South Africa close in on No.1 ranking
By Julian Guyer, 21 Aug 2012 Julian Guyer is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- Cricket, England cricket, South Africa cricket
South Africa were just a session away from replacing England as the world’s No.1 Test side on the fifth day of the third and final Test at Lord’s on Monday.
England were 7-221 at tea, still needing a further 125 runs to reach their daunting victory target of 346.
Wicketkeeper Matt Prior was 35 not out and Graeme Swann 12 not out, with the new ball available to South Africa 10 overs after tea.
At 6-146, England were facing a crushing defeat but a stand of 62 between Prior and Stuart Broad kept the Proteas at bay.
However, the partnership ended when Broad, on 37, hooked a Jacques Kallis bouncer to Hashim Amla at long leg to give the all-rounder his 50th Test wicket against England.
South Africa, 1-0 up in this series after an innings win at The Oval was followed by a draw at Headingley, only had to avoid defeat at Lord’s to replace England at the top of the International Cricket Council’s world Test rankings.
History was against England as the most they had ever made in the fourth innings to win a Test was the 7-332 they posted against Australia at Melbourne back in 1928/29.
Vernon Philander had removed England captain Andrew Strauss, in his 100th Test, and fellow left-handed opener Alastair Cook late Sunday to reduce the hosts to 16 for two at the fourth day’s close.
Philander struck again early Monday when he had Ian Bell caught, at the second attempt, for his overnight score of four by Proteas captain Graeme Smith at first slip.
The last thing England needed then was a run out but confusion between Jonathan Trott and James Taylor over a fourth run saw the latter dismissed after Amla’s throw was relayed by Dale Steyn to wicket-keeper AB de Villiers.
Jonathan Bairstow, who made a gallant 95 after coming in at 4-54 in the first innings having replaced the dropped Kevin Pietersen, walked out to bat Monday with England in an even worse position at 4-45.
But he showed his class with several boundaries off fast bowler Steyn, the best a straight drive down the ground.
And leg-spinner Imran Tahir also got the Bairstow treatment, lofted straight and swept for two fours in successive deliveries.
However, shortly after lunch, an entertaining partnership of 89 ended when Bairstow played back to a Tahir delivery that kept low and was bowled for 54 off just 47 balls including eight boundaries.
And 5-134 became 6-146 when Trott, playing away from his body, was brilliantly caught by second slip Kallis off Steyn for 63 after more than three-and-a-half hours at the crease.
Left-handed batsman Broad pulled Steyn for six and Prior reverse-swept Tahir for four but South Africa’s grip on the game remained firm.
© AFP 2013
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The Crowd Says (4) | Page 1 of Comments
Have Your Say
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- Cricket, England cricket, South Africa cricket
August 21st 2012 @ 6:22am
Red Kev said | August 21st 2012 @ 6:22am | Report comment
Done, South Africa number one in the world – and coming here before Christmas to demolish the second rate Australian lineup Inverarity will field.
August 21st 2012 @ 8:33am
Rusty said | August 21st 2012 @ 8:33am | Report comment
We shall see, I like our balance at the moment but all it takes is an injury to one of the spearhead bowlers (Steyn, Philander, Morkel) and the picture changes drastically. I would probably say Philander at this point being the most indispensible due to his nagging line and length seam bowling. Batting lineup looks good although there are questions around Rudolph’s place still…perhaps to bring in a new keeper as ABs stats have slid since he donned the gloves.
August 21st 2012 @ 11:48am
jameswm said | August 21st 2012 @ 11:48am | Report comment
A very quick outie bowler, a tall bouncy bowler, and a nagging medium pacer who does a bit. Good combination.
Who will the Aussies pick? Pattinson, Siddle and Hilfy? Harris, Starc and Cummins missing out?
So we will have
Pattinson v Steyn – no contest at this stage. Oddly, Pattinson tended to bowl poor first spells and then come back well. He bowls too full in his first spell. Queries on his fitness too
Philander v Hilfy – Hilfy moves it more though sometimes it can be predictable. A close call. Philander’s doing well, Hilfy had an excellent summer.
Siddle v Morkel – ok different types of bwlers here. Siddle is quicker. And I’d say at his best a better bowler. Morkel’s a good bowler but better when there’s a little bit in the pitch (OK so is everyone, but I think he needs it a bit more than Siddle). But Siddle needs that little bit of outswing and to bowl the fuller length. He has a huge heart and is about the fittest bowler around. How often does he pick up wickets bowling snarly spells at 146kmh at the end of the day?
To get right back to the top within 2-3 years, the Aussies need:
1. Pattinson and Cummins (or at least one of them) to become top test bowlers
2. A proper spinner. Lyon may become this. I can’t see anyone else out there
3. A solid top order, whether it has Warner in it or not. Cowan, Hughes, Marsh, Khawaja, Davis, Forrest – no obvious candidates
4. A reconstructed middle order post-Ponting/Hussey. I think this is one of the easier chores. Clarke at 4 and Watto at 5/6, you only need one more. Warner a possibility at 6, otherwise one of Cooper, Ferguson, Burns, Forrest etc.
August 21st 2012 @ 11:52am
ak said | August 21st 2012 @ 11:52am | Report comment
They are much better. They have got better openers, better middle-order, better wicket-keeper batsman, better pace bowlers, better swing bowlers, and a better spinner.