Tags:
Journalism of Courage
CENTURION, (SA), JANUARY 18: Alec Stewart and Michael Vaughan set up a thrilling two-wicket victory for England in the fifth and final Test against South Africa at Centurion Park on Tuesday after an unprecedented deal between the captains, who both agreed to forfeit an innings after three days of the match were lost to rain.
England reached a victory target of 249 in 76 overs with five balls to spare. The veteran Stewart made 73 and Vaughan, in his first Test series, hit 69.
They shared a fifth-wicket stand of 126 but South Africa then grabbed four wickets in four overs before the win was sealed when Darren Gough pulled Mornantau Hayward for four off the first ball of the last over.It was a consolation victory for England, with South Africa winning the series 2-1.
Captains Hansie Cronje and Nasser Hussain worked out a deal before the start of the final day. England had to score at just over three runs an over, bringing life to a match which had seemed doomed to end in a draw.
South Africa seemed tohave a chance of winning when England slipped to 102 for four in the 38th over but Stewart and Vaughan then put on 126 at almost a run a minute. England’s win ended a 14-match unbeaten streak by South Africa.
South Africa were hampered by the absence of left-arm wrist spinner Paul Adams, who suffered a broken left middle-finger when he crashed into an advertising board after an unsuccessful dive to try to prevent a boundary 50 minutes after lunch.
Ali Bacher, managing director of the South African cricket board, said both captains should be complimented on the decision to forfeit which he called a credit to Test cricket.
Tuesday dawned bright and clear following five days of persistent rain which washed away parts of roads in Centurion and cost the Northerns Cricket Union more than 2.5 million rand ($411,700) in lost revenue.
Lance Klusener (61 not out: 95b, 161m, 7×4, 1×6) and Shaun Pollock (30) were the principal scorers for South Africa today.
Scoreboard
South Africa (1st innings;overnight 155-6): G Kirsten c Adams b Gough 0, H Gibbs c Adams b Caddick 3, J Kallis b Caddick 25, D Cullinan c&b Mulally 46, H Cronje c Maddy b Gough 0, P Strydom c Stewart b Silverwood 30, L Klusener not out 61, S Pollock run out (Hussain) 30, M Boucher b Mullally 22, P Adams not out 4;
Extras: (b2, lb11, nb11, w3) 27. Total: (for eight wickets decl) 248
Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-15, 3-50, 4-55, 5-102, 6-136, 7-196, 8-243
Did not bat: M Hayward
Bowling: Gough 20-2-92-2 (nb10, w1), Caddick 19-7-47-2, Mullally 24-10-42-2 (nb1, w1), Silverwood 7-1-45-1 (w1), Vaughan 2-0-9-0
England (1st innings): Forfeited
South Africa (2nd innings): Forfeited. England (2nd innings): M Butcher lbw b Klusener 36, M Atherton c Boucher b Pollock 7, N Hussain c Gibbs b Pollock 25, A Stewart c Boucher b Hayward 73, C Adams c Boucher b Hayward 1, M Vaughan b Hayward 69, D Maddy run out 3, A Caddick c Boucher b Pollock 0, D Gough not out 6, C Silverwood not out 7;Extras: (b4, lb9, w4, nb7) 24. Total: (for eight wickets) 251
Fall of wickets: 1-28, 2-67, 3-90, 4-102, 5-228, 6-236, 7-236, 8-240
Did not bat: A Mullally
Bowling: Pollock 20-7-53-3 (nb3), Hayward 17.1-3-61-3 (w3, nb3), Klusener 14-4-38-1 (nb1), Kallis 13-2-44-0 (w1), Cronje 5-3-15-0, Strydom 6-0-27-0
Result: England won by two wickets
South Africa win series 2-1
