CRICKET/Fourth Test in Johannesburg: Degree by degree the temperature of the fourth Test rose yesterday until by the time bad light interfered yet again it was on the verge of boiling over.
First Marcus Trescothick, as he does, counter-punched the opposition to such stunning effect that he walked off unbeaten with a 10th Test century to his name. For nearly four hours, he had planted his feet, swung his bat and 15 times found the boundary, standing and delivering.
With Michael Vaughan making a half-century, their third wicket partnership had brought 124 at an exhilarating rate of scoring after Makhaya Ntini had removed Andrew Strauss and Robert Key with the new ball. Their alliance, it seemed, had underpinned the probability of a drawn match while not precluding the possibility that England might be able to put pressure on the South Africans in the final innings today.
These are dangerous opponents, however, tigers to the end of the day and once more the England batsmen dropped their guard as Shaun Pollock, drawing inspiration from a fiercely parochial crowd, found the energy to dismiss first Vaughan and then Andrew Flintoff, with Jacques Kallis pulling off a stunning return catch to see off Graham Thorpe in between times.
If it was a disappointment for the crowd that such high-octane cricket was not allowed to proceed to a natural conclusion, then it was understandable that Trescothick, fatigued, with 101 to his name and like all recent centurions, vulnerable in the aftermath of his celebrations, and Geraint Jones, left hand throbbing from the pain sustained while keeping wicket, wanted time to collect their thoughts before continuing this morning.
Thus, a game that at times has bordered on the lower reaches of competence, is set up for what might yet be a compelling final day. In allowing South Africa to recover and make 419, of which Herschelle Gibbs made 161, England conceded a first-innings lead of eight, significant only in its psychological impact. Now, England, with five wickets in hand, have already built a lead of 189, knowing, one assumes, that 200 has been exceeded in the final innings here only five times and never to win.
To succeed, however, England first must be bowled out reasonably quickly and then Vaughan must somehow turn around a first-innings performance from his bowlers that at times was comically bad.
Although there is little rough to speak of for a spinner, there are ever-widening cracks for pace bowlers to exploit. The problem for England is that they are in the vicinity of a good length and attacking line, an area of the pitch they would be unable to locate at present even with the aid of GPS.
Matters are further complicated by the succession of injuries that blighted England during South Africa's innings. Of principal concern is the swelling near the top of Steve Harmison's left calf muscle, which cut short his bowling on Saturday and prevented him from taking the field yesterday. Although he is expected to bat today, it is not clear if he will be able to bowl.
Ashley Giles sustained a dislocated right thumb which, while not preventing him bowling, could impact on his batting and may yet prove troublesome for the final Test on Friday. There was a badly bruised left thumb for Jones too, sustained on Saturday in the course of flinging himself this way and that as the bowling went off the radar. Matthew Hoggard's cramp was a mere incidental.
Fortunately, the possibility that they might be taking a side of walking wounded to Centurion later in the week has not been lost on the selectors. Although the residue of the one-day squad arrives tomorrow morning, a dramatic last hurrah for Darren Gough, or a first one for Alex Wharf does not appear to be on the cards, and instead Gloucestershire paceman Jon Lewis, the official standby, will join the party this morning.
England did little to redeem themselves yesterday morning after a day on Saturday that bordered on farce.
Vaughan's overnight declaration, a bold move, was predicated on the weather remaining overcast and his attack giving a passable impression of international class: he was to be sadly disappointed on both accounts. By the close on Saturday, Hoggard had taken four wickets, while the others failed even to reach those lofty heights. Harmison in particular is a shadow at the moment, a world away from the giant of last year, while there can be nothing but sympathy for James Anderson, a little boy lost here, who rarely seems capable of sending down two successive deliveries to the same postcode. Hoggard did take the wicket of Pollock first thing, to give him a deserved fifth wicket, but at a total cost of 144 runs it is one of the more expensive successes by an England bowler.
On the back of this Gibbs played an outrageous innings, a flair player who has rediscovered the art of the long innings. It was a further 90 minutes yesterday before he steered Anderson's wide long hop to third man.
England's response was not promising, beginning with the dismissal of Strauss, without scoring, to a replica of the shot to which he got out on the first evening, the precursor to a collapse the next day. Key, then proceeded to play another jaunty if brief innings before he was caught at slip off the back of the bat as he attempted to play Ntini to leg.
Guardian Service
