ANOTHER day, another arse-nipper. Test cricket, which many believe to be fighting for survival, is pulling out all the stops. This was exceptional, a match that, as at Centurion a few weeks back, went to the last available ball.
As in that first Test of this remarkable series, it was the unlikely and certainly unheralded batting of Graham Onions that secured England the draw. They will now go to Johannesburg and The Wanderers next week for the final Test leading a series that they cannot lose and may well win.
There were 17 deliveries of the match remaining when Onions strode to the crease to join Graeme Swann. Onions was to face 11 of them, all from the giant Morne Morkel, whose first ball of a last-ditch spell had accounted for the courageous Ian Bell after an epic and flawless innings of almost five hours.
At Centurion Onions had had to face out a last over from Makhaya Ntini and he had done so with comfort as the old bowler’s career ran out of steam. This was different: Morkel is rapid and he gets uncomfortable bounce. Once again Onions had six balls to imprint himself in the history of English cricket rearguards.
Twice Morkel bowled short and twice Onions waved the ball by. Twice Morkel speared in the yorker and twice Onions dug it out of the crease. Morkel reached the end of his run and composed himself for the last efforts. From the depths of his energy resources he dredged up another bouncer, which Onions fenced at but clearly missed. South Africa sought a review – desperate measures – but gained no solace.
One ball to go. Yorker? Short ball into the ribs and thence to the vultures poised waiting for the carcass? It was on a length and wide of off stump. Onions let it go and raised his fist in triumph. South Africa had given it everything, challenging England to the line, and for the second time in three matches they had just come up short. England finished on 296 for nine and elated; South Africa, so tantalisingly close once more, were despondent.
If Onions was the last line of defence, it was a magnificent partnership of 112 for the sixth wicket in 57 overs between Paul Collingwood and Ian Bell that had placed England in the position from which they were able to save the game.
The two batsmen came together on a morning that had seen South Africa dispose of nightwatchman James Anderson and Jonathan Trott – the latter bowled spectacularly by Dale Steyn – with the old ball. They were not parted until Collingwood fell in the second of the mandatory 15 overs in the final hour of play.
These are the situations that appear to stimulate Collingwood more than any other. He is a hitter of sixes (he has more than any Englishman bar Andrew Flintoff in one-day cricket) but defence is his forte.
His 40 runs yesterday came from 188 balls in four and a half hours.
Bell’s 78, which was ended only when he edged Morkel’s lifter to Graeme Smith at first slip, might just be the best innings he has played for his country.
It was Duminy, round the wicket, who dismissed Collingwood, caught at slip by Jacques Kallis at a time when thoughts turned to an early drawn finish.
He then had Matt Prior snapped up by AB de Villiers at forward short-leg. In between times Harris had Stuart Broad caught at backward short leg, again by De Villiers.
England will now decamp to a boutique hotel in Cape Town for a couple of days of welcome and deserved RR, before moving to the altitude of The Wanderers and its ferocious Bull Ring.
Their faith in Bell has been repaid in rubies, for his runs gave them the leeway to attack in Durban and they have now saved the day at Newlands. The bowlers have survived this match and they may find The Wanderers more to their liking. England will not change a thing.
Guardian Service
Cape Town Scoreboard
SOUTH AFRICA - First innings 291 (J Kallis 108, M Boucher 51; J Anderson 5 for 63)
ENGLAND - First innings 273 (A Cook 65, M Prior 76; M Morkel 5 for 75)
SOUTH AFRICA - Second innings 447 for 7 declared (G Smith 183, H Amla 95; G Swann 3 for 127, J Anderson 3 for 98)
ENGLAND - Second innings
(overnight 132 for 3)
A Strauss c Amla b Harris 45
A Cook c Boucher b De Wet 55
J Trott b Steyn 42
K Pietersen lbw b Steyn 6
J Anderson c Prince b Harris 9
P Collingwood c Kallis b Duminy 40
I Bell c Smith b Morkel 78
M Prior c De Villiers b Duminy 4
S Broad c De Villiers b Harris 0
G Swann not out 10
G Onions not out 0
Extras (b-1, lb-4, nb-1, w-1) 7
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Total (for nine wickets, 141 overs) 296
Fall of wickets: 1-101, 2-107, 3-129, 4-153, 5-160, 6-272, 7-278, 8-286, 9-290.
Bowling: Morkel 28-9-51-1 (w-1, nb-1), Steyn 35-11-74-2, De Wet 12-5-23-1, Harris 40-14-85-3, Kallis 14-4-28-0, Duminy 12-3-30-2.
Match drawn.
England lead series 1-0.
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