South Africa Newspaper's

[dinglinga]

what a laughing joke love the last line
sorry for the length of the article

So near, and yet so far

Jane Bramley | Durban, South Africa



28 March 2006 06:09

Australia beat the fading light and bowled South Africa out for 297 to win the second Castle Lager Test at Kingsmead by 112 runs on Tuesday.

Despite a battling partnership of 72 runs by Mark Boucher and Nicky Boje, the South Africans were unable to cope with the wiles of legendary legspinner Shane Warne, backed up by the seamers, and were all out with less than seven overs left to play.

While Boucher and Boje were still there, the Australians must have been casting anxious eyes towards the heavens, where ominous clouds were gathering, but the visitors were just too good for the home
side.

Graeme Smith and AB de Villiers, looking to bat for as long as possible, started off well, with a partnership of 91 runs. But when Adam Gilchrist, standing in as captain for Ricky Ponting, (who has food poisoning), brought Warne into the attack in the 17th over of the morning, the South African woes began. Four wickets fell before lunch -- three of them to Warne.

De Villiers was first to go, caught by Gilchrist off Warne's fourth delivery of the morning, for 46. Warne struck again four overs later, when Smith was caught by Justin Langer for 40. Television replays showed that the ball had come off Smith's arm, and he looked disconsolate as he trudged off the field.

With the two openers gone, all hopes rested with two of the senior players, Herschelle Gibbs and Jacques Kallis. But Kallis also fell to Warne, given out lbw to a ball that he was trying to sweep. Six balls later, Warne had a hand in the fourth dismissal of the morning when he caught Gibbs for 17 off the bowling of Stuart Clark. South Africa went to lunch on 128-4, still needing 282 for victory, but also needing to survive 66 overs to save the match and stay in the series.

Ashwell Prince then ducked into a bouncer from Stuart Clark -- but the ball hit the top of his bat handle and he was caught by Michael Hussey for seven.

Jacques Rudolph, who batted throughout a day to save the first Test in Perth, was looking good until he was caught by Hussey off Warne for 36, when he shouldered arms to a Warne delivery -- the ball came off his pad, hit his glove and went straight into Hussey's hands.

Local boy Shaun Pollock received a hero's welcome from the sparse crowd, but he lasted just 16 minutes before he was bowled by Lee for four.

South African hopes finally died when Nicky Boje drove a Michael Kasprowicz delivery straight to substitute Michael Clarke at short cover for 48 -- two short of what would have been his fifth Test half century, just before the new ball was taken.

But Andre Nel hung around for an hour and eight minutes to give South Africa new hope. He was finally caught in the slips by Matthew Hayden off Warne for a battling 14. Makhaya Ntini lasted for 13 deliveries but became Warne's sixth victim, when he was given out lbw for nought.

Although South Africa will be disappointed at not saving the match, they achieved a moral victory by making Australia work hard for their win. -- Sapa

[Kevin]

given out lbw

as opposed to being out I suppose

[stan]

Although South Africa will be disappointed at not saving the match, they achieved a moral victory by making Australia work hard for their win. -- Sapa

I guess there right, as South Africa were out played for all five days, well at least the Aussises had to take a full day to knock them over again.

[MightyEagles]

South Africa isn't the team that it once was back in the late 60's early 70's or even the mid 90's.

[JK]

Although South Africa will be disappointed at not saving the match, they achieved a moral victory by making Australia work hard for their win. -- Sapa

I guess there right, as South Africa were out played for all five days, well at least the Aussises had to take a full day to knock them over again.

Not really mate, we batted first on a wicket with good movement (and bounce) and in the 2nd dig we probably could have made 600 had we elected ... The SAfricans lost 20 wickets for the match despite what was ultimately futile resistance ... I fail to see how they can have achieved a moral victory here...

From the looks of the players in the pavilion Pollock was hurting the most at that final decision, and I guess it makes sense as he will have gone his entire career watching the Aussies always pip his mob, he's the one SAfrican I reakon ya gotta feel for!!

[Rik E Boy]

Polly is one of the few South Africans you've gotta respect also. Like Donald before him, he let his cricket do the talking.

regards,

REB

[Jimmy]

that article reads like it was written by a yr 11 journo student

[GWW]

This (home) series has been a huge flop for the Proteas. I reckon they played considerably better in the series in Oz a few months ago.

[dinglinga]

more articles

SA take dim view on bad light
29/03/2006 21:35 - (SA)

Altus Momberg, Die Burger


Johannesburg - The Proteas are extremely unhappy about the way the two umpires from the West Indies, Steve Bucknor and Billy Doctrove, applied the bad-light rules on the final day of the second Test in Durban.

Australia won the Test and the series after Shane Warne trapped Makhaya Ntini leg before with 43 balls left in the day's play.

The South Africans believe the light was too poor to bat and the umpires had made a mistake by not offering the batsmen the light.

[b]The United Cricket Board's operations director, Brian Basson, says he has already contacted the International Cricket Council to express his dismay.

Basson said: "I wasn't in Durban myself, but I watched the Test on TV and I wasn't happy with the state of affairs. "I don't think the umpires were consistent in the course of the five days." [/b]

Floodlight problems

Basson confirmed there was not a firm rule that could be applied regarding poor light when the stadium's floodlights were switched on.

"When the ICC and the umpires met to discuss the rules, they decided that as soon as the floodlights took over from natural light, it would be unfair to continue batting.

Basson also confirmed that umpires looked at the shadows cast by the players to ascertain if natural light or floodlights were more dominant.

This is how the rule was applied against England last year. On Tuesday, the players cast four long shadows, but the umpires did not offer them the light.

In accordance with the rules of conduct set out by the ICC, players are not allowed to comment, but it was obvious they were upset about being kept on the field.

There was a feeling in the South African camp that the umpires had allowed the Aussies to influence them, and that was why they had to remain on the field.

Did enough to win

Adam Gilchrist, who had taken over the captaincy from Ricky Ponting (food poisoning) for the day, regularly talked to the umpires after they started consulting about the light.

Even though the South Africans conceded that the Aussies deserved to win the Test and the series, they believed they still did enough on the final day to have won the Test and keep the series alive.

The South Africans were also unhappy about the umpires' decisions regarding the wickets of Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis and Ntini

[dinglinga]

and another......
Smith rushed to hospital
30/03/2006 12:57 - (SA)

Johannesburg - South African captain Graeme Smith injured his right ring finger during practice on Thursday morning before the third Test against Australia at the Wanderers, starting on Friday.

He injured the same finger during the tour of India last year. Smith has been taken to hospital for X-rays and it is not clear at this stage whether he will be fit to play.

Coach Mickey Arthur said if Smith was ruled out, Jacques Kallis would lead the side and Boeta Dippenaar would open the batting with AB De Villiers.

[spell_check]

Even though the South Africans conceded that the Aussies deserved to win the Test and the series, they believed they still did enough on the final day to have won the Test and keep the series alive.

WTF?

[Adelaide Hawk]

Even though the South Africans conceded that the Aussies deserved to win the Test and the series, they believed they still did enough on the final day to have won the Test and keep the series alive.

They also believe in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy

Ever since I was a young boy, I have always respected South Africa because of their tough uncompromising approach to international sport. However, this current bunch of sooks are casting South Africans in a new light for me. I have never heard so many excuses and total lack of denial that they have been simply outplayed by Australia over the past 4 months. The one comment they haven't made is that Australia have been the better team. Inability to recognise that shows they are living in a fool's paradise.

I am just waiting for South Africa to win this dead rubber Test Match and claim that it proves they are equal to or better than the Australians. All it will prove is Australia won 4-1 out of 6 Test Matches.

[colliver69]

Is there a spot after win/loss/draw/tie??

What a truckload of yappie rot! Moral win my arse.

[Adelaide Hawk]

South Africa isn't the team that it once was back in the late 60's early 70's or even the mid 90's.

Both in ability and attitude. The thing I used to admire most about South African cricketers was their toughness and never say die attitude. This cunrrent bunch have a genuine soft underbelly that their captain seems neither able nor willing to do anything about. Unless they toughen up, their cricket will continue to decline.