Rampant Ryan Ruins Records
With grey skies overhead England went out onto the centre to continue their domination of the series. They lost Ryan Sidebottom soon on when he edged to Paul Harris at 1st slip, it was after a good bowling change from Graeme Smith, Smith bringing on André Nel in the 88th over to bring in an angle on the left handed Sidebottom. Andrew Flintoff reached his 50 2 balls later, the former captain getting successive milestone’s after his 84 in the last man, his partner Matthew Hoggard couldn’t last long though, the Yorkshire man only able to last 3 balls before he gave Harris his second catch trying the deflect the ball down to third man, Hoggard gone for 1.
South Africa Started the Day well, disposing of the lower order batsmen
In came Stephen Harmison and he immediately his two four’s from 3 balls in anger. The fast-bowler playing an excellent cameo role in helping Flintoff towards a possible century, the partnership reached 50 in the 101st over with Flintoff on 86 and Harmison on 23. Harmison could only make 3 more before he feathered an edge to Mark Boucher 3 overs later, the crowd rose to it’s feet to applaud the crucial innings by a man that looked totally out of it 6 months earlier. Flintoff repaid Harmison by reaching that all-important century. The all-rounder played a bravado innings, smashing three sixes in a century that took 130 balls. Flintoff went in the 109th over when he edged a Shaun Pollock all onto his off-stump to finally end the English innings on 492.
Another fine knock from Andrew Flintoff ended unfortunately after an inside edge found his stumps
The Proteas came on with a massive task on their hands, but there was only 2 and a half overs play before rain stopped play for an hour.. That must have phased Graeme Smith as he was bowled in the 7th over by Stephen Harmison for four. Then Ryan Sidebottom smashed records by taking five wickets in the 10th over, the over started with a dot ball, before the left arm swinger dismissed Herschelle Gibbs, Jaques Kallis, Shaun Pollock and Mark Boucher in successive balls, all bowled and after a no-ball, Hashim Amla was the 5th player to go for a duck when Sidebottom’s vicious in swinger whipped off the Muslim’s bails to give Sidebottom picked up his career test 5-for. Robin Peterson, who was drafted in to replace suffering from a back injury, could only last 4 balls and make 1 run before he became Harmison’s second victim of the day and the Proteas last before tea, South Africa finishing an all time low afternoon session on 27-7.
AB de Villers was poor once again with the bat
It took England only 8 overs after Tea to wrap up the South African innings. AB de Villiers was the first to go when Ryan Sidebottom bowled the opener, Sidebottom in the form of his life. Makhaya Ntini came in and lasted 23 balls before he went for 4, and Monty Panesar wrapped up the innings in his 3rd over when he had Andre Nel caught a silly point by an excellent diving catch from Ian Bell. South Africa all out for an embarrassing 40.
Michael Vaughan, who found his team 452 runs ahead made the only decision he could have made and obliged the Africans to bat again.
Ryan Sidebottom was expected to do well in the second innings, and he didn’t leave the critics, or the crowd down, taking the wickets of de Villiers and Gibbs in his first two balls, de Villiers for 1, and Gibbs for a duck, Graeme Smith went an over later to leave South Africa on 4-3. Wickets were falling like the earlier rain, Kallis went in the 4th over, and Harmison took 3 in the 5th, almost getting a hat-trick in the process. Pollock, Amla and Peterson falling, the Proteas now 6-6. The farcical second day was almost over when Paul Harris and Makhaya Ntini went for ducks in the 7th over, Harmison the second player to et a 5-for in the day, his test milestone. Mark Boucher was the last to go half way into the 8th over, the second SA innings lasting 51 balls as the pre series favoruites were skittled out for 5. The lowes test score in recorded
history, the darkest day in South Africa’s sporting history. England won by an innings and 447 runs with Ryan Sidebottom picking up the Man of the Match award and a brand new Seiko watch, the Nottinghamshire man taking a huge 11 wickets in only 15 overs of bowling, a truly gob smacking achievement.
Graeme Smith had the worst day of his career
Rain might spoil the rampant England’s final game of the series, Edgbaston experiencing some seriously bad weather, if that were to be rained off, it would confirm England as npower test series champions, and it would be two successive England games to be played at Headingly with the first ODI scheduled to be played at the Yorkshire venue.
England win by an innings and 447 runs
MOM: Ryan Sidebottom (10 wickets, 17 runs)
Scorecards
