Cricket: Proteas vs England – Test at Kingsmead, Durban 26 – 30 Dec 2009 – England won

Published 26 December 2009 | By grootblousmile

The South African Proteas take on England in the 2nd 5-day Test of the series of 4 Tests, after drawing the 1st Test in Centurion. This is the traditional Boxing Day Test and this year it takes place in Durban at Kingsmead. This is your match thread for discussion of the game.

South Africa 343 & 133 (50.0 ov)

England 574/9d

England won by an innings and 98 runs


South Africa 1st innings		R	M	B	4s	6s	SR
GC Smith*	run out (Cook)	75	256	186	9	0	40.32
58.2 from Onions, Huge mix up between the batsmen! Smith dropped into the off side, and de Villiers, Pietersen-esque, ran down the wicket at him. Smith started to run, hesitated, turned around and Cook ran in to take the bails off, just beating Smith’s dive. 166/4
AG Prince	c Swann b Anderson	2	8	5	0	0	40.00
2.1 Anderson strikes early! Classic opening wicket, just back of a length, moved a touch away from Prince as he tried to defend off the back foot. It bounced a little more than he expected and ended up fencing, off the shoulder of the bat, to Graeme Swann at third slip. 3/1
HM Amla	lbw b Broad	2	35	22	0	0	9.09
9.4 massive blow! The fullest delivery of the match so far, and arguably of Broad’s entire tour, as Amla plants his front foot and doesn’t even ponder wasting a review on that one. HawkEye shows that that would have hit middle and leg two-thirds up, and England are on fire 10/2
JH Kallis	c Collingwood b Swann	75	197	132	7	0	56.81
55.3 got him! That has come out of nowhere, pushed across him, like so many balls before, but this time it gets the outside edge and goes, slightly gently, to Collingwood at slip! Crucial breakthrough 160/3
AB de Villiers	c †Prior b Broad	50	149	98	6	0	51.02
88.2 Broad does the trick! Full length, where all the magic happens, and swinging away a touch outside off, de Villiers goes for an expansive drive but nicks it through to Prior. England really needed that. 269/7
JP Duminy	lbw b Onions	4	9	9	0	0	44.44
60.1 gone! This time it’s dead straight, swinging back at Duminy from that good length which Onions pursues, no uncertainty from the umpire. Onions really deserves that, he has bowled well all day 170/5
MV Boucher†	lbw b Swann	39	72	50	5	0	78.00
77.1 well, well, we have a review coming up … and it’s looking good for England … Swann straightened one from round the wicket, Boucher got in a good stride, but the ball clearly struck pad before bat, and HawkEye suggests it would have hit middle two-thirds of the way up. And that’s out! 233/6
M Morkel	lbw b Swann	23	87	49	2	0	46.93
95.6 well, that you have to say was coming. Morkel was bamboozled for five deliveries, and this one finally pins him in front of off. He calls for the review, but it’s a futile gesture. That struck him on the shin, and that is curtains 285/9
PL Harris	lbw b Swann	2	15	12	0	0	16.66
91.5 We have a review, very full and Harris is sweeping rather clumsily, he misses and is rapped him on the pads. Given out but Harris calls for a review. He may think he’s hit it but replays don’t suggest that. Pitched in line, and hitting, and given out 280/8
DW Steyn	c †Prior b Anderson	47	66	58	3	3	81.03
108.3 there it is, the end comes at last, and sadly for Steyn he falls short of his half-century. A short delivery, just straight enough to demand a stroke, and Prior behind the stumps gathers a regulation nick 343/10
M Ntini	not out	6	47	30	0	0	20.00

Extras	(b 1, lb 17)	18

Total	(all out; 108.3 overs; 474 mins)	343	(3.16 runs per over)

Fall of wickets1-3 (Prince, 2.1 ov), 2-10 (Amla, 9.4 ov), 3-160 (Kallis, 55.3 ov), 4-166 (Smith, 58.2 ov), 5-170 (Duminy, 60.1 ov), 6-233 (Boucher, 77.1 ov), 7-269 (de Villiers, 88.2 ov), 8-280 (Harris, 91.5 ov), 9-285 (Morkel, 95.6 ov), 10-343 (Steyn, 108.3 ov)


Bowling	O	M	R	W	Econ
JM Anderson	23.3	4	75	2	3.19
2.1 to Prince, Anderson strikes early! Classic opening wicket, just back of a length, moved a touch away from Prince as he tried to defend off the back foot. It bounced a little more than he expected and ended up fencing, off the shoulder of the bat, to Graeme Swann at third slip. 3/1 108.3 to Steyn, there it is, the end comes at last, and sadly for Steyn he falls short of his half-century. A short delivery, just straight enough to demand a stroke, and Prior behind the stumps gathers a regulation nick 343/10
G Onions	23	6	62	1	2.69
60.1 to Duminy, gone! This time it’s dead straight, swinging back at Duminy from that good length which Onions pursues, no uncertainty from the umpire. Onions really deserves that, he has bowled well all day 170/5
SCJ Broad	20	6	44	2	2.20
9.4 to Amla, massive blow! The fullest delivery of the match so far, and arguably of Broad’s entire tour, as Amla plants his front foot and doesn’t even ponder wasting a review on that one. HawkEye shows that that would have hit middle and leg two-thirds up, and England are on fire 10/2 88.2 to de Villiers, Broad does the trick! Full length, where all the magic happens, and swinging away a touch outside off, de Villiers goes for an expansive drive but nicks it through to Prior. England really needed that. 269/7
GP Swann	35	3	110	4	3.14
55.3 to Kallis, got him! That has come out of nowhere, pushed across him, like so many balls before, but this time it gets the outside edge and goes, slightly gently, to Collingwood at slip! Crucial breakthrough 160/3 77.1 to Boucher, well, well, we have a review coming up … and it’s looking good for England … Swann straightened one from round the wicket, Boucher got in a good stride, but the ball clearly struck pad before bat, and HawkEye suggests it would have hit middle two-thirds of the way up. And that’s out! 233/6 91.5 to Harris, We have a review, very full and Harris is sweeping rather clumsily, he misses and is rapped him on the pads. Given out but Harris calls for a review. He may think he’s hit it but replays don’t suggest that. Pitched in line, and hitting, and given out 280/8 95.6 to Morkel, well, that you have to say was coming. Morkel was bamboozled for five deliveries, and this one finally pins him in front of off. He calls for the review, but it’s a futile gesture. That struck him on the shin, and that is curtains 285/9
IJL Trott	4	0	19	0	4.75

KP Pietersen	2	0	7	0	3.50

PD Collingwood	1	0	8	0	8.00


England 1st innings		R	M	B	4s	6s	SR
AJ Strauss*	b Morkel	54	80	67	9	0	80.59
18.4 that’s done him this time! The round-the-wicket line, a hint of movement, climbing through the gate and taking out middle stump. No need to review that! 71/1
AN Cook	c Kallis b Morkel	118	401	263	11	0	44.86
92.4 got him this time! Morkel continuing around off stump and Cook finally has a nibble at one, catches the outside edge and goes through to Kallis, who makes no mistake. Ends a fantastic fighting innings 297/4
IJL Trott	c †Boucher b Morkel	18	39	31	2	0	58.06
27.3 massive wicket, and that will delight South Africa, because it’s the irritant Trott. Outside off, cramped for room and forced to play, extra bounce grazed the edge, and Boucher made no mistake! 104/2
KP Pietersen	lbw b Harris	31	86	52	4	0	59.61
47.3 huge wicket! Pietersen gone and Harris gets his man! Pietersen had looked edgy against Harris all morning, and he went for another expansive sweep shot here, but it was too full and crashed straight into his pad on middle and off stump. Given out, Pietersen entertained thoughts of a referral but correctly decided against it. So Kallis’s drop will not cost South Africa 155/3
PD Collingwood	c †Boucher b Duminy	91	283	215	7	0	42.32
113.5 gone! Collingwood’s long vigil has ended and he won’t make a hundred. Shorter from Duminy, but Collingwood toe-ends his cut shot and Boucher makes no mistake behind the stumps. Good reward for Duminy who has bowled quite nicely here 365/5
IR Bell	c †Boucher b Steyn	140	313	227	10	1	61.67
168.2 Bell’s gone now, and the end of the innings is nigh. Width from Steyn, swinging further away, and though he rightly chases the ball, he can only get a toe-end through to Boucher 568/9
MJ Prior†	b Duminy	60	134	81	6	1	74.07
145.5 Duminy’s persistence with a wide line outside off pays dividends at last. A bit of grip ensures an under-edge on another aggressive cut, and the ball deflects into the stumps 477/6
SCJ Broad	c Kallis b Duminy	20	65	59	1	1	33.89
163.5 on a good length, appreciable spin, a regulation edge as Broad props forward, and a looping edge to Jacques Kallis at slip. So, the breakthrough comes, and Duminy has three 536/7
GP Swann	c Prince b Steyn	22	15	14	2	1	157.14
166.6 and now he’s gone. Booming swing again, and Swann can’t get decent bat on this one. An attempted flick ends up as a leading edge, and Ashwell Prince gallops in from mid-on to scoop the chance 564/8
JM Anderson	not out	1	17	4	0	0	25.00

G Onions	not out	2	8	8	0	0	25.00

Extras	(lb 10, w 6, nb 1)	17

Total	(9 wickets dec; 170 overs; 724 mins)	574	(3.37 runs per over)

Fall of wickets1-71 (Strauss, 18.4 ov), 2-104 (Trott, 27.3 ov), 3-155 (Pietersen, 47.3 ov), 4-297 (Cook, 92.4 ov), 5-365 (Collingwood, 113.5 ov), 6-477 (Prior, 145.5 ov), 7-536 (Broad, 163.5 ov), 8-564 (Swann, 166.6 ov), 9-568 (Bell, 168.2 ov)


Bowling	O	M	R	W	Econ
DW Steyn	34	6	94	2	2.76
166.6 to Swann, and now he’s gone. Booming swing again, and Swann can’t get decent bat on this one. An attempted flick ends up as a leading edge, and Ashwell Prince gallops in from mid-on to scoop the chance 564/8 168.2 to Bell, Bell’s gone now, and the end of the innings is nigh. Width from Steyn, swinging further away, and though he rightly chases the ball, he can only get a toe-end through to Boucher 568/9
M Ntini	29	4	114	0	3.93

M Morkel	31	6	78	3	2.51	(3w)
18.4 to Strauss, that’s done him this time! The round-the-wicket line, a hint of movement, climbing through the gate and taking out middle stump. No need to review that! 71/1 27.3 to Trott, massive wicket, and that will delight South Africa, because it’s the irritant Trott. Outside off, cramped for room and forced to play, extra bounce grazed the edge, and Boucher made no mistake! 104/2 92.4 to Cook, got him this time! Morkel continuing around off stump and Cook finally has a nibble at one, catches the outside edge and goes through to Kallis, who makes no mistake. Ends a fantastic fighting innings 297/4
JH Kallis	14	1	43	0	3.07	(1nb)

PL Harris	38	4	146	1	3.84	(1w)
47.3 to Pietersen, huge wicket! Pietersen gone and Harris gets his man! Pietersen had looked edgy against Harris all morning, and he went for another expansive sweep shot here, but it was too full and crashed straight into his pad on middle and off stump. Given out, Pietersen entertained thoughts of a referral but correctly decided against it. So Kallis’s drop will not cost South Africa 155/3
JP Duminy	24	1	89	3	3.70
113.5 to Collingwood, gone! Collingwood’s long vigil has ended and he won’t make a hundred. Shorter from Duminy, but Collingwood toe-ends his cut shot and Boucher makes no mistake behind the stumps. Good reward for Duminy who has bowled quite nicely here 365/5 145.5 to Prior, Duminy’s persistence with a wide line outside off pays dividends at last. A bit of grip ensures an under-edge on another aggressive cut, and the ball deflects into the stumps 477/6 163.5 to Broad, on a good length, appreciable spin, a regulation edge as Broad props forward, and a looping edge to Jacques Kallis at slip. So, the breakthrough comes, and Duminy has three 536/7


South Africa 2nd innings		R	M	B	4s	6s	SR
AG Prince	c Bell b Swann	16	42	28	1	0	57.14
9.2 he’s done it again! Swann has made a habit of striking in his first over! Prince hangs in his crease, defending, but he’s playing for spin that isn’t there, it catches the inside edge and shoots off the pad through to silly point where Bell takes a instinctive one-handed catch 27/1
GC Smith*	lbw b Swann	22	97	56	2	0	39.28
21.1 huge appeal, huge wicket, and that’s been given! Smith asks for the review, but Swann turned that enough to clip leg stump from round the wicket, and that on-field decision will stand 50/6
HM Amla	b Swann	6	17	13	1	0	46.15
13.2 beautifully bowled! Floated up outside off stump and spinning in sharply, Amla drives a little loosely, and it bursts through the gate into off stump. Swann leaps for joy! 37/2
JH Kallis	b Broad	3	4	4	0	0	75.00
14.2 bowled him! Kallis has done an Ian Bell! Ball comes back at Kallis a fraction but it was way too close to leave and it sends off stump cartwheeling! Massive moment in this match 40/3
AB de Villiers	lbw b Broad	2	18	15	0	0	13.33
18.3 REVIEW de Villiers is given out, padding up to Broad. The replays show it clipping off stump so that can’t be overturned. OUT. Another huge wicket for England, Broad shaping it in and de Villiers shoulders arms and clips his front pad in front of off stump! 44/4
JP Duminy	b Broad	0	2	1	0	0	0.00
18.4 Gone again! Broad on fire! Another leave proves suicidal. The ball was shaping away from Duminy who, caught in two minds, correctly opts to shoulder arms, but it flicks the inside edge and cannons into off stump! 44/5
MV Boucher†	c †Prior b Broad	29	91	65	3	0	44.61
40.5 short, down the leg-side, and there’s a loud thud as the ball passes the glove. Prior takes well down the leg-side, and though the decision is not instantly given, Strauss and his cordon have little doubt. It goes to a review, and that is going to be given out! 108/8
M Morkel	lbw b Swann	15	51	40	3	0	37.50
33.5 no need for fielders there! Brilliant from Swann, fizzing a fuller, flatter delivery into the pads, and that is utterly plumb 86/7
PL Harris	c Broad b Anderson	36	57	50	5	0	72.00
48.4 the full ball does the trick, in the softest of ways. Harris was deep in his crease and ended up chipping it slowly to mid on – Broad – who takes the easiest of catches 129/9
DW Steyn	lbw b Swann	3	37	25	0	0	12.00
49.6 that’s it! Gone! England have won a remarkable victory, Swann has five as Steyn is struck bang in front! 133/10
M Ntini	not out	1	6	3	0	0	33.33

Extras		0

Total	(all out; 50 overs; 215 mins)	133	(2.66 runs per over)

Fall of wickets1-27 (Prince, 9.2 ov), 2-37 (Amla, 13.2 ov), 3-40 (Kallis, 14.2 ov), 4-44 (de Villiers, 18.3 ov), 5-44 (Duminy, 18.4 ov), 6-50 (Smith, 21.1 ov), 7-86 (Morkel, 33.5 ov), 8-108 (Boucher, 40.5 ov), 9-129 (Harris, 48.4 ov), 10-133 (Steyn, 49.6 ov)


Bowling	O	M	R	W	Econ
JM Anderson	8	2	24	1	3.00
48.4 to Harris, the full ball does the trick, in the softest of ways. Harris was deep in his crease and ended up chipping it slowly to mid on – Broad – who takes the easiest of catches 129/9
G Onions	4	1	12	0	3.00

GP Swann	21	3	54	5	2.57
9.2 to Prince, he’s done it again! Swann has made a habit of striking in his first over! Prince hangs in his crease, defending, but he’s playing for spin that isn’t there, it catches the inside edge and shoots off the pad through to silly point where Bell takes a instinctive one-handed catch 27/1 13.2 to Amla, beautifully bowled! Floated up outside off stump and spinning in sharply, Amla drives a little loosely, and it bursts through the gate into off stump. Swann leaps for joy! 37/2 21.1 to Smith, huge appeal, huge wicket, and that’s been given! Smith asks for the review, but Swann turned that enough to clip leg stump from round the wicket, and that on-field decision will stand 50/6 33.5 to Morkel, no need for fielders there! Brilliant from Swann, fizzing a fuller, flatter delivery into the pads, and that is utterly plumb 86/7 49.6 to Steyn, that’s it! Gone! England have won a remarkable victory, Swann has five as Steyn is struck bang in front! 133/10
SCJ Broad	17	3	43	4	2.52
14.2 to Kallis, bowled him! Kallis has done an Ian Bell! Ball comes back at Kallis a fraction but it was way too close to leave and it sends off stump cartwheeling! Massive moment in this match 40/3 18.3 to de Villiers, REVIEW de Villiers is given out, padding up to Broad. The replays show it clipping off stump so that can’t be overturned. OUT. Another huge wicket for England, Broad shaping it in and de Villiers shoulders arms and clips his front pad in front of off stump! 44/4 18.4 to Duminy, Gone again! Broad on fire! Another leave proves suicidal. The ball was shaping away from Duminy who, caught in two minds, correctly opts to shoulder arms, but it flicks the inside edge and cannons into off stump! 44/5 40.5 to Boucher, short, down the leg-side, and there’s a loud thud as the ball passes the glove. Prior takes well down the leg-side, and though the decision is not instantly given, Strauss and his cordon have little doubt. It goes to a review, and that is going to be given out! 108/8

Match details

Toss South Africa, who chose to bat
Series England led the 4-match series 1-0

Player of the match GP Swann (England)

Umpires Aleem Dar (Pakistan) and AM Saheba (India)
TV umpire SJ Davis (Australia)
Match referee RS Mahanama (Sri Lanka)
Reserve umpire JD Cloete

Close of play
26 Dec day 1 – South Africa 1st innings 175/5 (AB de Villiers 8*, MV Boucher 1*, 61 ov)
27 Dec day 2 – England 1st innings 103/1 (AN Cook 31*, IJL Trott 17*, 26.2 ov)
28 Dec day 3 – England 1st innings 386/5 (IR Bell 55*, MJ Prior 11*, 123 ov)
29 Dec day 4 – South Africa 2nd innings 76/6 (MV Boucher 20*, M Morkel 7*, 32 ov)
30 Dec day 5 – South Africa 2nd innings 133 (50 ov) – end of match

525 Responses to Cricket: Proteas vs England – Test at Kingsmead, Durban 26 – 30 Dec 2009 – England won

391

Snoek on 29 December 2009 at 11:50 am

England 509/6 (156.6 ov)

England lead by 166 runs with 4 wickets remaining in the 1st innings

Things not looking to good from a SA perspective.
392

grootblousmile on 29 December 2009 at 11:53 am

Helloooooooooooo R-P…. trust you had a good Christmas…
393

Rugby_Princess on 29 December 2009 at 11:59 am

GBS hallo 😀

It was -25 in Beijing when I left to come home !!

So, how was your Christmas ? Was Santa good to you or had you been naughty ? I made out like a bandit so CLEARLY I was on the “nice” list 😉
394

carol on 29 December 2009 at 11:59 am

England lead………
Thanks Snoek.

Morning All 🙂
395

Snoek on 29 December 2009 at 12:02 pm

Hi Carol

Yes England are playing some decent cricket in SA. You must be one happy girl I presume.
396

Rugby_Princess on 29 December 2009 at 12:02 pm

Carol

Quick hello & cherry Mistmas … rushing out the door here 🙂
397

Rugby_Princess on 29 December 2009 at 12:03 pm

Oops, my bad

HALLO SNOEK TOO !!
398

Snoek on 29 December 2009 at 12:05 pm

England RR 3.18
Last 10 ovs 23/0 RR 2.30
Min overs remaining 59.0

Last ten overs a bit slow for a team trying to win a test. They need to up the run rate to give themselves as much time as possible to win.
399

grootblousmile on 29 December 2009 at 12:05 pm

389@ JL1 – Check the iPhone site out now…. I’ve reset it and it seems all OK….
400

Snoek on 29 December 2009 at 12:06 pm

Hi RP

I posted a nice humorous article which you will enjoy. Some NZ jokes in there.
401

carol on 29 December 2009 at 12:08 pm

Snoek – Nice when we claw our way back!!

RP – And a Cherry Mismas to you too ….have fun.

GBS – How is the tooth today?
402

grootblousmile on 29 December 2009 at 12:10 pm

393@ R_P – I must have been a naughty boy during the year…. Santa brought me a Tooth Ache a couple of days before Christmas and I only managed to find a decent dentist yesterday….

In addition, Handbriekie must have been bloody naughty too, she caught the tooth ache too, in symphony with my tooth ache…. in addition she is still recuperating from an operation on 7 December….

So it’s been a bit of a wobbly Christmas health wise…. other than that Life is still a Song!
403

Snoek on 29 December 2009 at 12:11 pm

South Africa 343

England 513/6 (161.0 ov)

England lead by 170 runs with 4 wickets remaining in the 1st innings

Lunch – Day 4

Ian Bell 119 207
Stuart Broad 10 51
404

JL1 on 29 December 2009 at 1:26 pm

RP,sweetheart,where have you been?

Merry Christmas, did you have a good one
405

The-Pill on 29 December 2009 at 1:27 pm

Come Now Proteas!
406

The-Pill on 29 December 2009 at 1:27 pm

Last wicket please
407

The-Pill on 29 December 2009 at 1:28 pm

Declared on 575-9
408

JL1 on 29 December 2009 at 1:28 pm

Score?
409

Snoek on 29 December 2009 at 1:34 pm

South Africa 343

England 575/9d (170.0 ov)

England lead by 232 runs with 1 wicket remaining in the 1st innings

England RR 3.38
Last 10 ovs 65/3 RR 6.50
Min overs remaining 51.0
410

Snoek on 29 December 2009 at 1:43 pm

Prince is somewhat of a make-shift opener and has struggled so far in this series, but he will take strike against Jimmy Anderson to get things underway. Three slips and a gulley in place.

Collingwood, England’s chief ball shiner and slip to the spinner will not take the field because of the dislocation in his finger he suffered from the morning fielding drills.

It’s taken ten and a half hard-fought sessions, but this match is now perfectly set up. South Africa will probably need to bat until after tea tomorrow to be safe and they have opted for the heavy roller to kill off what life there is in the wicket. England will be buoyed by their post-lunch cameo and the swing that Steyn found with the second new ball.
411

Snoek on 29 December 2009 at 1:45 pm

South Africa 343 & 7/0 (0.6 ov)

England 575/9d

South Africa trail by 225 runs with 10 wickets remaining
412

Snoek on 29 December 2009 at 1:50 pm

Profile
When people look back at Graeme Smith’s career, what will likely come to mind is his role in turning South Africa from perennial chokers into a world-beating unit. For too long had South Africa been weighed down by expectation, an inability to complete wins that really mattered – that record-breaking 434 chase in Johannesburg seemed but a rare blip on the radar, despite Smith’s comments just afterwards – and the seemingly inherent failure to truly bully top-class opposition, especially Australia.

“It’s got to be the best,” Smith said when asked where 2008 ranked in the history of South African cricket. He knew it, too. When South Africa touched down in Australia, it was with the confidence of a strong outfit that had not lost a series since they visited Sri Lanka in 2006. In 2008, they beat England in England and kept India to a drawn series in India. It was during that two-year run that Smith emerged a much improved captain, and the historic tour Down Under has so far been the pinnacle of Smith’s career. It was truly a special effort, because South Africa became the first team in 16 years to beat Australia on home soil.

For the men who first put faith in a 22-year-old Smith, it would have been very sweet. In March 2003, Smith became South Africa’s youngest-ever captain, when he took over from Shaun Pollock following the disastrous World Cup campaign. He had few leadership qualities – and barely a handful of internationals under his belt – but for a nation eager for a fresh start after the disasters of the Hansie Cronje affair, Smith was clearly made of the right stuff. The selectors’ faith was amply justified on South Africa’s tour of England in 2003, when Smith scored back-to-back Test double-centuries – a national-record 277 at Edgbaston, and a match-winning 259 at Lord’s – to put his side in firm command of the five-Test series.

Smith had quickly settled in at the highest level but woke up to the harsh life of international cricket with a jolt in 2004. South Africa lost Test series to India and Sri Lanka and 11 ODIs out of 12 in a row, and Smith was subjected to some wily mind games from Stephen Fleming in Auckland. He continued to score runs, not least against West Indies in 2005, when he piled on three consecutive hundreds, and became the first captain since 1977 to finish a Caribbean tour without losing a game.

A bittersweet first World Cup as captained followed, where Smith made 443 runs but South Africa were brutally hammered by eventual winners Australia. Yet South Africa gathered steam in Test cricket, and under Smith ended a 43-year hiatus with their first series win in England since the end of apartheid. Smith’s biggest triumph, though, came a few months later.
Jamie Alter December 2008
413

Snoek on 29 December 2009 at 1:53 pm

Profile
A crouching lefthander with a high-batted stance and a grimace reminiscent of Graham Gooch, Ashwell Prince was helped into the national team by South Africa’s controversial quota system, although he quickly justified his selection by top-scoring on debut with a gutsy 49 against the mighty Australians in 2001-02. That innings, and a matchwinning 48 in the third Test at Durban, seemed to shed his reputation as a one-day flasher. But by the start of the 2002-03 season, his form had fallen away horribly, and he failed in four consecutive home Tests against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

However, Prince returned to the side following some good domestic performances, and valuable knocks in the middle order against the West Indies and England at home has seen Prince become a more regular member of the South Africa one-day side. Despite two hundreds in the 2004-05 season – an unbeaten 139 against Zimbabwe at Centurion and 131 in South Africa’s 2-0 rout of the West Indies – Prince still does not find himself an automatic selection in the longer format of the game. Long rated highly by SA’s cricket supremo Ali Bacher, Prince is strong through the off side, and was Western Province’s player of the year in 2001. His throwing from the deep has been hampered by a long-term shoulder injury, but he remains a brilliant shot-stopping fielder in the covers. The highlight of his career was a fine 119 in the third Test against Australia at Sydney in early 2006, but it was during this series that he became bunny to a legend: Shane Warne. Warne dismissed him in the first five innings – though Prince played the rest of the bowlers admirably – and troubled him plentiful when South Africa hosted Australia in March. Scores of 17, 27, 33 and 7 overshadowed a fantastic 93 in the first innings at Johannesburg.

In July 2006 he was named as South Africa’s first black captain in the absence of the injured Graeme Smith. The result was a disappointing 2-0 whitewash at the hands of Sri Lanka. Prince made way for Mark Boucher to captain in the tri-series, also featuring India, which was ultimately aborted following South Africa’s withdrawal over security concerns. Prince was not included in South Africa’s squad for the Champions Trophy, but continued his sterling 2006 Test form against India at home. The highest run-scorer on either side in the three-Test contest, Prince’s series highlights included an outstanding 97 in a loss at Johannesburg and a third career hundred at Cape Town. When Pakistan toured next, Prince was the only centurion in the three-Test series. His 138 laid the foundations for victory in the first Test at Centurion Park, and his numbers can’t be argued with, as he ended the season’s six Tests averaging 60.67. It was enough to earn him a recall to the one-day side, including a ticket to the West Indies for the World Cup, but it was a disappointing tournament and he was again omitted for the short tour of Ireland. He enjoyed a reasonable summer against West Indies, however, with 263 runs in the three Tests, and began the subsequent tour of England in scintillating form, with a crucial momentum-shifting century at Lord’s, and a brilliant matchwinning 149 at Headingley.
Jamie Alter July 2008
414

Snoek on 29 December 2009 at 2:00 pm

Some testing bowling by the English at the moment.
415

Snoek on 29 December 2009 at 2:07 pm

South Africa 343 & 12/0 (6.0 ov)

England 575/9d

South Africa trail by 220 runs with 10 wickets remaining
416

Snoek on 29 December 2009 at 2:16 pm

South Africa 343 & 24/0 (7.6 ov)

England 575/9d

South Africa trail by 208 runs with 10 wickets remaining
417

Snoek on 29 December 2009 at 2:20 pm

Some quotes to pass the time.
418

Snoek on 29 December 2009 at 2:21 pm

Arguing with your
Boss is like
wrestling with
a pig in mud.
After a while you
realize that while
you are getting
dirty, the pig is
actually
enjoying it.
419

Snoek on 29 December 2009 at 2:24 pm

Prince out

16 of 28 balls

LBW bowled Swann
420

Snoek on 29 December 2009 at 2:25 pm

419 – Not LBW, but caught behind.

Cricket: Proteas vs England – Test at Kingsmead, Durban 26 – 30 Dec 2009 – England won

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