Buffalo Park (first day of two; South Africa Invitational XI won toss): an England XI have scored 317 for five against a South Africa Invitational XI
As successive England batsmen milked the equivalent in standard of an undergraduate attack on Friday on a pudding of a pitch, it became hard to imagine that the start of the first Test against the fiercest bowlers South Africa can muster stood only five days away.
Andrew Strauss completed a hundred, Alastair Cook, Kevin Pietersen and Jonathan Trott reached fifties and the bowlers toiled for most of the day before taking a wicket. The first three “dismissals” go down in the book as “retired out”, with the top order ending what amounted to outdoor nets when they chose.
Given recent rain, they were doubtless grateful for anything, but as preparation for the challenge of Makhaya Ntini, Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel on what is sure to be a quicker surface in Centurion on Wednesday, its value had limits. The biggest gain must be in confidence, and at least batsmen are now out of one-day mode.
Only Ian Bell, playing on in the final half-hour, missed out and Pietersen will be as happy as anyone despite becoming the first batsman to be dismissed. An innings of 71 was his highest score since returning after Achilles tendon trouble and he looked in sound touch from his first two balls, both driven to the ropes.
Those two strokes brought him level with Trott, who had taken 70 balls to reach eight. It was a real grind for the Warwickshire player whose loose drive two days earlier appeared to have persuaded him that abstinence was the key. He stuck to his new plan as faithfully as the chairman of a Victorian temperance movement.
Cook played as straight and solidly as he had in the first warm-up game and Strauss gradually widened his range, crashing balls through the off side before easing himself through the nineties. The problem faced by all batsmen was in piercing the infield as the ball refused to come on to the bat. Bowlers were not of express pace, but they plugged away.
Andy Flower, the England team director, said: “We are making the most of the practice we were given so far. Obviously we would have preferred a bouncier pitch, but they have done a really good job getting this ready, so no way would I criticise the groundsman. But, yes, we are expecting bouncier pitches for the Tests.
“Kevin’s innings was probably the most pleasing aspect because the other guys have been playing cricket and been in the runs recently. He has not had that, so getting in and getting that time in the middle was vital for him. You could see as his innings progressed how he looked more balanced and assured.”
As for clues to the composition of the Test side, Bell’s inclusion, with Paul Collingwood resting, suggested that England may yet plump for six specialist batsmen. However, much will depend on the faith the selectors have in James Anderson’s dodgy right knee, to be tested when he bowls today.
England XI: First Innings
*A J Strauss retired out 100
A N Cook retired out 52
I J L Trott retired out 50
K P Pietersen c Van Wyk b Vallie 71
I R Bell b Eccles 8
†M J Prior not out 19
L J Wright not out 1
Extras (b 5, lb 1, w 2, nb 8)16
Total (5 wkts, 88 overs) 317
J M Anderson, S C J Broad, G P Swann, R J Sidebottom and P D Collingwood to bat.
Fall of wickets: 1-101, 2-169, 3-274, 4-293, 5-304.
Bowling: Myoli 16-1-82-0; Eccles 16-0-79-1; Wiese 17-4-40-0; Pietersen 12-2-41-0; Adams 13-5-14-0; Vallie 7-1-32-1; Bossenger 7-0-23-0.
South Africa Invitational XI: A P Agathagelou, D J van Wyk, S E Avontuur, M Y Vallie, *W Bossenger, C Pietersen, D Wiese, K W Eccles, †M Mosehle, R A Adams, A Myoli, T Bavuma.
Umpires: B G Jerling and L J Willemse.
Source: The times
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