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England vs SA, Day 4

Monday, September 8 2003

South Africa would have been hoping after their mini-comeback yesterday evening that they could have made quick work of Englands lower order. It was not to be as Andrew Flinthoff produced one of the performances of the series and giving England over a one-hundred run lead. Ably supported by Stephen Harmison, Flintoff drove and pulled with authority, smashing fours and sixes alike and was unlucky to miss out on a well deserved century by 5 runs.

South Africa started the day brightly, capturing Martin Bicknell early, Shaun Pollock bowling one of his usual wicket to wicket deliveries. The arrival of Harmison at the wicket resulted in Flinthoff upping the pace of the game and upsetting the South African bowlers. Flinthoff reached his fifty comfortable and then proceeded to power through to 95, cleaving Ntini for two memorable sixes. The South African bowlers were looking tired, Captain Smith was struggling to motivate his men whilst his opposite number, Vaughan could feel England were making considerable strides towards leveling the series.

Smith brought Paul Adams on to bowl, possibly with the intention of trying to buy a wicket. Adams tossed the ball up, daring the batsman into a risky shot but Flinthoff simply put his right knee on the ground, cleared his left leg out the way and swatted the ball many rows back into the stands. Flinthoff was finally bowled, attempting the same shot a few deliveries later. With Harmison and James Anderson unable to make any quick impression on the scoresheet Vaughan declared just before lunch giving his bowlers a short burst at South Africas opening batsmen.

Smith and Herschelle Gibbs started sharply, rotating the strike comfortably but not without a heart-stopping moment or two. Graeme Smith has not been able to repeat his early series form, more due to the fact that England have worked him out rather than a loss of form. Too often he is getting caught on the crease working the ball too square on the leg side. Vaughan quickly blocked off Smiths release shots with smart field placings and soon Bicknell trapped Smith in front, swinging the ball back and striking Smith on the line of off stump. Earlier, Trescothick dropped a tricky low catch at slip off Gibbs but Gibbs did not make use of his life and was caught behind by Steward off, reaching to drive off a wide swinging delivery from Anderson. England now had South Africa 34/2 in only the 10th over.

South Africas most experienced pair joined at the crease and battled hard to regain the advantage. Both players accepted any loose bowling and the attacking nature of the field settings, striking boundries but one never felt the pressure lifting. England were constantly coming hard at SOuth Africa, the big fast bowlers throwing themselves around in the field to back up spinner Ashley Giles. Harmison started with a snorter, getting a delivery to kick off a length and catching Kirsten on the point of the elbow. Kirsten never looked comfortable again and despite striking a couple of trademark boundries he began to look increasingly flustered against Harmisons steep bounce and pace. With the score on 92 Harmison pitched a good length delivery on leg stump forcing Kirsten back and into the mistake as he edged the ball to Trescothick at slip. In Harmisons very next over he caught Kallis on the back foot and brought the crowd to their feet when the umpire raised his finger in confirmation to Englands excited appeal. Later replays suggest Kallis was unlucky, being hit fractionally outside the line of offstump and high on his pads but it was good consistent bowling by Harmison which caught Kallis off-guard.

South Africa has lost their most respected and experienced pair in the space of one run and still trailed England. England would have been happy with opening up one end to attack the new batsmen, but having the nervous pairing of Neil McKenzie and the struggling Jacques Rudolph certainly put England well on top. With Rudolph at the crease Vaughan immediately brought Bicknell back onto bowl, hoping to work on Rudolphs weakness to the ball swinging back into him. It proved a smart move as Rudolph was so intent in being defensive around his offstump that he left a Bicknell in-swinger and the ball crashed into his stumps just after the tea interval.

Mark Boucher joined the stuttering McKenzie and looked to increase the scoring rate. McKenzie was battling hard but was struggling to pick up the singles and move South Africa closer towards Englands lead. With the arrival of Boucher the pair took the total to 150 before Flinthoff fired a delivery into McKenzies pads and was given the decision. South Africa were now reeling at 150/6 in the 48th over and the knowledge that umpire Venkat had made his first real poor decision of the game as McKenzie had gotten an ample inside edge onto his pads. Memories of 1998 are made of this.

Once again SOuth Africa now had experience at the crease and the Pollock/Boucher pairing eased the total to 186, striking crisp boundries around the ground when offered a poor delivery, before the umpires offered the bastman the light. Without much suprise the pair accepted and play was ended 9 overs early.

South Africa currently lead by 65 runs with 4 wickets remaining. If Pollock and Boucher can continue tomorrow we could have an exciting end to the series as England chase a total with limited overs. If England win, and they will be confident of doing so after todays effort, they will have deserved to have draw the series. They have played the better cricket the past 3 days but lets see what tomorrow brings.

South Africa: 185/6 after 57.0 overs (McKenzie 38, Kallis 35, Bicknell 2-51, Harmison 2-24) lead by 65 runs with 4 wickets remaining at the end of the 4th days play at the Oval.

Posted by Rupert