Sunday, January 17, 2010

England falter in face of large South African total: T4 D3

England 180 & 3/48 (13.2 ov) trail South Africa 7/423d (119 0v, G Smith 105, M Boucher 95, H Amla 75, A B deVilliers) 58 by 195 runs with 7 wickets in hand: T4 D3 at Johannesburg.

On another day curtailed by weather and bad light South Africa tightened its already firm grip on the game to the point where it's hard to see how it can lose. There was a temporary check when they lost 3 good wickets early in the day for 18, including Hashim Amla (who added only 2 to his overnight score) for 75/ 138b (8x4). Thereafter AB deVilliers with a measured 58/119b (5x4) and Mark Boucher got things back on track adding 120 for the 6th. Boucher continued in aggressive vein with Ryan McLaren before he was caught pulling the first ball of a new Graeme Swann spell for 95/118b (9x4). Soon afterwards Graeme Smith declared leaving England a stiff challenge to avoid an innings defeat,

Once again Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel showed how good they are by taking a top order wicket apiece. After a break Wayne Parnell took his first Test wicket - not a bad one at that - Andrew Strauss lbw for 22, leaving England 3/48 and a draw (and bad weather) to play pray for. South Africa deserve to win this one.

Scorecard



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