The Hindu : Sport : England wins first one-dayer

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 31, 2005

Sport

Sport

England wins first one-dayer

By Ted Corbett

JOHANNESBURG, JAN. 30. Kevin Pietersen, a South African playing cricket in the blue strip of England, brought an atmosphere of sustained hostility to the Wanderers ground also known as The Bullring today. The catcalls, the boos, the jeers, the war cries and the derision combined so that the England innings in the first one-day against South Africa was played against a wall of noise that numbed the senses and was meant to intimidate Pietersen.

He survived as he has every other international innings he has played — and England won — and as he settled we saw something of the style and power that has made some people anticipate a great career.

Pietersen came to his native land declaring he expected to be pilloried and that it would be "water off a duck's back" but he showed his character — some call it brave and some arrogant — as he and Michael Vaughan, his captain, regularly consulting the Duckworth-Lewis rules, guided England to each successive target after South Africa had made only 175 and England lost its first three batsmen for 44.

I cannot recall another cricket match played in such a cauldron and in any other sport only those hate-filled soccer matches between Rangers and Celtic in Glasgow compare with today's heated session.

Happily, this game had a leavening of laughter, as when Vaughan almost trod on his stumps and staggered away to gully. At 103 for three in 25 overs, with Vaughan 44 and Pietersen 22 enough rain to stop any dozen matches fell, the stadium disc jockey resorted to playing jolly music, the wet watchers left, the daring used the pools to body surf and the match was declared England's by 26 runs.

Budding talent

It may have been an unsatisfactory way to finish; but we have seen the future and it is called Kevin Pietersen. In addition we have seen the result of picking a team by quota. Pietersen left South Africa because he felt this system would stop him being chosen. So there has been defeat in the Test series and defeat in the first one-day game. When will they learn?

The game appeared to be settled in the first 10 overs; but much of South Africa's poor batting was due to a loaded remark by Matthew Maynard, England's assistant coach. Before the warm-up game in Kimberley last week he remarked that Graeme Smith, the South African captain, had been "hiding in the middle order." As any young bull might, Smith hollered that he would show Maynard and moved himself to open. This rash move meant he was caught at slip off Darren Gough in the third over having spent 13 balls scoring a single.

Herschelle Gibbs, who wanted to stand down because of a groin injury, went in the following over, caught at square leg. Adam Bacher, recalled after eight years at 31 was bowled by Matthew Hoggard and in the 15th over came the mortal blow: Jacques Kallis who had scored just five off 26 balls was caught behind off Kabir Ali's seventh ball.

Magic touch

Vaughan had won the toss and sent South Africa in to bat under heavy cloud which made conditions difficult but when Ashwell Prince, brought back after a year, was out in the 19th over half the side were gone for 49. Vaughan seemed to have a magic touch. Ashley Giles came on, had Justin Kemp caught for what was then top score of 24, and after a rain shower bowled Mark Boucher round his legs. Shaun Pollock, who had a poor time batting in the Test series, helped Nicky Boje put on 58 in 47 minutes. Boje was bowled by Gough at 148 with three overs left.

The effect of Gough was evident in his figures of 10-2-27-2, even though Makhaya Ntini hit his final delivery for six.

Nineteen runs were on the board by the middle of the fourth over when England batted and we had visions of an early finish, either because of its quick scoring or because of a black horizon. But Trescothick, who had bowled eight overs to take advantage of the heavy atmosphere, cut a ball to Kallis at second slip, the new opener Geraint Jones edged a wide one to the keeper and after showing all the signs of his best form Andrew Strauss was out for 15, caught in Andre Nel's first over. That brought Pietersen to the crease and the running of the bulls to the Wanderers.

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