GRAHAM THORPE suffered despair last night as England lost the opening one-day International against South Africa, at Cape Town, by six runs. Thorpe simply ran out of partners as England made a hash of chasing South Africa's 211 for eight.
England let off the South Africans twice in a match they should have won. First, after having the home side struggling at 107 for six, the bowling was not tight enough to prevent Shaun Pollock masterminding a rally with a superb unbeaten 66.
Thorpe, who had earlier brilliantly ran out South African captain Hansie Cronje and then caught the dangerous Jacques Kallis, dropped Pollock when the 22-year-old fast bowler had made just 29. Man-of-the-match Pollock was there to haunt England again under the evening lights, taking four for 34 to help speed England towards defeat.
Thorpe's 62 ended in the 48th over when he was ninth out - swinging at Brian McMillan and skying to Craig Matthews coming in off the deep mid-wicket boundary.
Thorpe had watched with increasing despair as England's lower middle order failed to give him the support he deserved. Neil Fairbrother's dismissal sparked the slide, the Lancashire lefthander spoiling a sensible innings of 28 by trying to hoik Pollock over the top of mid-on.
Fairbrother and Thorpe had put on 60 with few alarms after England's top order had built a solid base, despite the electric pace of Allan Donald, who removed Mike Atherton, Alex Stewart and Graeme Hick in a brilliant first spell.
Craig White lasted only seven balls before chipping a return catch to Pollock, and Dermot Reeve edged his third ball to the keeper. A grievous blow was struck when Dominic Cork ran himself out for seven by setting off for an impossible single, which Thorpe rightly refused.
Neil Smith, making his one-day international debut, lasted only six deliveries before edging Pollock to first slip. A seemingly comfortable asking rate of 51 runs from the last 12 overs - the situation which occurred when White was out - had by then become 15 off three overs.
Thirteen runs were still needed when Thorpe fell - leaving last wicket pair Darren Gough and Peter Martin with far too much to do against a fired up Donald and Pollock.
It was South Africa's first one-day victory against England, at the fifth attempt, and Mike Atherton's side clearly have a lot of work still to do as they prepare for next month's World Cup in this seven-match series.
Pollock's innings lasted only 66 balls, and included six fours, and he figured in partnerships of 45 and 59 with Kallis and Matthews respectively.
