lovers of the English and their adopted followers, who built a Boer Concentration Camp which devastated the local populace barely a stone-throw from this ground just over a century ago.

The lack of boos was probably down to the free-flowing booze being handed out to the gathering of about 5,000 basking beneath this harsh African sun in honour of Ntini’s success.

Trott and Pietersen did their best to handle the conditions, surviving the odd shooter but looking distinctly uncomfortable until the arrival of the very ordinary spinner Harris.

Then, after an unbelievably patient 117 balls, Trott made the mistake of thinking Harris could turn the ball. He charged down the pitch, took a huge heave allowing for spin... and the ball simply kept dead straight and caught the top of his leg stump. England were 119-3 and Trott – who scored just four in a partnership of 21 with KP lasting 13 dreadful overs - will spend many nights thinking about the wisdom of that shot.

While England freezes and closes transport systems in five inches of snow, the brand new money-eating Gautrain rail system being built for the World Cup next year is shimmering in the heat.

And England look like their steam-powered victory bid, never likely to arrive on time, could soon be derailed by Ntini, the 32-year-old Mdingi Express or Harris, the 31-year old slow train from Harare.

ORGET Centurion, this is Rourke’s Drift as England face the ferocious South African hordes with the sun beating down, missiles whistling past and backs firmly to the wall. Unusually though, two South Africans in English colours – Kevin Pietersen and Jonathan Trott – were sent out to lead the resistance.

The once-docile first Test pitch, which allowed the home side to plod along to 418, has given way to a snarling day-three monster which claimed captain Andrew Strauss just seven overs into the morning session, having added just two runs to his impressive overnight 44.

It was drinks all round as Makhaya Ntini, on his 100^th appearance, got one to zip through low beneath Strauss’s desperate defence to rattle the furniture. Sponsors Castle lager were offering a free beer to everyone in the ground when Ntini takes a wicket.

The Barmy Army were first in the queue, despite their chronic disappointment – and there may be more to come as this pitch refuses to behave in a civilised manner. In his second over Morne Morkel got on to fizz low and deviate off an indentation, leaving Jonathan Trott befuddled.

And four balls before Strauss eventually fell, Ntini did likewise. He pitched one on a length, Strauss played forward, and the ball slid beneath his blade and almost brushed the stumps. Strauss shrugged, defeat in his eyes. We all knew what he was thinking. It’s hot, it’s nasty and we’re 300 runs behind. How am I supposed to survive this?

Ntini promptly struck with England on 98, having added a paltry eight off the seven overs bowled. Suddenly the ease with which Strauss and Trott added 63 in 17 overs last night was forgotten. And so where the scathing remarks from non-bowling all-rounder Jacques Kallis last night, who slammed his bowlers for their initial efforts.

Kallis had said the South Africans had a plan for Strauss, who dominated England’s last tour here five years ago. But he complained: “Our bowlers let us down, they didn’t stick to the plan.”

They didn’t need a plan today. Just bowl quick and straight, let the dry, hardening pitch with nasty indentations do the work. Local hero Allan Donald, the retired quickie, said as much at the end of day one when captain Graeme Smith and coach Mickey Arthur went out to have a squint at the track. Donald said: “They’re looking for indentations. This will get harder and faster and it may suit South Africa. It’s a bit of a road at the moment, but it could become a real test of character.”

As Strauss’s wicket broke, Ntini ran to sun-soaked fans, arms raised. His 389^th wicket puts him closer to Shaun Pollock’s South African record of 421 Test victims. Not a bad morning for South Africa’s first black cricketer, who had already received a congratulatory letter from Nelson Mandela, the former President who brought peace to this nation and added colour to their sports teams in 1993.

Following Strauss’s abject departure, Pietermaritzburg-born Kevin Pietersen came out to join Cape Town-born Jonathan Trott. The only non-South African on the field? Paul Harris, born in Salisbury, Rhodesia, now known as Harare, Zimbabwe.

Pietersen got a remarkably quite welcome from the Centurion fans, who are no great lovers of the English and their adopted followers, who built a Boer Concentration Camp which devastated the local populace barely a stone-throw from this ground just over a century ago.

The lack of boos was probably down to the free-flowing booze being handed out to the gathering of about 5,000 basking beneath this harsh African sun in honour of Ntini’s success.

Trott and Pietersen did their best to handle the conditions, surviving the odd shooter but looking distinctly uncomfortable until the arrival of the very ordinary spinner Harris.

Then, after an unbelievably patient 117 balls, Trott made the mistake of thinking Harris could turn the ball. He charged down the pitch, took a huge heave allowing for spin... and the ball simply kept dead straight and caught the top of his leg stump. England were 119-3 and Trott will spend many nights thinking about the wisdom of that shot.

While England freezes and closes transport systems in five inches of snow, the brand new money-eating Guatrain rail system being built for the World Cup next year is shimmering in the heat.

And England look like their steam-powered victory bid, never likely to arrive on time, could soon be derailed by Ntini, the 32-year-old Mdingi Express.

Labels: allan donald, england tour, graeme smith, jonathan trott, makhaya ntini, paul harris, South Africa cricket