The Hindu : Sport : Rain spoils England's hopes

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 13, 2005

Sport

Sport

Rain spoils England's hopes

By Ted Corbett

DURBAN, FEB. 12. A heavy rain shower killed England's last hopes of drawing level in the seven-match one-day international series against South Africa last night when the game was declared off after England had been able to make only seven runs for two wickets in an attempt to score 213 runs to win by a Duckworth-Lewis calculation.

With one game to play — on Sunday at Centurion — South Africa leads 3-1 with one tied.

At the start of the series it looked as if England would beat the South Africans comfortably but someone — and no-one wants to be named as the originator of this daring plan — suggested that the South African middle order would be strengthened if Herschelle Gibbs moved to No.4 and AB de Villiers opened the innings with the captain Graeme Smith. As we saw last night the plan worked so well that the selectors must be shaking their heads as they wonder why it was not put into operation when they hit a losing streak ahead of this series.

Freedom for Kallis

Not only has Gibbs been a success but there has been freedom for Jacques Kallis to play his long, classical innings and for Smith to bat for 45 overs. Gibbs has simply put bat to ball with a freedom which escaped him when he was Smith's opening partner. In fact De Villiers' move was nothing like as beneficial and last night he was dropped. The other disappointment was that, having held him back, Justin Kemp was unable to play the dominant innings that might have been expected and about the first rain break South Africa lost its last six wickets for 42 runs.

When the ground was cleared we looked forward to a titanic battle between the South African bowlers and Kevin Pietersen but after four overs the rain returned and 90 minutes later the game was called off. Pietersen might have won such a low scoring match in spectacular fashion but sadly not everyone is in love with this young man, as I explained two days ago.

Rice on Pietersen

Today I caught up with his mentor Clive Rice and asked his views on the old players who have said Pietersen should not have celebrated so vividly when he hit his last ball for six to complete his second century in only his ninth one-dayer. Rice is a blunt man and his initial answer is from the factory floor rather than the Long Room at Lord's.

I asked him to expand. "Look this guy is a fantastic talent. All his life from the time he was this big" — hand held about waist high — "to my size" — perhaps 6ft 2in — "he has wanted to play international cricket and be a success. Can you blame him for celebrating? Did the spectators, the guys who pay their dollars, complain that he gave them such wonderful entertainment. I don't think so. The fair minded among them will have said `Let's get another look at this guy the next time he plays.' Cricketers like him fill stadiums whether they are South Africans playing for England or South Africans playing for their home team. Are Manchester United and Chelsea entirely British? I think not. That is 21st century sport.

Right mind set

"I knew as soon as I saw him that he had the talent provided his mind was right. I think he has shown that it has the right mind set and I am thrilled at what he has achieved. Don't tell me about the old guys who dislike his celebration. Just ask yourself: Would you have celebrated? Of course you would and, as another old player I can tell you, so would I. That is the way to complete your century not . . ..", and here he mimed a trudge and wore a hangdog expression.

The fair-minded may be at Centurion hoping to catch a glimpse of Pietersen. He is not an orthodox cricketer; I saw the evidence for that when I checked into our five star hotel. He was standing at the reception desk, wearing no shoes nor socks, his training trousers flapping, his bare feet slapping on the marble floor, his dyed hair a tangled mess. No doubt the men now in the television gantry and the Press Box hate that image too.

Individuals often cause upsets and Pietersen will upset many more before he finishes. Good luck to him.

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