South Africa A had the best of the first day of their three-day match against England at Sedgars Park on Saturday, to finish on 133 for two in their first innings, after dismissing England for 225 about half an hour after tea.
This was mainly because of some outstanding bowling by Charl Langeveldt, who took five for 48 in his 15 overs, and he has sent a strong message to the national selection committee.
Ashwell Prince’s somewhat surprising decision to send the Test-strength visitors in paid off when he had the visitors struggling on 83 for four at lunch. Several players who had been hoping for some time at the crease after a long lay-off found themselves back in the dressing room much earlier than they would have wanted.
Marcus Trescothick, who looked particularly ill at ease, was first to go, after scratching around for just more than an hour. He was caught by Mark Boucher off Ethy Mbhalati for seven.
Mark Butcher, who is vying with Robert Key for a place in the Test side, faced just seven balls before he was caught by Boucher off Langeveldt for three.
South African-born Andrew Strauss made 50 — the top score for England — before he was caught at first slip by Andrew Puttick to give Langeveldt his second wicket. The only other England player to make significant runs was Geraint Jones, who made 41, including nine fours, before he was caught by Puttick off Albie Morkel.
But it was Langeveldt who was the hero for South Africa, claiming the wickets of Graham Thorpe (0), Andrew Flintoff (four) and Matthew Hoggard (12), in addition to those of Butcher and Strauss.
Mbhalati, playing in his first match for South Africa A, took two for 54 and Morkel took two for 28. Charl Willoughby brought the England innings to an end when he bowled Steve Harmison for seven.
Andrew Puttick managed just four runs before he was bowled by Harmison with the score on 11, but Martin van Jaarsveld and Justin Ontong batted confidently and fast to take South Africa A to 117 before Ontong chipped the ball off Ashley Giles to Andrew Strauss at short leg for 56.
He and Van Jaarsveld had a partnership of 106 runs. Their 100 partnership came up in 92 minutes, and they were scoring at well more than four runs an over.
At close of play, South Africa A were in a healthy position on 133 for two. Van Jaarsveld was not out on 58, and Prince had seven.
England coach Duncan Fletcher said the wicket had swung and seamed for most of England’s innings.
”Normally, it flattens out after about 30 overs, but this time it didn’t,” he said.
Fletcher said he was pleased that the pitch had flattened out, because this would give the bowlers an opportunity to get some ”mileage in their legs”.
”The last thing we want is for them to think it’s easy to bowl here,” he said.
He added that there had been too many soft dismissals by the batsmen, but he was pleased that Hoggard and Simon Jones had stuck around for some time.
”Our batsmen must realise that they must utilise as much time in the middle as possible,” he said. — Sapa