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TEST MATCH REPORT by Paul Cox.
SOUTH AFRICA V ENGLAND 1ST TEST
The 1st simulated test between South Africa and England took place at the Wanderers, Johannesburg. The conditions suited the fast bowlers to a tee, with a very bouncy pitch, along with an overcast sky. South African captain Hansie Cronje won the toss and , as expected, decided to put England into bat.
Mark Butcher and Michael Atherton walked out to the middle, as South Africa’s opening bowlers Shaun Pollock and Allan Donald were limbering up. It only took 5 balls for the bowlers to show their dominance. Pollock bowled to Butcher, who was trapped LBW right in front of the stumps. Butcher walked back to the pavilion after suffering the first duck of the series. England captain Nasser Hussain was next in, and he proved more than capable of taking on the South African attack, was his succession of two’s and fours. On the other hand, Michael Atherton wasn’t looking comfortable, and in the 5th over, he succumbed to the pace of Pollock, and was caught behind by Mark Boucher for 1, leaving England 17-2. Michael Vaughan, making his test match debut was next in and faced his first balls in test cricket cautiously, yet he soon had the misfortune of watching from the non strikers end as Hussain followed Atherton off the very same way, caught Boucher bowled Pollock. Alec Stewart was the new batsman, and he signalled his intentions by hitting his first ball for four. Sadly the partnership between himself and Vaughan was to last only another few overs, as Vaughan was another to find the edge, and became another victim of Boucher, this time the bowler was Donald, and England found themselves 29-4. One debutant replaced another, as Chris Adams entered the fray, but even he couldn’t find rhythm against the South African onslaught. Stewart was dropped by Cronje off Donald, yet the South Africans were not to be denied their 5th wicket although it wasn’t Stewart who was the dismissed batsman, but Sussex’s Adams who became the 4th victim for Mark Boucher. Andrew Flintoff’s entrance to the middle also heralded a change of bowlers, Lars Klusener and Jacques Kallis. Stewart had been getting his eye in, but was unfortunate enough to hole out to Adams off the bowling of Klusener. Gavin Hamilton replaced him, but he didn’t last long either, caught Pollock bowled Kallis for 1. Andrew Caddick was next in, and he and Flintoff survived until lunch at 69-7. The outfield sped up slightly, yet it did nothing for the English batsman, despite the fact that Flintoff and Caddick defended stoutly. Caddick scored 20, before he was caught by Donald off the bowling off spinner Paul Adams. England’s tailenders Darren Gough and Alan Mullally were both dismissed without another run being added to the total, Gough caught by Boucher of the bowling of Adams and Mullally clean bowled by Adams. England finished a dismal 95 all out. Pollock and Adams took 3 wickets apiece.
South Africa began their innings at 2.30pm with Gary Kirsten and Hershel Gibbs. They started well, and seemed in control of England’s opening bowlers Gough and Caddick, despite Kirsten avoiding a LBW shout off the bowling of Caddick. They took the total to 45 without loss at tea. The sun had come out to greet the South African opening pair, and it was now shining brightly in the sky. Kirsten and Gibbs took their partnership past 50, yet began to lose fluency when Hamilton came on to bowl and was unlucky to have both LBW shouts turned down by the umpire. However, England did get a wicket, but it was Hampshire’s new signing Alan Mullally who came up trumps, as Kirsten edged the ball to wicketkeeper Alec Stewart. Jacques Kallis joined Gibbs, but it wasn’t long before Gibbs himself was trudging back to the pavilion, with Stewart taking the catch, giving Hamilton a deserved first test wicket. Darryl Cullinan was next in, and looked at home with the English Attack. That is , until Gough replaced Hamilton, because in the 2nd ball of his spell, Gough claimed his wicket, caught once again by Stewart and South Africa were 84-3. By this point the skies were looking darker as Hansie Cronje made his way to the crease. The heavens opened and a quick shower halted proceedings for a few minutes. The first ball after the stoppage saw Kallis lose his wicket, caught Atherton bowled Gough for 13. Jonty Rhodes reached the middle before another shower brought a 24 minute interruption. The South African captain wasn’t to last much longer though, and gave another catch for Stewart off the bowling of Gough. Yet another shower prompted a stoppage, and the days play finally ended at 7.40pm with South Africa 133-5 and Rhodes and Shaun Pollock at the crease.
The clouds were still looming when the 2nd day’s play got underway. Rhodes and Pollock began their day well, and looked well at ease with Gough and Caddick. Yet once again, Hamilton and Mullally messes with the batsmen, and Pollock’s innings of 34 came to an end when Mullally uprooted the stumps. Lars Klusener was next in, but he wasn’t to prove a burden and was caught by Caddick off Hamilton for 4. Rhodes completed his 50 off the bowling of Caddick, a 50 which contained 7 fours and was pure mastery on pitch which suited the quickies. However, Hamilton came on to bowl and promptly dismissed Rhodes, who was LBW for 54. Allan Donald and Mark Boucher saw South Africa through to lunch without anymore hiccups, at 239-8, a lead of 144. The pair only lasted 3 overs after lunch before Caddick struck with his first delivery with the new ball and Donald was on his way, caught by Flintoff for 11. Paul Adams was the last man in, and was turning back an over later, caught behind off the bowling of Mullally, and South Africa closed their innings on 255. 3 bowlers, Gough, Mullally and Hamilton each took 3 wickets.
England began their 2nd innings 160 runs behind and knew that they needed a superb performance from their batsmen to stand a chance in the match. England’s openers Butcher and Atherton started cautiously, yet their partnership was ended abruptly on 12, when Atherton was run out for 11. England captain Hussain joined Butcher, but his form didn’t improve, and he was dismissed for 2, LBW to Shaun Pollock. England were 37-2 at tea and the sun was blazing. After the interval, Butcher and new batsman Vaughan set about their task and passed 50 for the partnership. They both continued to play well, before Kallis found the edge of Vaughan’s bat, and he was caught by Boucher for 27. Butcher eventually passed 50, an innings that included 6 fours and brought some much needed satisfaction. Butcher, like Rhodes for South Africa, didn’t last much longer and was subsequently trapped LBW by Pollock for 54. Stewart and Adams were then the batsmen at the crease, and they too started well, before Donald came on and had Stewart plum LBW for 27. Flintoff joined Adams, but he was soon to lose his partner as only 3 runs later, Adams gave a catch to Hershel Gibbs off the bowling of Donald. England ended the day 144-6, still 16 runs behind South Africa. The conditions had improved slightly by day three, yet the cloud still remained. It took only 2 balls for South Africa strike. Hamilton nicked a ball from Pollock behind to wicket Boucher. It then teemed with rain and 20 minutes were lost. After the shower, Caddick attempted to show prominence, but before he could make any real impact, Donald trapped him LBW. Again play was stopped, this time for bad light. And once again, an England fell straight after, as Gough was caught by the South African skipper Cronje off the bowling of Pollock. The last wicket pair Flintoff and Mullally managed to survive for half an hour, before Donald saw Mullally off LBW and England were 175 all out.
South Africa required only 16 runs to complete their convincing victory. England did salvage some pride, albeit not much, by preventing a 10 wicket victory. Gibbs was caught behind by Stewart, with Caddick the bowler. However, South Africa easily completed a 9 wicket win to go 1 up in the series, and now are firm favourites to make it 2-0 in the second test.
