CRICKET/South Africa v England, third Test: The sun was relentless once more at Newlands yesterday and so were the resurgent South Africans as they worked their way through England's batting order to leave themselves in sight of victory last night. It will take foul weather, plague, pestilence or, least likely of all, some genuinely heroic batting if Michael Vaughan and his side are not to go to the seaming pitches of the high veldt next week with the series all square.
Chasing what was essentially a nominal target of 501 to win but more realistically being asked to survive 167 overs for the draw, the England batting was wanton yet again, with wickets squandered. Hopes now rest on Graham Thorpe (22 not out but lucky to survive Graeme Smith's off-spin) and Geraint Jones (two) but at 151 for five, with the pitch wearing and the second new ball due in three overs, their position is precarious. The match should be South Africa's, if not by lunch today then soon after.
With the New Year, the worm seems to be turning for England. Matthew Hoggard's badly bruised heel, injured before play yesterday, may not prove too incapacitating, though attempting to stop a drive from Andrew Flintoff with one's foot is a bit like trying to catch bullets with the teeth and best not attempted. But the mystery surrounding Flintoff's apparent side strain is of more concern.
Rib injuries to fast bowlers, though, have a habit of being underestimated in the first instance. Should an intercostal muscle be damaged Flintoff's bowling could be sidelined for as much as eight weeks.
With so much time for South Africa to bowl England out, survival was always going to be a tall order. Last year West Indies batted for 100 overs in making 354 for five to save their match here but that is the highest fourth-innings total ever made on the ground and as such is no great comfort to England.
Instead they could look at their own precedents: 165 overs survived to save the game at The Wanderers in 1996; 171 overs at Old Trafford two years later to avoid defeat, also against South Africa, having followed on; the last day at Galle and 140 overs in Kandy last winter to save games there; and 422 for five made from 137 overs having followed on 466 behind West Indies in Antigua last April.
Guardian Service
ENGLAND second innings, close
M E Trescothick c Amla b Pollock 0
A J Strauss lbw b Boje 39
R W T Key st de Villiers b Boje 41
M P Vaughan c Rudolph b Ntini 20
G P Thorpe not out 22
A Flintoff c de Villiers b Pollock 20
G O Jones not out 2
Extras b2 nb5 7
Total 5 wkts (77 overs) 151
Fall: 1-0 2-68 3-103 4-105 5-146.
To Bat: A F Giles, M J Hoggard, S P Jones, S J Harmison.
Bowling: Pollock 18 8 33 2 Ntini 15 3 30 1 Langeveldt 11 2 31 0 Boje 19 10 18 2 Kallis 12 4 26 0 Smith 2 0 11 0.
