ROB DAVIES, Johannesburg | Monday 1.30PM.
SOUTH Africa have lost the series-deciding fifth cricket Test against England at Headingley by 23 runs, thereby giving England their first five-Test series win in 12 years.
Allan Donald was the first South African wicket to fall in the morning when he was dismissed caught behind by Alec Stewart off the bowling of Angus Fraser with his score on four.
Makhaya Ntini was the last batsman up, and played positively before being sent on his way by umpire Javed Akhtar in what mmust rate as the most farcical dismissal of the entire series. The delivery from Darren Gough clipped the side of Ntini’s pad, and was clearly missing leg by about two sets of wickets.
Pollock was left stranded on 28 as the disbelieving Ntini was sent packing for a duck.
The man of the match award was given to Mark Butcher, who scored more than 150 runs in the match, setting up England’s win. Michael Atherton was adjudged England’s man of the series, while Allan Donald was judged to be South Africa’s man of the series.
The South Africans will now be looking forward to whipping England and Sri Lanka in the triangular one-day series starting this weekend.
The umpiring decisions made in this Test will most certainly lead to many questions being asked about the effectiveness of umpires in vital matches, and the role of the third umpire is sure to be looked at more closely.
SUNDAY, 9.00PM:
SOUTH Africa’s tail will need to wag on Monday, the final day of the series-deciding fifth Test against England at Headingley, if they are to run out victors.
The South Africans started out in trouble on Sunday, when they lost Gerry Liebenberg to one of several dubious umpiring decisions by Javed Akhtar with his score on six. From there on the South African bats fell in quick succession, until the arrival of Jonty Rhodes and Brian McMillan at the crease.
The two contributed 112 runs for the sixth wicket, with McMillan finding welcome form to score 54 runs before being caught behind by Alec Stewart off the bowling of Dominic Cork. Rhodes went on to make 85 runs before he was dismissed by Andrew Flintoff off the bowling of Darren Gough.
South Africa will resume on 185/8, with Allan Donald on two and Shaun Pollock on 24, and will be looking for the 24 runs required for victory.