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| August 24, 2003 | Sunday | Jumadi-us-Sani 25 |
England collapse gives SA lead
LEEDS (England), Aug 23: South Africa scythed through England’s last seven wickets before reaching 53 for two in their second innings, extending their overall lead to 88 at tea on the third day of the fourth Test on Saturday.
England, resuming their first innings on 197 for three in reply to the touring side’s 342, collapsed to 307 all out at Headingley after Jacques Kallis dismissed Ed Smith with the first ball of the day.
The South Africans, handily placed to take a 2-1 lead in the five-Test series, then lost openers Herschelle Gibbs (two) and Graeme Smith (14), both lbw, when they batted again on an increasingly waspish pitch.
The only significant English batting resistance on Saturday came from Nasser Hussain, who made a typically stubborn 42 as the ball began to pop off the surface, and all rounder Andrew Flintoff, who bludgeoned three sixes on his way to 55 off 64 deliveries.
The rot set in immediately for England as Kallis took the first over and immediately conjured up a delivery that kicked up from just short of a length and nipped away, Smith fending to the wicket-keeper for a four-ball duck.
Alec Stewart edged past Brian Lara to eighth in the time list of all-time Test run scorers, but managed little else as he departed for 15, a pull off Dewald Pretorius top-edged to Andrew Hall at square leg to make it 239 for five.
His dismissal sparked a collapse as the last six wickets fell for 68.
Hussain was one to defy the conditions, driving Hall square and through the covers for two boundaries off an over.
England’s increasing problems — they also face the unenviable challenge of batting last — were best illustrated, however, when a Ntini delivery broke through the surface of the pitch, lifted sharply and hit Hussain on the arm.
Kallis, loving every minute, bowled five maidens in an eight-over spell costing three runs.
Flintoff at least gave England a chance of salvaging the game.
Dropped by a diving Neil McKenzie off Makhaya Ntini at deep square leg having made six, he carved his way to a trademark half-century as the wickets fell at the other end.
With four ducks in his previous Test innings at Headingley, the giant all rounder appeared to ignore the perils of the pitch, standing tall to hit Kallis for two back-foot fours through the off side.
He then hit 16 off a Pretorius over, a square drive and two pulls for six, before pulling Ntini for four and hooking him for six next ball.
South Africa were soon in similar difficulties, Gibbs — who made a two-ball duck in the first innings — going lbw to James Kirtley while Martin Bicknell trapped Smith on his stumps to make it 31 for two.
Scoreboard
SOUTH AFRICA (1st Innings) 342 (G. Kirsten 130, M. Zondeki 59, J.A. Rudolph 55).
ENGLAND (1st Innings, overnight 197-3):
M.E. Trescothick c and b Kallis 59
M.P. Vaughan b Ntini 15
M.A. Butcher c Boucher b Kallis 77
N. Hussain c and b Rudolph 42
E.T. Smith c Boucher b Kallis 0
A.J. Stewart c Hall b Pretorius 15
A. Flintoff b Ntini 55
M.P. Bicknell b Ntini 4
Kabir Ali c Boucher b Hall 1
R.J. Kirtley c Boucher b Hall 1
J.M. Anderson not out 0
EXTRAS (B-2, LB-17, W-6, NB-13) 38
TOTAL (all out, 87.2 overs) 307
FALL OF WKTS: 1-27, 2-169, 3-193, 4-197, 5-239, 6-261, 7-289, 8-293, 9-307.
BOWLING: Pretorius 19-1-100-1 (2w); Ntini 20.2-4-62-3; Hall 24-3-77-2 (1w); Zondeki 1.5-0-10-0; Kallis 20.1-7-38-3 (3w); Rudolph 2-1-1-1.
SOUTH AFRICA (2nd Innings):
G.C. Smith lbw b Bicknell 14
H.H. Gibbs lbw b Kirtley 2
G. Kirsten not out 21
J.H. Kallis not out 10
EXTRAS (LB-6) 6
TOTAL (for two wkts, 20 overs) 53
FALL OF WKTS: 1-9, 2-31.
BOWLING (to-date): Kirtley 6-2-21-1; Bicknell 7-0-16-1; Flintoff 3-2-1-0; Anderson 3-1-6-0; Kabir Ali 1-0-3-0.—Reuters
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