/ 4 January 2000

Cullinan makes batting history

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Cape Town | Tuesday 4.40pm.

SOUTH Africa ended their innings on 421 all out on Tuesday, sending an embattled England in to bat the final over of the day on the third day of the fourth test at Newlands.

Daryl Cullinan, who gave the crowds a sterling batting performance, joined Gary Kirsten with ten test centuries to his name. He was finally dismissed for 120.

Mark Boucher was bowled lbw by Chris Silverwood shortly after Cullinan’s century for 38.

Tail ender Allan Donald was caught for 7.

Shaun Pollock was earlier caught in the slips off a ball by Andy Caddick, putting South Africa on their back foot at 312/7.

But a good partnership by Cullinan and Boucher dampened England’s hopes of staying in the match.

Earlier Jonty Rhodes was caught at second slip, leaving SA at 279/5. Daryl Cullinan and Mark Boucher are at the crease.

South Africa moved into a first innings lead in the morning but a string of afternoon wickets have dampened hope of batting England out of the game.

At lunch they had reached 267 for four, a lead of nine runs.

England started the day knowing an early wicket was vital to their chances and they were soon celebrating the dismissal of Gary Kirsten.

The left handed opener failed to add to his overnight 80 as Silverwood got one to move away off the seam in the first over of the day, Alec Stewart taking the simplest of catches behind the stumps.

With Nasser Hussain looking to get through some quick overs before the arrival of the second new ball, both Phil Tufnell and Chris Adams were given an early chance to turn their arms over.

Jacques Kallis was the man to profit, moving effortlessly to his sixth test hundred, scored off 200 balls and including nine fours and two sixes .

But the new ball gave England fresh heart, with first Kallis falling to a sharp catch by Michael Atherton at first slip off the bowling of Darren Gough, and then captain Hansie Cronje driving unwisely at Caddick to give Michael Vaughan a comfortable catch at gully.