Ordinary Gweilo

I think it is time for my annual "cricket isn’t really boring" post.  Yesterday England beat South Africa in the fifth test match of a series that has been very competitive.

In this match, England started well in their first innings, faltered but then recovered and seemed to be in a strong position.    In reply, South Africa seemed headed for a modest total and at that stage England must have thought a win was quite possible.  In fact, 161 from Herschelle Gibbs and useful contributions from some of the lower order batsmen actually gave South Africa a small first innings lead. 

By this stage it looked like ending up as a draw, all the more so when England ended the 4th day on 197-5, but South Africa apparently thought they could win it by bowling England out quickly on the final day.  This proved to be over-optimistic, and Marcus Trescothick’s excellent innnings allowed England to declare and set South Africa a target of 325 to win. Advantage England, but surely South Africa could still hang on for a draw?

Turns out that they couldn’t, mainly as a result of Matthew Hoggard taking seven wickets.  England’s main fear was that this would turn out like the 2nd test, when South Africa’s batsmen hung on until bad light stopped play 15 overs earlier, but fortunately it did have a happy ending (at least if you are English).