Labels: england in south africa, graeme smith, graeme swann, graham onions, jimmy anderson, makhaya ntini, neal collins in cape town, newlands, third Test

Labels: dale steyn, dramatic win, england in south africa, graeme swann, kingsmead, makhaya ntini, morne morkel, neal collins in durban, second Test, sensational collapse, stuart broad, worst day

Labels: dale steyn, durban, england in south africa, kingsmead, makhaya ntini, second Test

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

GRAEME SWANN take a bow. Rarely in the history of spin bowling have so many overs been bowled in such heat for so few. And he ended with his third five-wicket haul in Test cricket. Ignore the fact England lost Alastair Cook early in their reply, Swann is the man.

Not only did his 45 miserly overs in extreme temperatures keep England in touch with South Africa, who were all out for 418 when many were predicting a score of 500-plus. His 5-110 also ended the Bore War, which broke out around tea-time when the South African tail-enders decided to strangle the first Test.

In Perth this morning, Chris Gayle hit the fifth fastest hundred in Test history with a 70-ball whirlwind against Australia. In direct contrast, Paul Harris (38 off 89 balls) and debutant Friedel de Wet (20 off 67) barely produced an attacking shot in a ninth wicket partnership worth 37 off nearly 17 overs in a bizarre attempt to put a crowd of 9,000 to sleep all at once. In the 10 overs before tea, they scored 11. Ho-hum.

Oh for a Gayle force to blow here. But when England came in to bat, such feats looked a very distant prospect. Makhaya Ntini, winning his 100^th cap, came roaring in and had Cook dropped in the first over, right through the hands of AB De Villiers at third slip.

De Wet was less boring with the ball than the bat. His first delivery in Test cricket was a massive leg side wide in the Steve Harmison style. His second beat Andrew Strauss all ends up.

But after that dodgy start, England’s opening pair began to settle until the sixth over when, with England on 25, Cook got the slightest of edges to De Wet and wicketkeeper Mark Boucher, out for a painful 49 in earlier the day, snaffled the catch. No pesky review called for, though it was the faintest of touches... I certainly couldn’t see it.

Cook had been looking good until that point, cracking three fours and scoring 15 off 17 balls while Strauss stayed in his shell.

Cape Town-born Jonathan Trott got a couple of grumbles from the South African fans when he came out to join Strauss, but nothing like the reception Kevin Pietersen will be treated to here.

He was in trouble on 12 when spinner Harris claimed either a catch behind or an LBW which was turned down by long-suffering Australian umpire Steve Davis. The review was called for and appeared to suggest Trott was LBW but this time the decision was left in the hands of Davis, who shrugged his shoulders and gave it not out again.

That allowed Strauss (44 off 70 balls) and Trott (a drab 18 off 56) to put on an unbeaten 63 for the second wicket, pushing England to 88-1 off the 23 overs they received tonight.

Just the 330 behind. But don’t let that take the gloss of a brave performance in the field.

Jimmy Anderson may have turned the course of this game when he had the heroic Jacques Kallis, who looked like he could bat forever despite a rib injury, caught at second slip by Paul Collingwood for 120 early in the day.

But Swann’s effort was quite incredible and Onions, bowling with a calf strain, deserves a mention too for taking 3-86 and intimidating Morkel (above) and Harris. Onions said of the Morkel incident afterwards: "You do aim for the head, but you don't like to hurt anybody. That isn't my intention. I've got to show intent and aggression. And I did get him out four balls later, which was the plan I suppose."

Paul Collingwood picked up a record-equalling four catches - only Marcus Trescothick has taken as many in the outfield in an England innings – against mighty Zimbabwe in 2003.

Labels: centurion, england cricket tour, graeme swann, graham onions, jonathan trott, makhaya ntini, south africa test

ENGLAND claimed the prize scalp of South Africa captain Graeme Smith in the second over of the first Test at a sizzling-hot Centurion this morning and held the edge with the hosts 70-2 at lunch.

Smith, usually so patient, opted to chase Stuart Broad down the leg side, got a touch to one that bounced, and Matt Prior took a lovely diving catch to provide the first wicket of the series after just nine balls.

The South Africans were wearing black armbands as a tribute to Smith’s grandfather who died over the weekend, which might go some way to explaining his uncharacteristic loss of concentration this morning.

As a furious Smith ducked out, Broad continued to get bounce but the South Africans battled their way through the first hour with Hashim Amla and Ashwell Prince surviving numerous oohs and ahs from the English slip cordon.

When Durham’s Graeme Onions came on to bowl his first balls in anger for some time on this tour, he had Amla in trouble twice in as many overs, prodding hopelessly and defending his wicket with his pads – both produced huge lbw shouts.

Strauss considered using the review system, chatting to Onions and explaining the situation to his slips, before deciding not to beg for the wicket. Just as well. Hawkeye showed both going millimetres over the bails.

Onions thought he’d finally struck in the 19^th over when umpire Steve Davis, under constant pressure, finally responded to a third, huge appeal – this time for the wicket of Prince, who thought he was out for 19. But despite the fickle finger being raised, the new-fangled review system was called into operation and once more, showed the ball was going marginally over the top and Prince was reprieved.

Onions got his reward in the 21^st over of the day, with Amla’s attempted drive producing an edge to the diving Paul Collingwood in the slips. The man with the mighty beard was gone for a less-than-fluent 19 off 67 balls and South Africa were 51-2 with all-rounder Jacques Kallis, who is unlikely to bowl in this Test due to his rib problem, striding to the crease.

In the very next over, Anderson nearly got the wicket he deserved when Prince cut over Alastair Cook at point. The Essex opening bat got a hand to it, but the ball popped from his grasp.

After his second let off, Prince finally produced the first authentic shot of the day – in the 25^th over – when he pulled Onions for a sumptuous four to move into the 30s.

Smith's shock dismissal had piled the pressure on the hosts, who lost paceman Dale Steyn, currently No1 in the world Test rankings, an hour before the start. He pulled up complaining that his hamstring injury had “tightened” over night.

Having lost the month-long battle to get Steyn fit, South Africa were forced to opt for 29-year-old debutant Friedel De Wet in the pace department - he didn't even make the glossy match programme, so late was his call-up to the Test squad.

The Highveld Lions seamer's sudden appearance has reportedly created tension in the camp between head of selectors Mike Procter and coach Mickey Arthur, who prefers Wayne Parnell, controversially sent back to his province on Monday.

Moments after hearing the news of Steyn’s removal, England captain Andrew Strauss won the toss and – surprisingly - opted to bowl despite the searing heat. The early wicket suggested he might have been right, but it will be stifling in the field.

After six weeks of rain and cloud, England had awoken on the Day of Reconciliation – a public holiday in South Africa – to find the sky cloudless for the first time in weeks. With no rain forecast until the weekend, England decided to go without a fifth bowler, sticking with Ian Bell to bat at No6.

But as they awarded Bell his 50^th cap, huddled in a circle while the locals poured into a ground heading for a capacity 14,000 crowd, they would have felt the sweat building on a day where temperatures are likely to hit the high 80s. Not the best conditions for a side containing three paceman - Anderson, Broad and Onions – who have not come across that sort of heat on this tour so far.

Ryan Sidebottom, the Nottinghamshire seamer who took five wickets in the last warm-up in East London, will sit it out in Centurion with Durham’s Onions preferred. Luke Wright, who may have come in as an all-rounder for Bell, might have been a fall-back option if the heat overwhelmed the attack but that duty will now fall to Collingwood’s dobblers.

After winning the toss, Strauss said: “We think it might do a little bit this morning, so it's a good opportunity to get stuck in and put some pressure on the South Africans. We’ve gone with six batsmen and four bowlers. We don’t know much about De Wet, but it won’t make a massive difference.”

Graeme Smith responded: “It’s a blow to lose somebody of Dale’s calibre, but it’s a big opportunity for De Wet. If I’d won the toss, I would have had a bat.”

With South Africa’s leading wicket-taker Makhaya Ntini winning his 100^th cap amid much hullabaloo before the start, Smith added: “He deserves it. Obviously we wish him all the best over the next five days!”

SOUTH AFRICA: Smith (capt), Prince, Amla, Kallis, De Villiers, Duminy, Boucher, M Morkel, P Harris, M Ntini,F de Wet

England : Cook, Strauss, Trott, Pietersen, Collingwood, Bell, Prior, Broad, Swann, Anderson, Onions.

Labels: england cricket tour, graeme smith, makhaya ntini, South Africa cricket, stuart broad