South Africa have an uphill battle if they are to save the fifth Castle Lager/MTN cricket Test against England at Supersport Park, despite a career best six wickets for 81 runs by Andre Nel.
At close of play on the fourth day, South Africa had 59 for two in their second innings, and still trailed England by 53 runs.
Graham Thorpe and Andrew Flintoff frustrated the South Africans before lunch, putting on 85 runs in an extended morning session, without losing a wicket. At that stage, it appeared that England were happy just to occupy the crease. With 236 balls bowled in the morning session, there were 200 dot balls.
The new ball was taken four overs before lunch and when the players came out after the break, it appeared that the message from the dressing room was for them to get a move on, as both batsmen started batting more positively. But Nel struck in the 10th over after lunch when he bowled Thorpe for 86.
Thorpe and Flintoff had put on 141 runs for the fifth wicket. Their partnership lasted three hours and 18 minutes, and they faced 302 deliveries.
Six balls later, Andrew Hall got Flintoff to edge a ball to Mark Boucher, to dismiss the big Lancastrian for 77.
Having got rid of one partnership, South Africa must have heaved a sigh of relief, but Geraint Jones and Ashley Giles came together and continued to frustrate the South Africans with a partnership of 78.
But after tea, a fired-up Nel tore through the English batting line-up in the first hour after tea. Jones was first to go, when he was brilliantly caught at first slip by Graeme Smith for 50 — just two balls after he had achieved his third Test half century at nearly a run a ball. It included five fours and three sixes.
Giles was next to go, when he was bowled by Nel for 39. Matthew Hoggard stayed around for 40 minutes, but he was finally caught at second slip by Jacques Kallis for one. Steve Harmison, who has at times been a thorn in the flesh of the South African bowlers, was trapped lbw by Nel for 6.
Nel’s previous best figures were five for 87 against the West Indies in Cape Town in 2003/2004.
South Africa came in to bat with 14 overs to face before stumps. Herschelle Gibbs was caught by Geraint Jones when he got a nick off Flintoff for four, in the sixth over. In a surprise move, Andrew Hall came in at number three, but lasted just 26 minutes before he was bowled by Flintoff for 9, and South Africa were in trouble on 29 for two.
Jacques Kallis joined AB de Villiers at the crease, and at close of play Kallis was not out on 19 and De Villiers had 20. – Sapa