Story England's International Season (Sep 2004 Onwards) [C2005]

[m_vaughan]

England have completed a 4-0 victory over South Africa in the MTN Castle Lager Test Series. They become only the second team to win a Test Series in SA since 1992.

South Africa who started the day at 237-6 were bowled out for 293, with Harmison picking all the four wickets, to finish with another five wicket haul.
Mark Boucher was unbeaten on 53, while Shaun Pollock made 37 from 85 balls.

England needed just 53 runs for victory. But those runs dint come easily. England lost both their openers as well as Mark Butcher, and at one time it really looked like South Africa could produce a miracle comeback.
But unfortunately for them 53 was too low a target to set, and Vaughan and Bell guided England home in the 14th over.

Steve Harmison was named man of the match, man of the series as well as bowler of the series after a masterful performance in this series. South Africa's Herschelle Gibbs beat England's Michael Vaughan for Batsman of the Series. England's Andrew Strauss won the award for the best catch in the series.

 

[The_gas]

Good performance there Mick. As i predicted you wold win the series 4-0, time to go and collect my winnings .

Now for the 7 one day games.

Are you using Boss's patch?

 

[m_vaughan]

 

[m_vaughan]

Good performance there Mick. As i predicted you wold win the series 4-0, time to go and collect my winnings .

Now for the 7 one day games.

Are you using Boss's patch?

Thanks mate.

Yup a great achievement for England and myself to win this series pretty comprehensively. I think England played the better cricket overall, and deserved this series win. South Africa did fight hard, but werent consistent enough.

I am using Ravi's Test Patch which has been modified by Radaga.

 

[m_vaughan]

Stats from the MTN Castle Lager Test Series

 

[m_vaughan]

Stats

 

[m_vaughan]

More Stats

 

[m_vaughan]

Continued.....why cant I post more than three attachments at a time

 

[m_vaughan]

Yet more

 

[m_vaughan]

England claim historic series win

England won the final Test in Centurion to win a series in South Africa for the first time in 40 years.

South Africa were bowled out for 293 in their 2nd innings, setting England a target of 52.

There were plenty of nervous moments when they lost early wickets but captain Michael Vaughan held firm to secure a 4-0 series triumph.

South Africa started the day at 237-6 with Boucher and Pollock at the crease. It was not long before the first wicket fell. Steve Harmison produced a top class delivery to dismiss Shaun Pollock Leg Before Wicket for 37. Harmison picked up the remaining three wickets as well, ending with figures of 5-61 in the innings and 10-107 in the match.

England dint have the most comfortable of times getting to the target of 53, as they lost both the openers cheaply.

Vaughan and Mark Butcher, however, proved adept at blunting some impressive spells from all the bowlers until Boje struck to have Butcher out stumped.

England had just about done enough by then and England reached their target pretty comfortably at the end with Vaughan 5 not out and Ian Bell unbeaten on 2.

It was England's first series win in South Africa since MJK Smith led them to a 1-0 win in 1964-65.

And it earned them the Basil D'Oliveira Trophy, named after the player who the South African apartheid regime refused to allow to tour their country with England in 1968, ultimately resulting in their exclusion from international sport.

England's Steve Harmison won the Man of the Series award, with a total of 30 wickets in the series, at an average of 19.19.

 

[The_gas]

Well played all round. The team look in good form going into the one day game.
Your bowlers will now have to adjust their length a little and line for the odi's, and look to primarily keep the scoring rate down, rather than take wickets.

Will you be using the same patch?

 

[m_vaughan]

Well played all round. The team look in good form going into the one day game.
Your bowlers will now have to adjust their length a little and line for the odi's, and look to primarily keep the scoring rate down, rather than take wickets.

Will you be using the same patch?

Yup, and also the fact that I havent played one day cricket for a long time, wont be helping me either. However, the first match is against South Africa A, which I can use to get back into the ODI mode.

I will be using Ravi's ODI patch.

Just to keep you informed that Andrew Flintoff is not available for the ODIs, as he has been sent home to undergo a surgery. Matthew Hoggard has been added to the ODI squad in place of him, but there is no place for Simon Jones.

 

[m_vaughan]

South Africa announce ODI squad for first four ODIs

Graeme Smith (Capt)
Nicky Boje
Mark Boucher
AB De Villiers
Herschelle Gibbs
Andrew Hall
Jacques Kallis
Andre Nel
Mkhaya Ntini
Ashwell Prince
Shaun Pollock
Jacques Rudolph

England's updated ODI squad
Michael Vaughan, capt
Marcus Trescothick
Vikram Solanki
Andrew Strauss
Paul Collingwood
Geraint Jones, wkt
Ashley Giles
James Anderson
Gareth Batty
Darren Gough
Alex Wharf
Ian Bell
Stephen Harmison
Kabir Ali
Kevin Pietersen
Matthew Hoggard

 

[Rangeela]

Best of luck in ODI. GO England!!

 

[m_vaughan]

Best of luck in ODI. GO England!!

Thanks mate.

England will first play South Africa A in a warm up one day match at Kimberley. Its a Day & Night game.

South Africa A will be captained by Boeta Dippenaar, who could not find an automatic spot in the senior team.

South Africa have announced their squad of twelve for the first four ODIs, and will be adding two more players to the squad tomorrow. And many believe that those two players will be selected on the basis of their performance in this match. So that makes this match a must watch.

South Africa A Team for the match:
B Dippenaar (Capt.), M Van Vyk, L Bosman, H Amla, A Bacher, J Kemp, J Ontong, J Morkel, G Bodi, G Kruger, D Pretorius, N Mhaladi.