After England's rather easy victory over South Africa in the first Test at Scarborough, we were hoping for more resistance from the visitors in the second game at Durham's Riverside. Sadly it was not immediately forthcoming as they lost three wickets for twenty runs after deciding to bat first. England's opening bowlers Finch of Worcester and Plom of Essex threatened to run riot until persistent drizzle brought a halt to proceedings for about four hours. When play eventually resumed at four o'clock in the afternoon skipper Bakwetu and wicket keeper Qeshile batted sensibly with a partnership of 63 but both were out before the close when the South African score was 118-5.
Day two brought better weather, with only one slight delay, and South Africa were indebted to de Klerk and number 10 Molefe for a 50 partnership which saw them pass the 200 mark. De Klerk was lbw to Finch for 47 and Molefe caught off leg spinner Hollman for 21. South Africa all out for 209, which seemed somewhat below par but was to prove the highest innings total of the match.
England's bowlers did not offer much variation Plom taking 3-44, Finch 4-47 and the ever accurate Hollman 2-28 from sixteen overs. The final stages of day two brought plenty of action as South Africa bounced back with a vengeance largely due to the pace and bounce generated by none other than Thando Ntini, son of Makhaya Ntini, who took 390 test wickets for the South African Test side.
Ntini soon had Ollie Robinson, from Kent, lbw for 1 and then had the England skipper Tom Banton, from Somerset and century maker at Scarborough, caught behind for no score. A major triumph for the young bowler. At this stage England were 6-2 and brief resistance from Charlesworth (Gloucester) and Haynes (Worcester) took them to 38 before Charlesworth was lbw to left arm spinner Molefe. The same bowler mesmerised the middle order having debutant Lavelle (Lancashire) lbw for nought and Ward stumped by yards when he tried coming down the wicket to smother the spin.
Haynes soon followed with top score of 28 caught behind off paceman Gideon Peters. England now 67-6. Some resistance came from Hollman (25) and Davies (17) but South Africa were now well on top and the support bowlers also picked up wickets to leave England in total disarray at the end of day two with a score of 121-9.
England were finally all out for 133 early on day three giving South Africa a first innings lead of 76.
Molefe, the left arm spinner, had the best figures 21-10-33-3, with two each for Ntini, Peters and de Klerk. If South Africa felt they had turned the corner that feeling did not last long as this fascinating contest took another turn in front of a day three crowd which had grown to around sixty people, after the disappointing twenty or so on day one and forty on day two.
A remarkable over from Plom turned the tide very much back in England's direction. With his first ball he bowled Richards for eleven. Number three Van Schalkwyk had a rush of blood to the second ball playing it out gently on the offside and setting off for an impossible single. The bowler picked up the ball and ran in to demolish the stumps before the batsman could return to his crease. Enter skipper Makwetu, probably the visitor's best batsman, to face ball three. Caught behind by Davies bowled Plom first ball. An unusual hat trick of sorts as 30-0 suddenly became 30-3. Next man in Qeshile almost followed, an inside edge just missing leg stump as it flew down to fine leg. The last two balls of the over were uneventful apart from umpire O'Shaughnessy's hat blowing off to add to the confusion.
Sam Connors, another debutant for England from Derbyshire, took his first two wickets for England to get rid of Miltz and Niemand before Finch returned to demolish the tail, taking the last four wickets for just 22 runs. South Africa all out for a miserable ninety, leaving England with a target of 166 to win. No certainties about that in view of the South African bowlers' supremacy in the first innings.
The lively Ntini again struck early, bowling Robinson with the first ball of the second over. His opening partner Charlesworth was also on his way in no time caught behind off Peters who seemed to be generating more pace than before. England in dire straights at 4-2, but skipper Banton provided the cool head to see them through the difficult early stages with England's top score of the match a mere 32! Two of the younger members of the side, Haynes (27) and Lavelle (25) also helped keep England afloat before the Middlesex pair of wicket keeper Davies (32 not out) and Hollman (11 not out) saw England home by four wickets. England winning the series 2-0 not without a few scares along the way.
The sides now turn their attention to three one day internationals which will be played on 23rd July at Riverside, 26th July at South Northumberland CC, Gosforth and 29th July at Scarborough.
No comments:
Post a Comment