PAUL ADAMS and Dave Richardson spoiled England's day with a last-wicket stand of 73, the highest of the match, to tilt the deciding fifth and final test dramatically towards South Africa yesterday.
South Africa recovered from 171 for nine to 244 all out on the second day to gain a vital first innings lead of 91, at Newlands after England were shot out on the first day for 153.
Mike Atherton fell in the fifth over of England's second innings caught behind off Allan Donald for 10. And it could have been worse as night-watchman Angus Fraser was dropped in the slips off Donald's last ball of the day as England finished at 17 for one from seven overs.
Adams had totalled just four runs in six first-class matches before he came in with South Africa in trouble. But his first test runs came in dramatic fashion from the second ball he faced. Having dug out a full-length Devon Malcolm delivery, Adams set off for a single which became worth five as a wild throw from Dominic Cork yielded four overthrows.
Malcolm gave the 18-year-old a torrid time, but could not get him out and as the stand progressed Adams supplemented the strokeplay of Richardson with some fine shots of his own.
When the stand was eventually broken by a brilliant diving catch at second slip by Graeme Hick, the pair had added 73 in just 90 balls, the third-highest last-wicket partnership in South Africa's test history. Adams was out for 9 leaving Richardson unbeaten on 54 from 98 balls with five fours.
The stand came after England's best bowling performance of the tour, with South Africa collapsing from 125 for three to 171 for nine.
Peter Martin (three for 37) and Dominic Cork (three for 60) took the honours, but with the exception of a listless Malcolm, the whole attack contributed to the home side's slow torture which saw just 38 runs added in 25 overs between lunch and tea for the loss of three wickets.
Martin got rid of South Africa's top scorer Daryll Cullinan with a perfect outswinger to begin the slide. Cullinan was caught behind for an unusually restrained 62 from 134 balls. Jack Russell took the catch, which took him past Alan Knott's England record of 24 catches in a series, set during the six Ashes tests of 1970/71.
Russell took another to dismiss Jonty Rhodes in the next over and, later catching Donald off Cork, now stands within one of Rodney Marsh's world record of 28.
Cork ran out Brian McMillan with a direct hit from cover to continue the slide and after tea wickets continued to fall until Adams and Richardson arrived to wrest the game from England's grasp.
Afterwards, Adams said he was not worried about facing the England attack. Asked how he reacted when Cork bowled him a bouncer and glared down the wicket, Adams said: "I winked back at him. The crowd gave me great encouragement and the longer the stand went on the lower the fielders seemed to get. I bat at five or six for my club side St Augustine's, so I fancy my batting a bit."
Richardson said that when Adams came in he told his young partner he would try and farm the strike and score a few runs. "Paul said to me, `you just worry about your own end'," he added.
South African manager Bob Woolmer said: "I believe that everyone has something to contribute to the team and I spent half an hour throwing to Paul in the nets this morning. At this rate it won't be long before he's opening the batting for St Augustine."
England wicket-keeper Russell summed up the last-wicket stand succinctly. "It was a pain in the backside," he said.
