The Hindu : Sport : Panesar has SA spellbound

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Panesar has SA spellbound

Ted Corbett

Ashwell Prince scores a fighting century

LONDON: A magical spell of spin bowling by Monty Panesar put England in a strong position to win the first Test against South Africa at Lord’s even though Ashwell Prince completed his eighth Test century as South Africa fought hard to avoid the follow on.

Panesar took three for 29 in his 12 overs after tea but he owed the first victim to James Anderson who made a marvellous leaping catch at mid on.

By the time Prince and the fast bowler Dale Steyn started their ninth wicket stand he had four wickets and seemed to have proved that South Africa is not happy against spin.

After losing three of its batting stars before it reached double figures South Africa was already fighting to save the Test half way through the third day.

It had the advantage of playing on a heartless pitch but when Neil McKenzie was out to Monty Panesar just after lunch four men had gone for 83 as it searched for a way to tackle England’s mammoth 593 for eight declared.

Graeme Smith, a blockade of a batsman when he is set, managed to top edge a ball from James Anderson that reared as he played through the offside and he was caught at cover.

After 40 minutes of uncertainty and immobility Hamish Amla was caught behind off Stuart Broad and half an hour later Jacques Kallis, whose measured batting has been such a consistent factor for South Africa across more years than he will wish to remember, was caught low in the slips by Andrew Strauss off Ryan Sidebottom.

Significant force

It is Sidebottom who has been the most significant force in England’s revival. He is a cricketer’s cricketer, immensely wise in the ways of the weather, the condition of pitches and the habits of opposing batsmen. Throughout the morning McKenzie, fitful middle order batsman turned opening bat, had defended carefully like a driver in dense traffic. It needed something special to see him off and, not surprisingly, it was Panesar who found the answer with a ball that bowled him round his legs.

England also needed that moment. When Panesar begins to dance — as he did across half the main square when McKenzie’s bails fell — his ignition is firing and on any pitch that is a dangerous moment for any opposition.

In the main it was the quicker men who were cutting swathes through South African ranks. A breeze, cloud and rare glimpses of sunshine; all these factors gave bowlers the edge just as a target of 394 to avoid the follow-on spoilt their concentration.

The game went quiet while Broad bowled swiftly and Panesar bowled cleverly. It was nearly three hours before 100 was on the board and when Sidebottom returned — with only two slips and a gully compared with the ring of five catchers at the beginning of the day — life was much easier. Vaughan even called up Paul Collingwood trying to inject venom into this arid session as Ashwell Prince completed fifty.

Falling apart

After tea South Africa fell apart. A wonderful leaping catch by Anderson got rid of de Villiers Broad bowled Mark Boucher, Panesar bowled Morne Morkel and a diving catch at mid wicket by Anderson gave Panesar his fourth wicket at 203 for eight.

Sidebottom finally had Prince caught after a stand of 43 for the ninth wicket with Steyn but the encroaching darkness meant that Panesar had to bowl as England pressed for victory.

SCOREBOARD

England — 1st innings: 593 for eight decl.

South Africa — 1st innings: G. Smith c Bell b Anderson 8, N. McKenzie b Panesar 40, H. Amla c Ambrose b Broad 6, J. Kallis c Strauss b Sidebottom 7, A. Prince c Ambrose b Sidebottom 101, AB de Villiers c Anderson b Panesar 42, M. Boucher b Broad 4, M. Morkel b Panesar 6, P. Harris c Anderson b Panesar 6, D. Steyn c Sidebottom b Pietersen 19, M. Ntini (not out) 0, Extras (b-1, lb-4, w-3) 8; Total (in 93.3 overs) 247.

Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-28, 3-47, 4-83, 5-161, 6-168, 7-191, 8-203, 9-245.

England bowling: Sidebottom 19-3-41-2, Anderson 21-7-36-1, Broad 23-3-88-2, Panesar 26-4-74-4, Collingwood 4-1-3-0, Pietersen 0.3-0-0-1.

South Africa — 2nd Innings: G. Smith (batting) 8, N. McKenzie (batting) 1, Extras (b-4) 4; Total (for no loss in 4 overs) 13.

England bowling: Panesar 2-0-7-0, Pietersen 2-1-2-0.

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