The Hindu : Sport : England loses its way

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England loses its way

Ted Corbett

— PHOTO: AP

WRECKER-IN-CHIEF: Andre Nel took care of the England top-order, sending back Andrew Strauss, Michael Vaughan and Alastair Cook.

BIRMINGHAM: Twenty-seven minutes before lunch on the first day of the third Test we were wondering just how many Andrew Strauss and Alistair Cook would have for England’s opening stand when they sat down to a healthy salad. Michael Vaughan had won a crucial toss and these two heroes had made a serene 68 together on a slow pitch.

Sixteen minutes later England needed a rescue act, three controversial decisions were being vigorously debated and the agenda for the rest of the summer was firmly in place.

First, Strauss the less assured partner essayed a pull but stepped back on to his stumps as the ball sped away. In came Vaughan who, despite a century at Lord’s in May before the New Zealanders had found their land legs is anxiously short of runs. He almost galloped to the middle, groped forward at Andre Nel’s first ball and was adjudged by umpire Aleem Dar — wrongly as a dozen TV replays showed — to be caught behind.

Kevin Pietersen, a bad starter, middled his first ball but was out eight balls later. At first it appeared he had been lbw; but umpire Steve Davis cupped his hands to show he had been given out caught at point. Pietersen paused in disbelief.

Now we face a couple of months deciding whether Strauss is the opener who would have begun his Test life with two centuries on debut but for the reckless run habits of Nasser Hussain; whether Vaughan can continue at No.3 or at all unless he collects a few more runs and whether Pietersen can survive with a massive hundred in every series and nothing much else.

Redemption came from three sources. The pitch was unresponsive, the South African quicks bowled wide and there was a repair job by Cook and Ian Bell who at least left the ball decisively. They took the score to 82 at lunch and Cook completed his 13th Test fifty off 88 balls soon after.

Cook continued to accumulate but Bell released his trademark shot; a square cut entirely lacking violence that appears to gain speed as it closes in on the boundary. Not good physics I know but superb timing.

Once again English hopes were dashed. Cook nudged four through the slips and was then beautifully caught by Kallis, diving low. Nel was the bowler but he gave us a glimpse of his inner demon the one he calls Gunther by roaring at Cook as he left for 76. He and Kallis, bowling with all the subtle touches of a veteran, shared six wickets and all the glory.

Bell dropped

Bell was dropped by Smith off Nel but hit two offside fours in the same over, survived a huge shout for lbw by Kallis on 40, and watched Paul Collingwood face 15 balls before getting off the mark. That four was Collingwood’s only contribution before he was caught at slip; half the side gone for 158. Andrew Flintoff played the only other worthwhile knock with an undefeated 36 that began slowly and finished with a six, four flourish.

Bell went to fifty with another deceptive extra cover drive but the ball had suddenly and mysteriously begun to move off the pitch. Bell was caught just before tea while the innings ended in chaos when Anderson and Panesar were run out off successive balls at 231.

A moment of Flintoff magic rushed out Smith, whose back was clearly troubling him.

There is a chance that in a low-scoring match we may still have a level series by Sunday.

SCOREBOARD

England — 1st innings: A. Strauss ht. wkt. b Nel 20, A. Cook c Kallis b Nel 76, M. Vaughan c Boucher b Nel 0, K. Pietersen c Prince b Kallis 4, I. Bell c Boucher b Ntini 50, P. Collingwood c Smith b Kallis 4, A. Flintoff (not out) 36, T. Ambrose b Kallis 22, R. Sidebottom c Boucher b Ntini 2, J. Anderson (run out) 1, M. Panesar (run out) 1, Extras (b-1, lb-7, nb-5, w-2): 15; Total (in 77 overs): 231.

Fall of wickets: 1-68, 2-68, 3-74, 4-136, 5-158, 6-173, 7-212, 8-215, 9-230.

South Africa bowling: Morkel 15-2-50-0, Ntini 19-5-70-2, Nel 17-7-47-3, Kallis 15-5-31-3, Harris 11-1-25-0.

South Africa — 1st innings: N. McKenzie (batting) 12, G. Smith c Strauss b Flintoff 7, P. Harris (batting) 10, Extras (lb-8, nb-1): 9; Total (for one wkt. in 11 overs): 38..

Fall of wicket: 1-17.

England bowling: Sidebottom 6-2-16-0, Anderson 3-0-10-0, Flintoff 2-1-4-1

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