1st Test, Days 1 & 2: Advantage England

 

South Africa v England:

Narrow Advantage to England Thanks to Nick Compton

 

December 27^th 2015

 

Two days into the series the danger of making snap judgements is already manifest. CricInfo’s feedback and TMS’s experts were filled with criticism of Nick Compton’s painstaking innings being far too slow and showing an inability to change gear. Without it, as the collapse from a solid 247-5 to a perilous 267-9 showed, it is quite possible that England would have folded for 130 after being put in, in ideal bowling conditions, on an awkward pitch.

For England, it was the perfect storm. Lost the toss on a day so inviting for bowlers that Jimmy Anderson would have bowled on crutches if they had let him. Cook fell quickly. Hales was convicted of dangerous driving. Root lasted a little longer, but was dismissed as the early horrors of 12-2 were just starting to recede and rain breaks kept the opening bowlers fresh for longer than England would have desired with Steyn’s match-fitness in doubt. At 49-3, with your two batting bankers gone, you had two recalled players who have to re-build, justify their call-up and try to haul the total up to something that the bowlers could work with later, with the best batting conditions expected on days 2 & 3. This was not what Alistair Cook's letter to Santa would have requested.

As so often for Middlesex, Nick Compton found himself like Horatius at the Bridge, this time with Lars Porsena Steyn threatening to overrun his position. With Compton blocking an end as effectively as an elephant in an alleyway, James Taylor could go for his shots… occasionally at least, when an opportunity presented itself. Hashim Amla resorted to occasional bowlers, reinforcing the suggestion that for all the bravura que South Africa has more strength in depth in their attack, on this occasion they are at least one bowler short. Even when James Taylor fell just before the Close, Amla’s decision to bowl was still at least one and probably two wickets short of justifying itself.

In truth, although Taylor’s dismissal took some gloss off it, it was still England’s day.

Push on to 300, 350, maybe even 400 if things really went England’s way. The collapse that followed was as predictable as it was painful. Perhaps stung by the criticisms – including the quite incredible suggestion from Graeme Swann that he was doing dreadful harm to his side by batting slowly – Nick Compton’s efforts to accelerate the scoring were predictably disastrous. The new ball was disappearing at just about a run a ball, Nick Compton had hit three fours in 21 balls after the new ball was taken, when he had managed just 5 in 214 balls up to it: such un-natural behaviour could only end badly. And so it did, with an horrific collapse of 20-4 in 30 balls that took with it hopes of 400, 350, 300, or even 280 and had the South African fans laughing at England’s so-called batting depth.

Not for the first time, Stuart Broad’s recovered batting confidence has rescued England. Instead of a sub-standard 270ao, some judicious hitting and a dose of obduracy from Steve Finn – the Watford Wall – allowed England to creep past 280 and, run by agonising run, past 300.

With South Africa short on bowling options, Dale Steyn was forced back for a seventh spell to end the innings. He has bowled 25 overs already. Morkel has bowled 26. There is a second innings to come and just two days rest between the Tests.  Bowling first here will allow the attack a little more rest, but there is no doubt that there is a real danger that the South African attack will go into the 2^nd Test tired and Steyn cannot be match-fit right now.

It is as well to remember that South Africa have not had a century partnership all year, that their opening batting issues make Cook and Moeen in the UAE seem like a time of riches, that Hashim Amla is in a dreadful slump and that they simply were not at the races in the series against India. Add to that that de Villiers has been obliged to take the gloves back and has to combine the role of major batsman with wicket-keeper and that the pitch is expected to break up on the fourth and fifth days and help Moeen’s spin and the South Africans could not have been pleased to see England recover from 12-2 and 49-3 to pass 300. When you put a side in and have them in desperate trouble, you want to be chasing no more than 220.

Having been 14-2 despite two missed chances, South Africa have recovered well to 137-4, but there is little batting to come and Stuart Broad has slept on 10-5-16-3 to add to his 32* from 33 balls. The pitch is already offering plenty of encouragement to Moeen Ali and there is little batting to come.

With the new ball due half an hour before Lunch, England will look for two wickets in the first hour from Finn, Stokes and Woakes and a lead of 70-80. If they can get it, South Africa will be in a very deep hole.

Day 1 to England

Day 2 to England

Key man so far: Nick Compton

Key man on Day 3: Stuart Broad. Will he ever get the credit that he deserves as a very fine bowling all-rounder?