One Long Day Changes Everything

Thoughts that South Africa were underdone have been dispelled by an emphatic batting display on the third day at The Oval as Hashim Amla shared big stands with first his skipper, Graeme Smith and then with the most enduring of all South African cricketers, Jacques Kallis.

England bowled 98 overs for only one additional wicket, whilst South Africa piled on more than 300 runs. The skipper, Andrew Strauss, tried different combinations of different bowlers, with even Kevin Pietersen and Jonathan Trott being bought from the cupboard in the hope of temporary distraction providing the crack through which the batsmen might fall. It never happened.

Graeme Smith made 131

Smith agonised over his first fifty, taking 160 balls to get there, compared to the 110 Amla needed. When he raised his bat, his partner was well in front of him after a first hour in which Smith had contributed only 13. Maybe it was the drinks but in the second hour Mr Jekyl slipped personae into Mr Hyde as he raced to his 26th hundred and his seventh against England, needing only 41 balls for the second fifty.

By lunch, England were already wilting. Smith had his century and Amla was 80 and the second hour of the morning cost England a run a minute.

Amla 183x and unmovable

After lunch, things were again more sedate as Amla move inevitably to a century raised from Anderson with a four and then a single glided to third man. There was little England could do to stop Amla. Even Graeme Swann who had long spells at him, could do little more than slow him down but even that seems to have little effect. Amla is possibly the most patient batsman in world cricket and yet as much as the impression he creates is of a man doing very little, he still scores at a steady rate. Handy traits for a number three.

Tim Bresnan eventually removed Smith with the new ball. Typically, Smith took the ball off the inside edge, onto his front leg and from there to his off stump. The over working of Graeme Smith's inside edge has been commented on ad nauseum but not without due cause and his eventual departure will only add to the discussion but while we are at it, remember he made 131 and added 259 with Amla - that's almost as much as it took five Englishmen to make on the first day.

Whilst Kallis and Amla were content to see things safely through to tea, the second session was an exercise in punishment. Amla was smooth and fluent, tucking away 38 singles between fine leg and forward square any time the quicker men strayed onto his pads but stroking eight exquisitely timed drives between cover point and mid off. His ability to play all round the wicket makes him hard to bowl to. The contest with Swann was finger-licking good and as compelling a contest as has been seen in the game since Warne/Lara.

Kallis crashes Broad to the
cover fence

Kallis, who these days seems to score runs in his sleep, gave a lesson in experience being the most important  element any batsman can gather into his armoury. Like all of the best, he was superb off his pads, missing nothing. Like all of the best, he butchered bad balls - to backward point off Bopara, through the covers off Broad, to third man off Anderson and thumping to mid wicket of a rare Swann long hop. Like all of the best, he dominated, making , adding 72 of the 126 in the long last session as the South African piled it on.

England didn't waste any opportunities. Twice they had Smith struck on the pads on the back foot but to no avail. There were no catches to drop. The pitch is dry but beautiful to bat on and if the South Africans saw any challenge ahead of them when England was dismissed, it hasn't been apparent in their batting. If there is to be a criticism raised at England it might be their inability to make things happen but then against such disciplined batting on such a plain and unenterprising pitch, perhaps that's harsh. Broad had one of his lesser days and Bresnan was only workmanlike. Maybe Finn's height might have been handy but then his looseness would have been severely dealt with. Anderson lost his line for periods of time and as early in career, showed he can be rattled by batsmen not convinced by his glare and who counter by milking him. Swann was clearly England's best but even he could provide no miracles.

Kallis and Amla have added 143 so far and still look greedy. After them, South Africa's best batsman, AB de Villiers has a bat, rested after his wicket keeping by the gluttony of his comrades ... then Rudolph ... then Duminy ...

... England will bat last in this Test.