Eng. v. SA. - 5th. Test

[Donny]

Well, some success for England today. Rudolph went for a duck, Boucher for 8, Kallis was run out for 66, Hall went for 1 and Adams (1) was also run out.

Pollock (58 n.o.) and Ntini (5 n.o.) have added 38 so far for the tenth wicket.

Pollock is hitting out and goes to 66 and S.A. are 9/478.

[Donny]

Anderson bowled Ntini for 11 and Pollock remained 66 n.o. as S.A. totalled 484.

Bicknell took 2/71, Anderson, 2/86 and Giles, 2/102.

[Sultan of spin]

Vaughan has failed again, another swashbucking start with 24 off 26 with 4's but that's were it ends unfortunately. They will struggle to get close to SA's first innings now. they are 1/36 with Trestcothick 12 & Butcher 0

Ignoring England's current plight for a minute I would just like to say Stewart has had a wonderful career averaging almost 40 with the bat and doing a very respectable job with the gloves is a wonderful effort and he must go down as one of the best wicketkepper batsman of all time! I can't see how they are gonna replace him.

[Donny]

Welcome to Nick's Sports Bar, Sultan.

I agree about Stewart. I've always admired him and he's been a great servant to English cricket and a wonderful team man.

At stumps, England are 2/165 with Trescothick in the runs at last on 64 and Thorpe, 28. These two will need to continue as, with Vaughan and Butcher gone, England look a touch brittle from 5 down.

This wicket looks good and the odds are for a draw (unless England collapse, of course) which would give S.A. the series, 2-1.

For England to win, they really need a first innings lead and chasing 484, it looks unlikely. If they were to bat all tomorrow, they would still only be about even. Smith desperately needs runs and Flintoff is capable of turning on the fireworks.

Stewart would dearly love to go out in style and Giles had been contributing more with the bat than the ball in recent Tests so they're not without hope.

If they get anywhere near the Protea's total, a draw seems most likely. If they DO get 100 or so ahead, they are an outside chance of an upset win but time will be their biggest problem as S.A. would be starting their second innings somewhere on the 4th. day and it's hard to imagine their pop gun attack running through the likes of Gibbs, Smith, Kirsten, Kallis & co.

As it sits, S.A. can win with a good day tomorrow. Early wickets will demoralise England and even another 200 would leave them 120 behind on first innings.

[Donny]

What a good wicket to make comebacks on !

A previously out of form Trescothick has moved on to 115 and a recalled Thorpe is on 93 as England roll on to 2/280. Their partnership is 212.

[Donny]

4/383 with Trescothick on 156. Thorpe was bowled by Kallis for 124 and Smith went for 16, lbw to Hall (2/76).

Trescothick and Thorpe shared a 3rd. wicket partnership of 268

[Sultan of spin]

Thanks for the welcome. Well England certainly have fought back well but a draws looms as the most likely result. The stumps socre is 7/502 that's a lead of 18 runs but with Flintoff still at the crease a decent first innings advantage is possible. Trescothick made 219 & Thrope 124

[Donny]

Thanks, m8. All that's left to add is Stewart scored 38 in what was probably his last dig for England. Well played Alec Stewart.

Kallis took 2/90, Hall, 2/101, Pollock, 2/102 and Ntini, 1/97. It's quite possible we'll see 4 S.A. bowlers with 'centuries' in their figures and I reckon you'd have to go back a fair way to find that.

Yes, I agree with Sultan, a draw is most likely with still an outside chance of an English win. But I stress, outside.

They'd need a 100 or more lead and then take early wickets with the first part more likely than the last. Giles' departure in the penultimate over didn't help matters in that regard as he could have played a positive support to a possible Flintoff 'boundary blitz' type of innings.

[JLC]

Graham Thorpe has long been regarded as Englands best batsman imo. He was the one player for England who knew how to read and play against Shane Warne.

Its a pity England havnt had Thorpe Vaughan and Hussain in the one test batting line up.

Its a pity England dont have a better bowling line up that could put South Africa on the back foot and help them push for victory. Harmison is probably their only hope.

jlc

[Donny]

Bicknell went, 3rd. ball this morning, but since then Flintoff has been doing his thing.

He has a partnership of 76 with Harmison (3) and just smashed 2 sixes in succession from Ntini's bowling.

[Donny]

A top knock from Flintoff. Adams bowled him when he attempted a second successive six. He made 95 and the partnership with Harmison was 99.

The lead is 118.

[Donny]

Englared 120 ahead.

Could be interesting. The wicket is still good but now there's a pressure factor, thanks to Flintoff's knock.

There are about 4 overs for the S.A. openers to survive before lunch.

[Donny]

They survived but both went, shortly after lunch.

Kirsten and Kallis are fighting back and have taken the score to 2/81.

[JLC]

The Lion still has a bit of roar left in it......

jlc

[Donny]

It's quite amazing, the psychological aspect of sport.

19 wickets have fallen for 1088 runs, so far on this strip.

Same wicket, same bowlers and yet S.A. lost 2/24, 4/95 and then 6/150 before Pollock (22) and Boucher (19) got it to 6/185 at stumps.

They are the not out batsmen and have an enormous task on their hands on the last day to stave off defeat. The lead is only 65 and England must be raging favourites to level the series.

If Pollock and Boucher get through the early enthusiasm, they CAN save this Test. I look forward to tonight's play.