Andrew Flintoff and Simon Jones tore through the South African batting line-up to have the home side reeling on 247 for nine in their first innings when lightning interrupted play on the second day of the fifth and final Castle Lager/MTN cricket Test at Supersport Park on Saturday.
England won the toss and elected to field. Initially, England captain Michael Vaughan appeared to have made the wrong decision as South Africa went to lunch on 108 for the loss of Herschelle Gibbs, who was caught behind by Geraint Jones off Flintoff for 14.
In a surprise move, Graeme Smith moved down to number five to strengthen the middle order, and AB de Villiers opened the batting with Gibbs. De Villiers, playing in his fifth Test, reached his second Test half-century before lunch.
The collapse began in the session after lunch, when Jacques Rudolph (33) and Jacques Kallis (8) both lost their wickets in the first 40 minutes. Rudolph was caught in the covers by Robert Key off Matthew Hoggard and Kallis was bowled by Flintoff half an hour later.
Smith and the youngest member of the team put on 43 runs together before De Villiers became becalmed in the nineties.
Clever bowling by England kept him stuck on 90, and he survived two very confident lbw appeals from Steve Harmison, only to lurch down the wicket to Ashley Giles, and be given out lbw on 92. South Africa went to tea on 196 for four.
Smith lost his wicket in the second over after tea, when he edged a ball from Flintoff to Marcus Trescothick at first slip, to go out for 25, with the score on 200. Shaun Pollock was out two balls later, when he was bowled by Flintoff without scoring.
Mark Boucher and Nicky Boje struggled to get past the English bowlers, and scored just 22 runs together before Boucher was caught by Trescothick off Simon Jones for 25. Boje went soon afterwards, caught at silly mid-on by Graham Thorpe for nine. Makhaya Ntini made six, and then was caught by Hoggard off Jones.
When the players left the field because of the lightning, Andrew Hall was not out on 11, and Andre Nel had one.
The many changes to the South African batting order may have done much to contribute to South Africa’s woes.
Throughout the series, Smith has criticised the middle order for failing to score good partnerships, and the same happened on Saturday, with some of South Africa’s most experienced players failing to score the runs required.
De Villiers said at the news conference after the close of play that while South Africa were very disappointed to have lost so many wickets so quickly, they still believed they could go on to win the Test.
”We believe we can get some early wickets tomorrow,” he said. ”The wicket’s going to get harder to score on. It’s a bit two-paced. It’s doing just enough to get the nicks and the catches. All three top batsmen were dropped — we’ve just got to make sure we take the catches.”
He said he believed South Africa was close to a par score for the first innings. ”Three hundred would have been nice, but 250 is fine. We have something for the bowlers to bowl at,” he said.
He was very happy to have been asked to open the batting. ”I like opening. I like the new ball coming onto the bat. I just hope they keep me there.”
De Villiers said he was very disappointed not to have scored his first Test century. ”People say I’m just a youngster, and there’s time, but I was very disappointed. But I’m glad I made some runs — 90 is not too bad. My whole family was here — my parents and my two brothers, and they were very pleased with my score.”
”I was a little nervous when I reached 90, and I think I may have been a little impatient. I think I let the team down by getting out when I did.”
Flintoff praised the innings played by De Villiers. ”He played very well,” he said. ”We didn’t bowl too well before lunch, but we discussed it at lunch, and came out hard for the second session. We are very pleased to have South Africa on the ropes, and we really believe we can go on to win this Test and the series three-one.”
He said he was in some pain from his ankle injury, and a decision would be taken after the Test as to whether he should return home for possible surgery.
”I’m just trying to get my through my overs,” he said. – Sapa