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South Africa 2006"South Africa v Australia"The Wanderers March 31st - April 4th
By AST tour member Greg Tunn
South Africa AB de Villiers, H.Gibbs, B. Dippenaar, J.Kallis(cpt.), A.Prince, J.Rudolph, M.Boucher, S.Pollock, N.Boje, A.Nel, M.Ntini
Australia M.Hayden, J.Langer, R.Ponting(cpt.), D.Martyn, A.Symonds, M.Hussey, A.Gilchrist, B.Lee, S.Warne, M.Kasprowicz, S.McGill, S.Clarke
Three days after a controversial finish in fading light at Durban, Australia and South Africa traveled to Johannesburg for what was meant to be a meaningless test. Somebody, however, forgot to hand out the scripts. It was to be Justin Langer’s 100th Test, with his parents flying over from Perth for the occasion. The last Australian to bring up 100 tests was Ricky Ponting, who celebrated with double hundreds in Sydney against South Africa earlier in the year. For Langer it was to be an equally memorable test but in an entirely different way.
Australia had been in Johannesburg a month previously for the final of the ODI series which saw the most remarkable result in the history of ODI’s. South Africa scored 438 runs to break a world record for an ODI which had been set by Australia just hours earlier in the day. The combined South Africa/Australia score was 179 more than the previous best score. It was obviously something that all South Africans were having trouble getting over, with every tourist guide, bus driver, barman, lifesaver and shopkeeper taking delight in reminding anyone with even the slightest suspicion of an Australian accent of the result. 438 will go down with Nelson Mandela’s registration number, 488/64 at Robben Island, as the most famous number in the history of the South Africa.
I arrived in Johannesburg from Durban with an Australian Sports Tours group. I had been to India previously with AST and found traveling with such a group a fantastic way to combine watching Test Cricket and to do the mandatory sightseeing. This tour provided the usual collection of cricket tragics, ranging from an 88yr old war veteran who had recently recovered from a heart attack to a young 21 year old girl from a small country town in South Australia. In between there were people of all different shapes, sizes, ages, occupations but all with a great knowledge of and interest in cricket.
Traveling in such a group does have its advantages. One gets to stay in first class hotels and in the case of Durban and Capetown the same hotel as the South African and Australian teams. The biggest challenge here was trying to have an intelligent 10 second conversation with a player going up or down the lift, or while lining up patiently each morning waiting for the toast making machine to produce some toast, or the chef to make an omelet. With Ricky Ponting after he made a century it was easy. A simple “Well batted Ricky” was humbly acknowledged. With Andre Nel it was not quite that easy. What can you say to a player between the 12th and Ground Floor after he has been hit for 22 runs in an over by Adam Gilchrist, and then to the astonishment of Australian and South African supporters proceeded to give him a mouthful of abuse? I would liked to have told Andre he should have found a rock to crawl under but after looking at his imposing size I decided the discreet thing to do was to say nothing, particularly alone in the confinement of a lift.
In such tours, Australian Sports Tours provide a prominent ex-cricketer to travel with the group and provide valuable insights on what has happened and what is expected to happen. This tour was fortunate to have the services of Merv Hughes who had recently also been appointed to the Australian selection panel. To some, Merv’s appointment came as a surprise but in his morning briefings with the assistance of Clive Rice, Jim Maxwell, Gary Kirsten and Geoff Lawson he impressed everybody with his knowledge, passion and commitment to the game. He was certainly more than an aggressive fast bowler with a pretty face. Not only did he have a pretty face but he also demonstrated his logical mind by solving “fiendish” rated Sudoku’s each day before the first drinks break. This was the first hour of play that Merv described in our morning briefings as being "important", "vital", "crucial" or sometimes a combination of all three.
According to Merv the toss for each test, as demonstrated in Capetown was also "crucial". With Graeme Smith out with an injured finger and replaced by Boeta Dippenaar, Jacques Kallis deputising as captain and playing his 99th Test, won the toss and chose to bat. South Africa crawled to 2/67 at lunch with Herschelle Gibbs being bowled for 16 by Kasprowicz for the 8th time in his last 11 test innings. Despite Dippenaar, Kallis and Rudolph all getting good starts South Africa found themselves 5/161 shortly after tea. Rudolph’s dismissal, caught by Hayden off Warne, produced the days first controversy as the catch didn’t appear to carry. That was certainly in the mind of New Zealand umpire, Tony Hills, who unable to make the decision consulted his more senior colleague at square leg, Steve Bucknor. Much to the dismay of the chagrined South Africans, Bucknor, without referring to the third umpire, gave Rudolph out. South Africa had reached 5/238 when the umpires decided it was too dark to continue. Strangely, the light appeared to be a lot better than the light the South Africans were forced to continue batting in three days previously in Durban.
Making decisions on bad light, dubious catches, and close LBW’s wasn’t Tony Hills’ biggest problem of the day. His biggest problem was keeping back with Steve Bucknor as they walked onto the ground for the beginning and close of each session. No matter how slow he tried to walk he always found himself two to three metres in front of his West Indian colleague.
I had always been fascinated by The Wanderers. Listening to Richards, Barlow, Proctor, the Pollocks and Dennis Lindsay destroy the Australians in the 1966 and 1970 series, The Wanderers and that of Newlands were names that I have always remembered and wanted to visit. I was not disappointed. It was an enjoyable experience walking to the ground, and then around the ground and see the great variety of food at very reasonable prices, particularly the BBQ’s or "braais" behind the stands. Vendors were selling special “438” T-Shirts and had a steady flow of presumably South Africans, prepared to pay 50 Rand. Will they ever get over it? One can only think what Channel 9 and Tony Grieg would have done with such an opportunity.
Well manicured grassy embankments complemented the modern, clean, comfortable stands. Being able to go onto the ground during the lunchtime break was an unexpected bonus. Some took it as an opportunity to inspect the pitch but for most it was a chance to play their own Test Match, a game of touch, or for the Australian Rules fans it was a chance to take the big “speccy” mark during an old fashioned kick to kick. No doubt the ground law enforcers back in Australia were looking and trying to count the number of potential $5000 fines, that being the fine for anyone trespassing on our precious grounds.
The Australian innings started with Langer taking strike from Ntini. Ntini charged in as he always does, whether he is bowling his first or twentieth over and produced a short rearing delivery that appeared to follow Langer, hitting him viciously on the side of the head. If Langer had been a boxer he would have been counted out twenty times and eventually, still groggy, he had to be assisted from the field. Hayden seemed stunned by his partner’s demise and was soon out for 3. Martyn’s response was to launch a bizarre counter attack that featured some wild swings and an uncharacteristic hook for 6 off Ntini. However soon after lunch Martyn was out followed by Ponting, Symonds and Gilchrist. As has been the case since his debut Hussey held the innings together for 73, supported by Warne with a typical mixture of slices, swipes and swishes, and Lee who remained not out on 42. Bad light stopped play early with Australia 7/245.
With their theme song “Stand by Me” resounding loudly around the ground the South Africans, keen to wrap up the innings, charged onto to the ground and despite giving the umpires 2 minutes start beat them out to the centre. With Langer not able to bat Australia was effectively all out twenty minutes after the commencement of play for 270. Lee made a career best 64 although the South Africans believed he was out earlier after Dippenaar appeared to take a legitimate catch which was denied by the umpires. Ntini’s figures of 6/100 were his best against Australia.
South Africa commenced their second innings with a lead of 33. De Villiers again went cheaply before Gibbs and Dippenaar added 46 brisk runs for the second wicket. Dippenaar, then became the victim of another superb catch by Hayden in the gully. With Kasprowicz injured, the Australian captain was forced to share the bowling with Symonds before lunch. This was so unexpected that the scoreboard operator was unable to find any previous attempts by Ricky Ponting to impersonate a Test Match bowler. Merv Hughes, looking up from his Sudoku, assured us that Ponting could in fact bowl and had actually taken some wickets, some of which were "crucial". If nothing else Ponting’s efforts made Symonds look good.
South Africa lost 4 wickets after lunch to be 6/160 at tea. Pollock was surprisingly promoted ahead of Rudolph and Boucher as his efforts with the bat at Durban suggested he was more likely to be demoted behind Boje. With Boucher he added 46 runs for the 7th wicket before Boucher and Nel added a further 56 runs to really frustrate the Australians. At the close of play South Africa were 8/250, an overall lead of 283.
South Africa were only able to add 8 runs to their overnight total leaving Australia 292 runs to score for a 3-0 clean sweep. The innings started disastrously with Hayden out for 0 in the third over and Ponting following not long later for 20. A 165 run partnership between Martyn and the fill-in opener, Hussey, had the South Africans starting to look demoralised until Hussey was adjudged LBW to Boje for the second time in the match. South Africa were delighted to take Hussey’s wicket as they believed, and Hussey himself admitted while waiting for his omelet the following morning, that he had been out four times previously. Hussey’s dismissal triggered a mini-collapse with Symonds(29), Gilchrist(0) and Warne all following cheaply.
Martyn, who was uncharacteristically reckless in the first innings, batted brilliantly to be 93 not out at the close of play which concluded early with Australia needing 44 runs to win and four wickets, one of which was Langer, remaining. Again Ntini was inspiring to lead an attack restricted by the loss of Nel who was only able to bowl two overs. Kallis, bowling as fast as he ever has, gave Ntini great support.
A small but vocal crowd arrived at the Wanderers on another glorious day in Johannesburg to witness the final session of the 6 Test series. Merv Hughes, surprisingly in his morning briefing, informed us that the first hour of play was going to be "crucial". It appeared as if he had also told the umpires because they appeared to have an extra spring in their step and reached the centre of the ground in less than two minutes.
There was speculation whether Justin Langer would be able to bat. Medical opinion and the opinion of his captain and teammates was that Langer should not and would not bat but Langer had been known before to put the cause of his country in front of any individual cause or well-being.
Kallis completed his over before Pollock and Ntini shared the new ball for what was to be a gripping final hour of the 6 Test series. Martyn reached his 13th test century with a typically elegant back cut off Pollock, then found himself edging twice to the slips region before being trapped LBW in the same over. Ntini then, after being hit for successive boundaries, picked up the wicket of Clark leaving Australia with 17 runs to win and Kasprowicz and Lee at the crease. Ironically they were the pair at the crease who valiantly but unsuccessfully took Australia to within 3 runs of victory at Edgbaston 8 months previously. With 8 runs needed, Langer, much to the dismay of his captain who had threatened to declare if such a situation arose, put on his chest guard, forearm guard, helmet and pads prepared to walk out and stand at the non-strikers end if necessary. Langer’s courage has never been questioned but one could argue if coming out to bat was a courageous or a stupid thing to do. Whatever, we will never know, because Kasprowicz and Lee, both with the thought of not being responsible for putting Langer’s health at risk, batted determinedly to score the 17 runs required.
It was the first time South Africa had lost a series at home 3-0 for over 100 years. Kallis, as had Graeme Smith during the series, conceded Australia’s supremacy but also recognized the fight, the spirit and courage of his team who were competitive in every Test but were unable to press home any advantages they obtained. It was an opinion shared by many of my fellow tourists but against a team as disciplined and focused as Australia, unless the effort can be sustained for 3 sessions over 5 days defeat will inevitably follow.
Man of the Match – Brett Lee
Man of the Series – Stuart Clark |
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