18 January 2005	Tuesday	07 Zilhaj 1425

JOHANNESBURG, Jan 17: Matthew Hoggard took a career-best seven for 61 to spearhead a dramatic 77-run victory for England over South Africa in the fourth Test at The Wanderers on Monday.

Fired by Marcus Trescothick's second-innings 180, England set South Africa 325 to win and then carved through their much-vaunted batting before sealing victory late in the final session to go 2-1 up in the five-match series.

After taking five for 144 in the first innings, Hoggard finished with 12 wickets in the match, his first 10-wicket haul in Test cricket. Herschelle Gibbs provided the stiffest resistance with 98, while the in-form Jacques Kallis was dismissed first ball by Hoggard, who ended with seven for 61.

South Africa captain Graeme Smith tried to salvage the game, coming in at number eight after being advised by doctors not to bat following a blow on the head during fielding practice.

He made 67 not out but was left stranded as the wickets fell at the other end. Dale Steyn was the last man out, caught behind off Hoggard with barely half an hour of light left. The innings lasted 59.3 overs.

An England victory looked unlikely when Michael Vaughan, knowing that several of his bowlers were carrying injuries, delayed his declaration. Hoggard, though, quickly trapped AB de Villiers in front for three in the fifth over of South Africa's second innings and the home side were soon 18 for three.

Hoggard bowled Jacques Rudolph with an in swinger and had Kallis caught by Trescothick at first slip with the next ball. Boeta Dippenaar survived Hoggard's hat trick ball, and he and Gibbs added 62 runs for the fourth wicket.

They were parted just before tea when Dippenaar edged a drive off Hoggard to Giles in the gully and Boucher quickly followed for a duck, feathering behind. Hoggard then accounted for Nicky Boje in the final session, catching a return catch to make it 118 for six.

Gibbs, though, who had continued to go for his shots, was the key wicket. Pushing forward, he given out lbw on his front foot to Giles to make it 163 for seven.

Flintoff then bullied Pollock back to the pavilion, hitting him on the helmet, having him dropped at silly point by Vaughan on four and then inducing an edge behind. Flintoff got Makhaya Ntini lbw before the dramatic finale.

Earler England had resumed on 195 for five, still looking vulnerable, but they threw caution to the wind, hammering 135 more runs before declaring just before lunch.

Trescothick and Giles added 50 runs off 67 balls for the seventh wicket before Giles slashed a drive off Kallis to Gibbs at backward point. Giles hit four fours and a six in his 31.

Kallis struck again in his next over when he had Hoggard caught behind without scoring by wicket keeper Mark Boucher. Stephen Harmison held up an end, contributing just three to Trescothick's 55 in a ninth-wicket stand of 58. Trescothick faced 248 balls in all and hit 24 fours and four sixes.

SCOREBOARD



England (1st innings, 411-8 declared):



South Africa (1st innings 419):



England (2nd innings, 197-5 overnight):



M.Trescothick c Boucher b Ntini               180



A.Strauss c De Villiers b Ntini               0



R.Key c Kallis b Ntini                        19



M.Vaughan c Boucher b Pollock                 54 



G.Thorpe c and b Kallis                       1



A.Flintoff c Boucher b Pollock                7



G.Jones c De Villiers b Pollock               13



A.Giles c Gibbs b Kallis                      31



M.Hoggard c Boucher b Kallis                  0



S.Harmison not ou                             3



Extras: (lb-7 nb-11 w-6)                      24



Total: (for 9 wkts dec, 81.1 overs)           332



Did not bat: J.Anderson



Fall of wkts: 1-2 2-51 3-175 4-176 5-186 6-222 7-272 8-274 9-332.



Bowling: Pollock 19-2-74-3 (nb-2 w-5), Ntini 20.1-2-62-3, 
Kallis 21-5-93-3 (nb-1), Steyn 9-0-47-0 (nb-8 w-1), Boje 12-0-49-0.



South Africa (2nd innings):



A.de Villiers lbw b Hoggard                   3



H.Gibbs lbw b Giles                           98



J.Rudolph b Hoggard                           2



J.Kallis c Trescothick b Hoggard              0



B.Dippenaar c Giles b Hoggard                 14



M.Boucher c Jones b Hoggard                   0



N.Boje c and b Hoggard                        18



G.Smith not out                               67



S.Pollock c Jones b Flintoff                  4



M.Ntini lbw b Flintoff                        13



D.Steyn c Jones b Hoggard                     8



Extras: (b-2 lb-5 nb-12 w-1)                  20



Total: (all out, 59.3 overs)                  247



Fall of wkts: 1-10 2-18 3-18 4-80 5-86 6-118 7-163 8-172 9-216



Bowling: Hoggard 18.3-5-61-7, Harmison 14-1-64-0 (nb-5 w-1), 
Flintoff 16-2-59-2 (nb-7), Anderson 6-1-32-0, Giles 5-0-24-1. -Reuters