Australia v England - Tour Match

South Australia XI v England XI
Adelaide Oval
4 Day Game
Umpires: GA Hele & GE Borwick
Toss: South Australia XI

SA XI: LE Favell, GS Blewett, C Hill, *IM Chappell, DW Hookes, G Giffen, +BN Jarman, NJN Hawke, AA Mallett, RM Hogg, TW Wall.
ENG XI: JB Hobbs, *L Hutton, ER Dexter, MC Cowdrey, AJ Stewart, TE Bailey, +LEG Ames, JC Laker, JA Snow, DL Underwood, AV Bedser.

England had not enjoyed their time on the west coast, losing their lead in the Test series under a mountain of Australian runs, but their suffering bowlers were given an immediate opportunity to redeem themselves when South Australian captain Ian Chappell won the toss and elected to bat first in Adelaide. The pitch prepared for this tour game was dry and dusty and expected to favour the spinners come the final day, but it was England's seam attack that revelled in cloudy conditions on the first day, and when rain forced an early close the hosts had been reduced to 135-8, with Giffen's 43 the only innings of substance.

Bedser found a great deal of
movement on the first morning

With Trueman still unfit and Willis and Botham both rested, Alec Bedser took centre stage on his first appearance of the tour, and by dismissing three of the top four in an excellent opening spell he will have done his chances of making the Test XI no harm at all. South Australia were eventually all out for just 141 early on the second morning, and in stark contrast to their hosts, Hobbs and Hutton had no trouble with either the pitch or the bowling as they constructed England's best partnership of the tour thus far. It was an especially important innings for Hobbs, who has struggled for form of late, and his hundred here would have come as a great relief to all those concerned with the welfare of the touring party.

Hobbs contributed 114 to an opening stand that was eventually worth 227, and Hutton went on to complete a magnificent 152 before being bowled by Wall on the third morning. He could have made many more, but there was also the need to give those below him in the order some match practice, and although Dexter and Stewart both failed, the likes of Bailey, Cowdrey and Ames all spent useful time at the crease. Hutton's declaration at 394-5 gave England a lead of 253, and by stumps on day three South Australia had slumped painfully to 61-5 as Underwood and Laker exerted an iron grip on proceedings. It got no better for the hosts on the final day, and although a dogged last wicket stand of 21 between Hawke and Wall took the game past lunch, England wrapped up a comfortable innings victory soon thereafter, a victory that will restore some much needed momentum ahead of the third Test.

Hobbs' hundred was his first
score of over fifty on the tour

Score Summary
SA XI 1st Inns 141 (Giffen 43; Bedser 4-32)
ENG XI 1st Inns 394-5 dec. (Hutton 152, Hobbs 114)
SA XI 2nd Inns 105

ENGLAND XI WON BY AN INNINGS & 148 RUNS

1st & 2nd innings scorecards (click to enlarge)

Close of Play

Day 1 - South Australia XI 1st innings 135-8 (Mallett 8*, Hogg 3*; 70.4 ov)
Day 2 - England XI 1st innings 251-1 (Hutton 124*, Bailey 4*; 84 ov)
Day 3 - South Australia XI 2nd innings 61-5 (Giffen 0*; 39 ov)
Day 4 - South Australia XI 2nd innings 105 (68 ov) - end of match

Australia v England - Second Test

The WACA Ground, Perth

Australia: WM Woodfull, WM Lawry, DG Bradman, AR Border, SR Waugh, KR Miller, +IA Healy, *R Benaud, AK Davidson, RR Lindwall, DK Lillee.
England: JB Hobbs, *L Hutton, ER Dexter, DI Gower, MC Cowdrey, IT Botham, +LEG Ames, JA Snow, DL Underwood, JB Statham, RGD Willis.

Debuts: Nil
Umpires: LH Barker (WI) & CJ Mitchley (SAF)
Toss: England

Despite their defeat in the first Test, Australia retained faith in the same XI that played in Brisbane, whilst England entered this game without Fred Trueman, who was sidelined with an ankle injury. Better news for England came when Hutton called correctly again at the toss, and the tourists were able to bat first on what looked a belter of a strip at the WACA.

There was rain around though - indeed, there were interruptions to all three sessions on the first day - and Hutton went early, but England were on the road to recovery at 62-1 when all hell broke loose early in the afternoon. Hobbs (26) was caught at slip off Lillee in the first over after lunch, and from the first ball of Davidson's next over Dexter edged one through to Healy, although it was unclear whether the ball actually carried. Dexter didn't want to go, but after both umpires had discussed the matter he was sent on his way and then, just two balls later, Cowdrey was yorked for a duck and England had lost three wickets for no runs in the space of four balls.

Healy's disputed catch to dismiss Dexter
was a key turning point on the first day

It had been a dreadful ten minutes for the tourists and they never really recovered. Ames once again batted well with the tail to drag the score past 200 on the second day, but it had been a very poor performance from England, and after Lawry went for 10 Woodfull and Bradman showed the capacity crowd just how to bat on this surface. Their partnership was worth 174* by the close on day two, with Woodfull repaying the selectors' faith in him by notching his first century since the last Ashes series, some 14 Tests ago, and day three belonged completely to Australia as Woodfull and Bradman batted their way into the record books.

England's toiling attack failed to create a single chance on a long, hot third day that saw Australia's second wicket pair go past Headley and Weekes' previous record partnership of 455*, and both partners had reached double centuries by the time stumps were drawn, with the scoreboard reading an incredible 508-1. It was as dominant a display of batting as you could wish to see, and following as it did the 303 run partnership constructed by Geoff Marsh and Damien Martyn in the tour match here, England's bowling attack looked a tired and ragged unit come the day's end. Woodfull and Bradman had extended their partnership to a staggering 532* when Richie Benaud finally declared on the fourth morning, and a total of 565-1 gave Australia a lead of 360 with over five sessions of play remaining.

Woodfull (268*) and Bradman (276*) rewrote the record
books with their mammoth second wicket partnership

England's second innings began disastrously when Hobbs was run out for 4 by Davidson from the last ball before lunch, and Australia spent the rest of the day chipping away at the tourists' middle order. Dexter made a promising 61, but it was not enough and England entered the final day on 205-4, still 155 behind and perhaps relying on the predicted thunderstorms if they were to salvage the draw. After the early dismissals of Botham for 45 and Ames for 5, Colin Cowdrey proved to be England's main non-meteorological hope, and with Snow and then Underwood showing admirable resilience, the tourists maintained their chance for a draw right up until the tea interval.

Cowdrey completed a most worthy century, but from the last ball before tea umpire Mitchley upheld an lbw appeal from Lillee with the ball quite clearly going down the leg side, and a phlegmatic Cowdrey had to go. England were now 324-8 with 36 possible overs remaining, and although the thunder was rumbling the rains never came. A spirited last wicket stand between Underwood and Willis took England into the lead, but Australia were eventually set a token five runs to square the series, a target that was reached in just five balls. Australia's response to their defeat in the first Test had been nothing short of emphatic, and although England can justifiably feel aggrieved with some of the umpiring decisions here, they were in truth outplayed and need to regroup quickly ahead of the third Test in Adelaide.

Colin Cowdrey was left to contemplate what might have been...

Score Summary
ENG 1st Inns 205 (Ames 70)
AUS 1st Inns 565-1 dec. (Bradman 276*, Woodfull 268*)
ENG 2nd Inns 364 (Cowdrey 101, Dexter 61, Botham 45)
AUS 2nd Inns 5-0

AUSTRALIA WON BY 10 WICKETS

1st & 2nd innings scorecards
(click to enlarge)

Close of play

Day 1 - England 1st innings 149-6 (Ames 36*, Snow 5*; 53.3 ov)
Day 2 - Australia 1st innings 207-1 (Woodfull 112*, Bradman 79*; 57 ov)
Day 3 - Australia 1st innings 508-1 (Woodfull 239*, Bradman 248*; 147 ov)
Day 4 - England 2nd innings 205-4 (Cowdrey 29*, Botham 41*; 71 ov)
Day 5 - Australia 2nd innings 5-0 (0.5 ov) - end of match

Notes
▪ Woodfull and Bradman's stand of 532* is the highest for any wicket in ATG history
▪ Their stand is also the longest in terms of minutes (646) and balls faced (908)
▪ Woodfull and Bradman are the sixth pair to bat unparted through an entire day's play

▪ Woodfull passed 3000 career runs during his 268*
▪ This was the first 10 wicket defeat in England's history (63 Tests)
▪ Woodfull was on the field of play for every ball of the match

Man of the Match: WM Woodfull & DG Bradman

Australia v England - Tour Match

Western Australia XI v England XI
WACA Ground, Perth
4 Day Game
Umpires: RJ Evans & TA Prue
Toss: England XI

WA XI: GM Wood, GR Marsh, TM Moody, DR Martyn, KJ Hughes, *RJ Inverarity, +TJ Zoehrer, B Yardley, WM Clark, RAL Massie, BA Reid.
ENG XI: JB Hobbs, *L Hutton, ER Dexter, DI Gower, MC Cowdrey, IT Botham, +LEG Ames, FS Trueman, DL Underwood, JA Snow, RGD Willis.

After the long journey west from Brisbane, Len Hutton would have been pleased to have won the toss at the WACA, but whilst England's bowlers enjoyed the opportunity for an extra day's rest, their batsmen had to work hard for their runs over the course of the first day and a half. In all, it took them the best part of 150 overs to run up a total of 351; there were fifties from Hutton, Dexter and Botham that were in turn solid, fluent and agricultural, and the home side's bowlers would have been very pleased with their work on what was a typically hard and flat Perth wicket.

Fred Trueman bowled well at the start of Western Australia's reply, removing both Wood and Moody in an extended opening spell either side of tea on day two, but they were to be the last successes for England's bowlers until late on day three as Geoff Marsh and Damien Martyn took complete control. The partnership began relatively cautiously on a rain-shortened second evening, but as the sun came out on day three so did the strokes, and it was not until the last half hour of play that the stand was finally broken, a weary Marsh falling to Hutton's very occasional leg spin for 167.

Marsh and Martyn batted together for six and a half
hours as England's bowlers were made to toil at the WACA

The pair had added a massive 303 for the third wicket, and on the final morning Martyn completed his double century before Snow wrapped up the innings in the afternoon, his five wicket haul giving him every chance of making the starting XI for the Test here. England's attack looked very tired by the end of the innings - Botham spent much of the third day off the field and all ten outfield players were given a bowl at one stage or another - and Western Australia's total of 465 gave them a lead of 114, but with little over a session left to play, all that was left for England to do was bat out for the draw. Dexter impressed again with another score in the 80s, but Hobbs made just 26 to continue his poor run on the tour so far, and England can expect to work even harder than they did here if they are to hold on to their series lead in the upcoming second Test.

Score Summary
ENG XI 1st Inns 351 (Dexter 83, Botham 75, Hutton 69)
WA XI 1st Inns 465 (Martyn 203, Marsh 167; Snow 5-59)
ENG XI 2nd Inns 121-2 (Dexter 81*)

MATCH DRAWN


1st & 2nd innings scorecards
(click to enlarge)

Close of play

Day 1 - England XI 1st innings 233-5 (Ames 7*, Trueman 0*)
Day 2 - Western Australia XI 1st innings 109-2 (Marsh 44*, Martyn 36*)
Day 3 - Western Australia XI 1st innings 375-3 (Martyn 168*, Hughes 8*)
Day 4 - England XI 2nd innings 121-2 - end of match

Australia v England - First Test

Brisbane Cricket Ground, Woolloongabba, Brisbane

Australia: WM Woodfull, WM Lawry, DG Bradman, AR Border, SR Waugh, KR Miller, +IA Healy, *R Benaud, AK Davidson, RR Lindwall, DK Lillee.
England: JB Hobbs, *L Hutton, ER Dexter, DI Gower, MC Cowdrey, IT Botham, +LEG Ames, FS Trueman, DL Underwood, JB Statham, RGD Willis.

Debuts: ER Dexter (ENG)
Umpires: BL Aldridge (NZL) & LH Barker (WI)
Toss: England

The non-selection of Bill O'Reilly, leading wicket taker on Australia's recent tour of India, was a major talking point in the build up to the first Test, but all this was soon forgotten once the action got underway at a cloudy Gabba. A devastating opening burst from Lillee, including the wicket of Hobbs with the very first ball of the series, left England reeling at 6-3, and it took a 132 run stand for the sixth wicket between Hutton and the ever-reliable Ames - who was dropped by Woodfull when on just 15 - to set the tourists back onto something approaching an even keel. Hutton's century spanned five hours and was one of his most crucial innings for England, but both he and Ames perished before stumps on the first day and the new ball finished off the innings on the second morning for a disappointing 252.

Lillee got the series off to an electrifying start

Lillee had bowled with commendable ferocity to claim just the third five wicket haul of his career, but when Australia came to bat it was Fred Trueman's turn to extract some life from the wicket. He sent Bradman back to the pavilion with just 2 to his name, and although the Australians spent most of day two quietly accumulating runs to leave them reasonably well placed at 197-5 at the close, Trueman burst back into life on the third afternoon after much of the morning's play had been lost to rain.

With the new ball in his hand, Trueman produced a startling burst of 4-4 in seventeen deliveries to send the Australians hurtling from 219-5 to 244 all out, and after struggling for most of the match thus far, the tourists suddenly found themselves with an 8 run lead at the game's halfway stage. Hobbs, Hutton and Gower all managed to get themselves out when set, but England ended day three well placed at 180-3, with Dexter unbeaten on 64. His innings had mixed imperious strokeplay with good fortune in equal measure - he was dropped on 17 by Lillee and survived a supremely confident appeal for a bat/pad catch on 31, Benaud the unlucky bowler on both occasions - and on the fourth morning he continued on to within seven runs of a century on debut before Davidson trapped him lbw with one that kept a touch low.

Dexter showed flashes of brilliance on debut

Australia now had their opening after a 130 run stand between Dexter and Cowdrey, and from thereon in only Botham's rapid 44 troubled the hosts as the trend for tail-end collapses in this match continued. England lost their last five wickets for just 19 runs on the fourth afternoon as the new ball again proved a lethal weapon, and their final total of 340 set Australia a target of 349 runs to win on a pitch that was by and large still holding up nicely. Two late wickets in a rain-hit evening session - including Bradman's, bowled by Trueman for the second time in the match for 28 - dented Australia's hopes though, and an incredibly tense final day saw the game's momentum change hands at regular intervals as neither side could establish a telling advantage.

Border made a typically pugnacious 64 before being brilliantly run out by Botham, and by tea the scoreboard read 265-7. With 84 runs still required all Australia's hopes were now pinned on Ian Healy, who had played magnificently on his way to an undefeated 70, and England needed his wicket quickly. In the third over of the final session Botham obliged, producing a magnificent inswinging yorker to uproot Healy's middle stump and, roared on by a mass of travelling support, Botham then induced edges from both Davidson and Lindwall in consecutive overs and England had won an incredibly hard fought first Test. It had been a wonderful recovery by the tourists after having been 6-3 on the first morning, and the teams now head west to Perth with England leading an Ashes series for the very first time.

Ian Botham was inspirational on the final day

Score Summary
ENG 1st Inns 252 (Hutton 104, Ames 75; Lillee 5-67)
AUS 1st Inns 244 (Woodfull 53, Miller 48, Border 47; Trueman 6-47)
ENG 2nd Inns 340 (Dexter 93, Cowdrey 69, Botham 44)
AUS 2nd Inns 275 (Healy 72, Border 64; Botham 4-54)

ENGLAND WON BY 73 RUNS

1st & 2nd innings scorecards
(click to enlarge)

Close of play

Day one - England 1st innings 230-7 (Trueman 7*, Underwood 5*; 86 ov)
Day two - Australia 1st innings 197-5 (Miller 40*, Healy 7*; 64 ov)
Day three - England 2nd innings 180-3 (Dexter 64*, Cowdrey 15*; 54 ov)
Day four - Australia 2nd innings 93-3 (Border 12*, Waugh 4*; 38 ov)
Day five - Australia 2nd innings 275 (100.5 ov) - end of match

Notes
▪ Border passed 4000 career runs, the second Australian after Bradman to do so
▪ Benaud passed 1000 career runs
▪ Botham reached 100 career wickets with the dismissal of Healy in Australia's second innings

Man of the Match: IT Botham

Australia v England - Tour Match

Queensland XI v England XI
Brisbane Cricket Ground, Woolloongabba, Brisbane
4 Day Game
Umpires: PJ McConnell & RC Bailhache
Toss: QLD XI

QLD XI: KA Archer, *WA Brown, KC Wessels, PJP Burge, GM Ritchie, KD Mackay, RG Archer, +D Tallon, TV Hohns, G Dymock, CG Rackemann.
ENG XI: JB Hobbs, *L Hutton, ER Dexter, DI Gower, MC Cowdrey, IT Botham, +AJ Stewart, FS Trueman, DL Underwood, JB Statham, RGD Willis.

Day One

Queensland made good progress after Bill Brown won the toss and elected to bat on a hard and fast track at the 'Gabba. Burge made an aggressive fifty, dishing out severe punishment to the disappointing Underwood, and the unheralded Greg Ritchie had moved almost unnoticed to the brink of his century when stumps were drawn. England's bowlers looked rusty, and Len Hutton will be demanding a better performance on the second day.

Close - Queensland XI 1st innings 281-5 (Ritchie 98*, RG Archer 27*; 83 ov)

Greg Ritchie (l) & Geoff Dymock (r)

Day Two
Armed with the second new ball, Bob Willis and Fred Trueman ripped through Queensland's lower order on the second morning, and Hutton was a far happier man after witnessing the last five wickets tumble for just thirteen runs, although Ritchie did manage to complete a deserved century before the carnage began. Bright innings from Dexter and Cowdrey took the tourists to a comfortable 104-3 in reply, but both fell shortly before tea, and this proved to be a prelude to a disastrous evening session for England. Geoff Dymock cut a swathe through the tail, and the innings folded for just 151, with the visitors unable to offer up any excuses. England had batted very poorly, and a successful assault on the Ashes looks a distant prospect at this early stage.
Close - Queensland XI 2nd innings 17-0 (KA Archer 4*, Brown 12*; 8 ov)

Day Three
Queensland continued to hold the ascendancy throughout the third day, with contrasting innings from Ken Archer and Peter Burge helping to build a lead that eventually topped 400 before Brown declared. Archer, who had been dropped on 10 by Hutton, dropped anchor for nearly four and a half hours in making 66, but the stand-out performance came from Burge, who followed up his first innings fifty with a dominating century, an innings that included three sixes and eleven fours. Only Brian Statham can claim to have bowled well, and with a target of 401, England's main goal on the final day will most likely be one of survival.
Close - England XI 2nd innings 15-0 (Hutton 6*, Hobbs 5*; 6.1 ov)

Peter Burge (l) & Ian Botham (r)

Day Four

With Hobbs and Dexter dismissed before the morning session had reached its halfway point, one could have forgiven England for simply playing for the draw, but Hutton and Gower put together a stand of 122 for the third wicket that just about kept them in the hunt, Gower in particular batting with great freedom. Constrictive spells from Rackemann and Mackay in the afternoon put England behind the clock though, and with twenty overs remaining the tourists sat at 245-4, still 156 short of victory. Ian Botham was up for a Twenty20 style chase though, and he butchered his way to 75 at better than a run a ball as the pressure mounted on the Queenslanders. At the other end though, Cowdrey just couldn't match Botham's pace, and when Botham was finally out with ten overs left and 110 still needed, the chase was called off. England had escaped with a draw, and now the focus switches to the Tests and the battle for the Ashes.
Close - England XI 2nd innings 306-6 (100 ov) - end of match

Score Summary

QLD XI 1st Inns 302 (Ritchie 106, Burge 56; Willis 4-40)
ENG XI 1st Inns 151 (Dexter 48; Dymock 4-37)
QLD XI 2nd Inns 249-3 dec. (Burge 112*, KA Archer 66)
ENG XI 2nd Inns 306-6 (Hutton 86, Botham 75, Gower 71)

1st & 2nd innings scorecards
(click to enlarge)

MATCH DRAWN

Australia v England - Series Preview

England have never won the Ashes in the ATG world, the last two such series having been drawn after Australia won 3-0 in England back in the very first ATG series of all, and they head Down Under as distinct second favourites having slipped to fourth place in the rankings after a disappointing home season. The major talking point regarding England's squad is the omission of Walter Hammond, and despite the fact that his poor form in the recent home series against Pakistan and South Africa made this a logical decision, England's selectors are known to have been divided over the issue. Ted Dexter, included in an England squad for the first time, is expected to bat in Hammond's place at number three, and Trevor Bailey could also make his debut should Ian Botham - whose retention in the squad was also a matter for great debate - not find his best form.

Australia on the other hand will begin their defence of the Ashes in high spirits, having won their last three series since the 1-1 draw in England last season. Richie Benaud's leadership has been a major factor in Australia's recent strong run, and the outcome of his tactical battle with Len Hutton will go a long way to deciding the outcome of this series. Battle commences in Brisbane and both sides - especially England, who have never won the opening Test of an Ashes series - will be desperate to get off to a good start in the quest for the urn.

Current form (most recent result first)
Australia WWDLD
England LLWLD

Previous series result
England 1 Australia 1 (Season V, 5 Tests)

England Squad
L Hutton (c), LEG Ames, TE Bailey, AV Bedser, IT Botham, MC Cowdrey, ER Dexter, DI Gower, JB Hobbs, JC Laker, JA Snow, JB Statham, AJ Stewart, FS Trueman, DL Underwood, RGD Willis.

South Africa v New Zealand - Series Summary

SOUTH AFRICA WON THE SERIES 2-0
As expected, South Africa ran out comfortable victors over New Zealand, and their 2-0 series victory lifts them to second place in the world rankings. When Hansie Cronje took over as skipper for the series against Pakistan last season, South Africa were languishing in fifth, but a run of eight victories and only one defeat in twelve Tests under his leadership has transformed the side into serious challengers for West Indies' number one spot. Cronje's personal form during this time has fallen away quite alarmingly, but in this series he was more than covered by the performances of the rest of the Proteas' batting line-up. Eddie Barlow excelled on recall after time was finally called on Trevor Goddard's run in the side, but the real batting star was Graeme Pollock, who played an innings for the ages in the first Test and whose average of 168 is the highest ever recorded in an ATG series.

Of the South African attack, only Allan Donald disappointed as Neil Adcock and Mike Procter both enjoyed a particularly good series, with Glenn Turner being just about the only New Zealand batsman able to stand up to the pace barrage on a consistent basis. Skipper John Reid bookended the series with a couple of fighting fifties, and although Martin Donnelly ran up a century in the first Test he contributed little else thereafter. New Zealand's bowling was their real weakness however; Richard Hadlee was in poor form, despite his series-leading 14 wickets, and no-one was able to average under 35 as South Africa were allowed to run up substantial first innings totals in each of the three Tests.

Even allowing for the loss of Chris Cairns through injury before the series had begun, the manner of New Zealand's defeat was a huge disappointment after the spirit they had shown in the Caribbean, and they will be desperate to have Cairns fit and ready to face West Indies when they make the trip to New Zealand later this season. Before then, the West Indies travel to South Africa for a series that will put Hansie Cronje's captaincy to the ultimate test, but next up in the ATG world we head down under for Australia's defence of the Ashes against an England side who have never held the urn in ATG competition. Let battle commence!

Series averages
(click to enlarge)

Players of the Series: RG Pollock & GM Turner

South Africa v New Zealand - Third Test

Newlands, Cape Town

South Africa: BA Richards, EJ Barlow, *WJ Cronje, RG Pollock, DJ Cullinan, JN Rhodes, +DT Lindsay, MJ Procter, NBF Mann, AA Donald, NAT Adcock.
New Zealand: GM Turner, B Sutcliffe, GP Howarth, MD Crowe, MP Donnelly, *JR Reid, +AC Parore, RJ Hadlee, DN Patel, BR Taylor, SL Boock.

Debuts: Nil
Umpires: BC Cooray (SL) & LH Barker (WI)
Toss: South Africa

With the series already lost, New Zealand would be fighting for pride alone in Cape Town, and when skipper John Reid uprooted Graeme Pollock's middle stump with a beautiful outswinger shortly after tea on the first day, South Africa had been reduced to 210-6 and Reid's team had established a firm foothold in the game. The pitch at Newlands was favouring the batsmen at this stage now that a little early moisture had dried up, and one more wicket would have exposed South Africa's tail and given the tourists every chance of pressing home their advantage. However, by the afternoon session on day two, the Proteas' last four wickets had added 180 further runs to take the hosts close to 400 to snatch away all New Zealand's momentum and place the visitors firmly behind the eight ball once again.

Denis Lindsay led the late order onslaught, smashing nine fours and four sixes in his 84, then Donald and Adcock thoroughly enjoyed themselves in adding 44 for the last wicket, with Donald racking up a career high 41* in the process. Howarth and Crowe looked confident in reply for New Zealand after the early loss of both openers, but just as in the last Test a clatter of middle order wickets pulled the rug from under the Kiwis' feet, and at 120-5 the tourists' ship looked set to plunge beneath the surface once again.

If there was ever a time for a captain's innings it was now, and John Reid was not about to disappoint the smattering of New Zealanders in the crowd who had made the trip to Cape Town. Reid had bowled superbly in South Africa's innings, and with Richard Hadlee as a capable ally he oversaw the addition of a national record 134 runs for the seventh wicket as New Zealand defiantly clawed their way back into the game. Reid was dropped twice down the leg side by Lindsay early on the third day, firstly on 29 and then again on 45, and by the time Hadlee was bowled for 71 with the new ball by Donald, the scoreboard read 284-7 and the tourists were still hanging on to their hosts' coat tails.

Reid eventually perished for a fine 93 in the first over after tea on day three, and New Zealand's final total of 344 had got them to within fifty runs of the South Africans. Richards and Barlow re-established South Africa's momentum with a chanceless century opening stand though, and despite having already secured the series, Cronje would have undoubtedly been looking to declare at some stage on day four so that he could press for what would be a fifth consecutive Test victory. However, rain severely curtailed play on the fourth day, and although South Africa's batsmen continued to dominate proceedings, the lead was not extended enough to allow the declaration. Richards departed for 75 before Barlow completed his second hundred in two Tests since his recall, and Pollock rounded off his wonderful series with an undefeated 64 before Cronje - who had earlier registered his fourth consecutive single digit score - declared on South Africa's overnight total of 269-3.

New Zealand thus required 316 on the final day for a consolation victory, but more rain on the final morning and then again in the evening session put paid to any notions of a successful run chase. With mere survival the only option, the Kiwis had little trouble in staving off the South African bowlers in what was a disappointing finish to the series, Crowe's 83 the highlight as the tourists plodded their way to 194-4 by the time stumps, and the match, were drawn. South Africa's 2-0 series win moves them up to second place in the world rankings nonetheless, and the second half of the South African summer plays host to the West Indies in what should be a titanic battle for the number one spot in the ATG world.

1st & 2nd innings scorecards
(click to enlarge)

Scores
SAF 1st Inns 390 (Lindsay 84, Cullinan 55, Richards 43, Pollock 42, Donald 41*; Hadlee 4-108)
NZL 1st Inns 344 (Reid 93, Hadlee 71, Howarth 51, Crowe 44)
SAF 2nd Inns 269-3 dec. (Barlow 117, Richards 75, Pollock 64*)
NZL 2nd Inns 194-4 (Crowe 83, Turner 43)

MATCH DRAWN


Man of the Match: JR Reid

South Africa v New Zealand - Second Test

The Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg

South Africa: BA Richards, EJ Barlow, *WJ Cronje, RG Pollock, DJ Cullinan, JN Rhodes, +DT Lindsay, MJ Procter, NBF Mann, AA Donald, NAT Adcock.
New Zealand: GM Turner, B Sutcliffe, GP Howarth, MD Crowe, MP Donnelly, *JR Reid, +AC Parore, RJ Hadlee, BR Taylor, J Cowie, SL Boock.

Debuts: Nil
Umpires: DM Archer (WI) & BC Cooray (SL)
Toss: South Africa

South Africa sealed the series with a crushing 299 run victory in Johannesburg, and although the tourists managed to force the match into a fifth day, the nature of the cricket played led one to the conclusion that there have been few more one-sided affairs in ATG history.

Having taken his 200th wicket in Bloemfontein, a lack of productivity with the bat meant that Trevor Goddard was dropped for this Test, thus ending his proud record of 62 consecutive appearances for South Africa, but his replacement, Eddie Barlow, found no difficulty in getting amongst the runs as New Zealand's bowlers were put to the sword in South Africa's first innings.

An opening partnership of 88 between Barlow and Richards (56) was followed by a second ball dismissal for the worryingly out of form Cronje, but then Barlow and Pollock proceeded to take the tourists' bowling apart with a 248 run stand that was simply all too easy for both batsmen. The less said about New Zealand's bowling the better; Hadlee and Cowie both looked tired after having been asked to do a lot of work in the first Test, and the standard of the Kiwis' fielding deteriorated markedly as the innings progressed.

That said, it was a run out that finally brought the partnership to an end; Sutcliffe's throw from the deep allowed Geoff Howarth - recalled for this match in place of Andrew Jones - to break the wicket with Pollock a foot short of his ground, but Pollock had made 135 by that stage and South Africa already had 336 on the board. Barlow, whose only previous appearance had come against Australia way back in Season I, went on to record a magnificent 160, and to rub salt into the wounds, Jonty Rhodes scampered his way to 103 before Cronje declared at tea on day two with the scoreboard reading an imposing 565-9.

New Zealand's reply began encouragingly, with a fine 80 from Turner helping to take the score to 132-1, but exactly one hundred runs later it was all over as the remainder of the innings subsided against the unremitting pace of Donald, Procter and Adcock, with only Parore's three hour 38 providing any resistance down the order. With a lead of 333, Cronje decided not to enforce the follow-on, and led by a sparkling, undefeated 82 from Cullinan, the South Africans raced to 152-4 in their second innings before Cronje declared for the second time in the match, this time with a lead of 485 runs.

New Zealand began their final innings after lunch on day four, and again they began brightly, a partnership of 77 between Turner and Crowe taking the score to 103-2 half an hour into the evening session. But, in an unedifying repeat of the first innings, New Zealand's batting fell away dramatically thereafter, and it was only a boisterous 32 from Taylor at number nine that managed to take the game, albeit briefly, into a fifth day. New Zealand were finally bowled out for 186, having lost their last eight wickets for 83 runs, and the expressions of resignation on the visitors' balcony were there for all to see. South Africa's dominance in every department of the game had been total, and after their string of fighting performances against the West Indies, New Zealand's capitulation both here and in Bloemfontein has been most disappointing. South Africa need only to avoid defeat in the final Test to secure second place in the world rankings, and it would take a brave, or foolish, man to bet against that happening now.

1st & 2nd innings scorecards
(click to enlarge)

Scores
SAF 1st Inns 565-9 dec. (Barlow 160, Pollock 135, Rhodes 103, Richards 56)
NZL 1st Inns 232 (Turner 80)
SAF 2nd Inns 152-4 dec. (Cullinan 82*)
NZL 2nd Inns 186 (Turner 49; Procter 4-47)

SOUTH AFRICA WON BY 299 RUNS


Man of the Match: EJ Barlow