Over-weight, Under-run

[Sweder]

Sorry MLCMan - I had to stray to the subject of leather & willow this evening.
I'll take my punishment from the administrators with good grace.

What a test match! At the start of the day England sat on 200 ish for 5. A lead of 270+ by lunch was Englands' only hope. This would leave just two sessions to knock over South Africa on (still) a pretty good surface with a depleted attack, or more likely for SA to bat out the day. Anderson had the yips, Hoggard a calf strain and with no turn for Giles Hoggard and Flintoff would have to bowl 20+ overs each with little or no break. The pundits had SA slight favorites to win, with the draw second best.

Double Nelson saw Jones depart for not many, leaving Trescothick to shepherd the tail. Trescothick, 101 over night, played steadily as Giles acrrued 31 before he perished on the boundary. Hoggard edged Pollock to Boucher at 265, bringing Harmison to bat with only the happless Anderson waiting in the hutch. Trescothick woke up and realised if he wanted 150 he'd best get his foor on the gas. He took 2 sixes off Boje's spin and 2 more off Kalis. In a 9th wicket partnership of 50, Harmison scored just 3. Trescothick nicked the new ball to slip for 180 and Vaughan declared (for the second time in the match) on 322 for 9, effectively leaving SA 2 sessions to survive or the less likely target of 315 from 76 overs to win.

Gibbs made 98 but at the other end Matthew Hoggard was wreaking carnage, taking the first 6 wickets for 60-odd including the dangerous Kalis for a first ball duck. Flintoff and Giles chipped in and SA were left 100 shy with 2 wickets remaining and 14 overs to go. Fading light meant we'd probably only get 8 or 9 of those bowled. Smith, the SA Captain, received a blow to the temple in warm-up and came in at number 6 on medical advice. He was playing beautifully and needed Ntini and then Stein to hold up the other end. Ntini fell LBW to Flintoff bringing Stein out with probably a maximum of 5 overs left. SA were on 227, still 90-odd short so only the draw or an England win were possible. Smith opened his shoulders and plundered 3 more boundaries when Hoggard came back and had Stein snagged by Jones for one of the finest England away wins in modern times. The brave Smith was stranded 67 not out, close to tears and kicking lumps out of the turf.

2 - 1 to England, the 5th and final test kicks off at Centurion on Friday.
I love this game.