England v. Sth Africa - Test Series

[NickiSlater]

Yay!

England and Sth. Africa start their 5 Test series on Thursday, 24th. July.

SA have 2 warm up matches. One against Somerset and one against India A.

[HAL]

Your impressed, I see. . . . .

[Donny]

SA declared at 4/326 against Somerset and they are 0/38 at stumps.

Smith top scored with 152, Kirsten made 66 and McKenzie was 66 n.o.

[Donny]

Somerset declared on 7/245. Zondeki took 5/64.

SA are 2/126 in their second innings. Dippenaar is 52 n.o.

[Donny]

Thorpe and Gough line up for recalls
Andrew Miller - July 17, 2003

It's the midway point of the English season, and things are going swimmingly. Three contests have produced three trophies, each won by a clutch of young cricketers playing with nerve and verve. It seems a perverse time, then, for a return of the old guard.

Darren Gough: playing for Yorkshire to push his claims for a recall. But will his suspect knee survive the rigours of Test cricket?

But on Friday, after an aperitif that would once have represented a satisfying summer banquet, England's selectors announce their squad for the first Test against South Africa at Edgbaston. Never before in England has a five-Test series been shoehorned into so short a space of time, and so, for all the early successes of new-look England, the emphasis will necessarily shift to the short-term.

Two men in particular epitomise that shifting of priorities. Neither would be grateful to be tagged as an expedient selection, but given their histories of injury and unavailability, it would be dangerous to consider Darren Gough and Graham Thorpe in any other light. What is undeniable, however, is that when mind and body are working in unison, the pair are the best matchwinners that England have produced in a decade. The temptation for their inclusion will be hard to resist.

Gough, of course, has had ten one-day matches this season, in which he has demonstrated the sort of form that would once have made him an automatic selection. But suspicions remain about his reliability in Test cricket - he hasn't played since August 2001, 20 matches ago. If those renowned nuggets, Gary Kirsten and Jacques Kallis, dig in as they can, Gough's suspect knee can expect a heavy, and potentially disastrous, workload this summer.

Instead it is Thorpe who appears the likelier of the two to return to the fold. Duncan Fletcher, never one to waste words, dropped a clear hint last week, after Thorpe had insisted his much-publicised problems were behind him. "Graham is a quality player," said Fletcher. "Some of his decisions not to tour have been difficult personal ones and, as selectors, we should understand these concerns. We will have to look at how the side has performed in the Test and one-day arena in the past year."

That shouldn't take too long. England's success this season has been in spite of a decidedly ricketty middle-order, where Thorpe's class has been sorely missed. Robert Key and Jim Troughton have struggled to fill the void, and although it is harsh to nitpick, given that Anthony McGrath has become the first English batsman since David Gower to score half-centuries in his first two innings, Zimbabwe's floundering attack was hardly representative of Test status.

On the flip side, Thorpe's readmission may make one thirtysomething too many. Mark Butcher's place at No. 3 is secure, thanks to two matchwinning centuries in three Tests (including one against Australia), while Chris Read cannot conceive of displacing Alec Stewart, who has scored 807 runs at 47.47 as a wicketkeeper against South Africa. And now that Nasser Hussain has put his early-season indifference behind him with some rollicking innings for Essex, England can expect to field a fearsomely established top six.

Hussain's return to form is timely, as he is under pressure for his place as never before. Michael Vaughan's astonishing success as one-day captain - in which he was as languid in the field as he was, eventually, at the crease - may soon mark the turning of the tide. Hussain's autocratic rule was instrumental in hauling England out of the dark ages, but more enlightened times lie ahead, as epitomised by James Anderson and Andrew Flintoff, who is set to play his first Test since Headingley last August.

For the moment though, the twin goals of the Ashes and World Cup 2007 are a long way off. September 2003, and a third five-Test series victory in 16 years, is all that matters.


Possible squad Marcus Trescothick, Michael Vaughan, Mark Butcher, Nasser Hussain (capt), Graham Thorpe, Anthony McGrath, Alec Stewart (wk), Andrew Flintoff, Ashley Giles, Darren Gough, James Anderson, Steve Harmison, Richard Johnson.

[Donny]

Gough recalled to England Test squad
Wisden CricInfo staff - July 18, 2003

After an absence of almost two years, Darren Gough has been recalled to England's Test squad for next week's first Test against South Africa at Edgbaston. But there is no place for Graham Thorpe, despite his excellent form and recent assurances about his commitment to England's future.

Gough had been all but written off as an international player when he withdrew from last winter's Ashes and World Cup squads with a chronic knee injury. But he has battled back superbly this season, and was in irresistible form during the recent NatWest Series victory over South Africa. There remained some nagging doubts about his ability to withstand the rigours of five-day cricket – he had missed 20 consecutive Tests, dating back to England's tour of India in 2001-02 – but David Graveney, England's chairman of selectors, was convinced of his fitness.

"Darren Gough had an outstanding one-day series," said Graveney. "He has been playing four-day cricket for Yorkshire and he feels confident that he will be able to make a contribution to the Test side." Gough has been joined in the squad by James Kirtley, 12th man in the Tests against Zimbabwe, who takes the place of the injured Richard Johnson.

Johnson was not considered for this match," added Graveney, "as he is still struggling with a groin injury and we have been advised by our medical staff that it would be best for him to play a county game to test his fitness before being included in a Test squad.

"With regard to the batting positions, Graham Thorpe was considered and we are pleased that his personal situation has improved and he is now able to commit himself to England home and away. But we felt that Anthony McGrath had done well in his first two Test matches earlier this summer and deserved to keep his place."

Against Zimbabwe earlier in the season, McGrath became the first English batsman to score half-centuries in his first two Test innings. Thorpe will just have to wait his turn.

Squad Marcus Trescothick, Michael Vaughan, Mark Butcher, Nasser Hussain (capt), Anthony McGrath, Andrew Flintoff, Alec Stewart (wk), Ashley Giles, James Anderson, Darren Gough, Steve Harmison, James Kirtley.

[Donny]

Jaffer and Gambhir shine for India A against South Africa
Wisden CricInfo staff - July 19, 2003


Wasim Jaffer and Gautam Gambhir starred for India A against the South Africans at Arundel. Jaffer scored 90 and Gambhir 64 in their 319 all out, in which Shaun Pollock came back strongly.

Gambhir's sparkling innings came from only 69 balls and Jaffer consolidated India A's good start by batting for over three hours for a solid 90, including 12 fours, after Shiv Sunder Das chose to bat.

Das himself dug in for 33 and Ambati Rayudu, who lofted Robin Peterson for two sixes over long-on off successive balls, was Dewalt Pretorious's first victim, lbw for 32, after a stand of 56 from 86 balls with Jaffer.

Pollock, who only arrived back in England on Friday after visiting his pregnant wife in South Africa, took 4 for 46, including a second new-ball spell of three wickets for one run in seven balls that ended the innings.

In what is South Africa's last match before Thursday's first Test against England, Pretorious did his chances of selection no harm by taking 3 for 41. He had a post-tea purple patch of 3 for 9 in 18 balls, boosting his chances of adding to the solitary Test cap he won against Australia at Newlands in March 2002.

Pretorious, coming around the wicket, then bowled Parthiv Patel ( after he shouldered arms. Meanwhile, Jaffer spent an uncomfortable half-hour in the 80s before breaking loose with a glorious cover drive off Pretorious. But, trying to repeat the stroke, he failed to keep the ball down and was caught low down by Graeme Smith.

Wickets then fell cheaply before Pollock wrapped up the innings by having Irfan Pathan junior caught in the slips by Smith before clean-bowling last man Aavishkar Salvi for nought. But the day belonged to India A.

[Donny]

Kallis to miss first Test
Wisden CricInfo staff - July 21, 2003

Jacques Kallis will definitely miss the first npower Test against England at Edgbaston, starting this Thursday (July 24).

Kallis will stay at home in Cape Town with his father, who is suffering from lung cancer. It is not yet known whether he will miss any more Tests, but a South Africa team spokesman said: "He is not in our plans for the first Test at least."

Gerald de Kock, the South Africa media manager, said: "There was a possibility that he would be on a flight today, but that's now not going to happen." On when Kallis will return, de Kock said, "It might be a week, it might be a month. He's being given as much time as he needs."

Eric Simons, the coach, said in a statement "We appreciate that this is an extremely difficult and emotional time for Jacques. I have told him that he must take as much time as he needs to be with his father."

He added: "He is a vital member of our squad, but ultimately the wellbeing of a player's family comes before any game of cricket. The thoughts of the entire touring party are with Jacques."

A replacement is unlikely to be called up, meaning that Martin van Jaarsveld could take Kallis's place and make his fourth Test cap.

[Donny]

Captains opt for batting practice
Wisden Cricinfo staff - July 21, 2003

India A and the South Africans ambled through a fairly pointless final day at a sunny Arundel as both sides took the opportunity for what amounted to little more than an extended net session. With the first npower Test starting on Thursday, the South Africans opted to give some practice to their late middle-order batsmen and the match petered out into a tame draw.

The South Africans extended their first innings in the morning with Boeta Dippenaar making 37 in a little over two hours. But the small crowd were given more entertainment by Shaun Pollock, who hammered 36 from 37 balls, and Robin Peterson who struck 32 off 36 balls.

Aavishkar Salvi and Irfan Pathan picked up two wickets each in the five to fall, by which time the South Africans had piled up 463, a lead of 144.

In their reply, India A lost two wickets in quick succession. Shiv Sunder Das was bowled by Pollock for 15 (35 for 1), and Gautam Gambhir caught by Mark Boucher, the wicketkeeper, off Monde Zondeki for 18 (36 for 2). But Wasim Jaffer and Hemang Badani played well for their fifties, although Jaffer fell to a catch by Boucher off Robin Peterson shortly before the captains agreed to end what had become a meaningless exercise.

[Donny]

For those with pay TV, this Test is getting live coverage on Fox Sports 2.

Starts tonight at 7.40.

[Donny]

Sth. Africa won the toss and batted and are 0/14 from 7 overs.

[HAL]

Ummm. . . all of them?

[Donny]

At lunch, SA are 0/100 with Gibbs and Smith both on 47.

Looks like a long day for England. Back to earth after two easy Tests against the Zimmers.

[couragous cloke]

not a bad start by S.A, doesnt seem to be much spark in the field from the poms though.

[Donny]

England in big trouble.

SA are 0/213 after 50 overs.

Gibbs is 117 n.o. and Smith, 83.