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| August 12, 2008 | Tuesday | Sha'aban 9, 1429 |
Pietersen leads England to consolation win in final Test
LONDON, Aug 11: Kevin Pietersen celebrated his first Test as England captain with a consolation six-wicket victory over South Africa in the fourth and final Test on Monday.
Andrew Flintoff (11 not out) hit the winning runs with a straight six as he and Paul Collingwood (25 not out) steered the home side to 198 for four.
Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook put on 123 for the first wicket, with Cook (67) taking charge until he edged Makhaya Ntini to South Africa skipper Graeme Smith at first slip shortly after lunch.
After scoring a century in England’s first innings 316, Pietersen came to the crease to rapturous applause with the score on 147 for two after Ntini had bowled Ian Bell round his legs for four.
Strauss (58) was also out with the total on 147, nicking spinner Paul Harris to Smith at leg slip.
Pietersen failed to take his side home, scoring 13 before pushing a catch to Neil McKenzie off Harris but by then England were only 15 runs short of victory.
Cook’s innings, the ninth time he has been out in the 60s, included 12 fours. Strauss, who has been struggling for runs, hit six fours in a more cautious knock.
The opening pair began conservatively in the face of aggressive bowling from Ntini. Morne Morkel at the other end was more wayward.
Morkel did entice Strauss into chipping a catch to Ashwell Prince at leg gully but his foot was over the line for a no ball.
Having seen off the new ball, the openers then played with more freedom. The first 50 took 103 balls but the 100 came 15 minutes before lunch after only 55 more deliveries.
Collingwood followed suit after lunch, peppering the boundary while Pietersen was more circumspect.
South Africa on Sunday were dismissed for 316 in their second innings with A.B. de Villiers scoring 97.
England faced eight balls without adding a run or losing a wicket before rain brought the day to a premature close.
De Villiers and Paul Harris came together with six wickets down and South Africa only 96 ahead.
They played patient, composed cricket before Harris (34) fell to Stuart Broad and de Villiers missed out on his century bowled by Monty Panesar.
After attacking most of the match, Pietersen deployed a defensive field for de Villiers, hoping to put all the pressure on Harris. But the South African spin bowler looked comfortable, helping his partner pick off the runs.
Harris fell eventually to a catch by Flintoff at second slip and de Villiers succumbed shortly afterwards when Panesar found the rough outside leg stump. He scored 12 fours in his 235 valuable minutes at the crease.
Scoreboard
SOUTH AFRICA (1st Innings) 194.
ENGLAND (1st Innings) 316 (K.P. Pietersen 100, P.D. Collingwood 61; M. Ntini 5-94).
SOUTH AFRICA (2nd Innings):
G.C. Smith lbw b Anderson 0
N.D. McKenzie b Broad 29
H.M. Amla c Ambrose b Harmison 76
J.H. Kallis c Collingwood b Harmison 9
A.G. Prince c Strauss b Flintoff 24
A.B. de Villiers b Panesar 97
M.V. Boucher c Collingwood b Anderson 12
M. Morkel c Bell b Panesar 10
P.L. Harris c Flintoff b Broad 34
A. Nel not out 3
M. Ntini c Collingwood b Broad 2
EXTRAS (B-6, LB-8, W-5, NB-3) 22
TOTAL (all out, 99.2 overs) 318
FALL OF WKTS: 1-0, 2-82, 3-119, 4-138, 5-161, 6-201, 7-218, 8-313, 9 313.
BOWLING: Anderson 22-2-85-2 (1nb); Harmison 25-6-84-2 (1w); Flintoff 18-4-53-1 (2nb); Panesar 17-5-37-2; Broad 16.2-4-44-3; Pietersen 1-0-1-0.
ENGLAND (2nd Innings, overnight 0-0):
A.J. Strauss c Smith b Harris 58
A.N. Cook c Smith b Ntini 67
I.R. Bell b Ntini 4
K.P. Pietersen c McKenzie b Harris 13
P.D. Collingwood not out 25
A. Flintoff not out 11
EXTRAS (B-6, LB-7, W-1, NB-6) 20
TOTAL (for four wkts, 52.5 overs) 198
FALL OF WKTS: 1-123, 2-147, 3-147, 4-182.
BOWLING: Morkel 13-2-43-0 (5nb, 1w); Ntini 14-4-55-2 (1nb); Harris 19.5-5-56-2; Nel 5-0-21-0; Kallis 1-0-10-0.
RESULT: England won by six wickets; South Africa win series 2-1.
UMPIRES: Aleem Dar (Pakistan) and S.J. Davis (Australia).
TV UMPIRE: P.J. Harley (England).
MATCH REFEREE: R.S. Madugalle (Sri Lanka).
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Kevin Pietersen.
MEN-OF-THE-SERIES: Kevin Pietersen and Graeme Smith.
FIRST TEST: Lord’s, match drawn.
SECOND TEST: Headingley, South Africa won by 10 wickets.
THIRD TEST: Edgbaston, South Africa won by five wickets.—Reuters
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