South Africa v England: 4th Test, Day 1 - Another Dose of England Final Test Blues

 

South Africa v England: 4^th Test, Day 1

Another Dose of England Final Test Blues

 

January 23^rd  2016

 

England have not avoided defeat in the final Test of a series since the 2014 series against India. And in six of the last seven series, stretching back to 2013/14, England have lost the final Test.

It is an amazing story of woe. In the 2013/14 Ashes the series was long-gone when Australia applied the coup de grace with a 281 run win. Since then, defeat to Sri Lanka cost a 1-0 series defeat at home in 2014. Defeat to the West Indies led to the series being shared, as it was after defeat to New Zealand. Defeat to Australia allowed the Australian to claim, as in 2013, that the better side had lost the series. Defeat to Pakistan in the UAE cost England the chance to share a series that they had not really deserved to lose 2-0. And now, when Alistair Cook should have been licking his lips at the prospect of a 3-0 away victory over the former #1 side in Tests, England are already in a fight to save this game.

The Australian side of the 1990s and early 2000s made a habit of winning the series and then allowing England a token victory in the final Test. They were so good that they could get away with it. England 2016, are not.

England were, apart from one moment of genius from James Taylor, awful in the first two sessions. The marginal pick – Chris Woakes – took a dreadful pasting. The bowlers have been much of a muchness in pace (Ben Stokes marginally the quickest) and one does wonder what difference Mark Footitt would have made to the attack who have offered Hashim Amla so much width that 80% of his runs have come through the covers or through mid-wicket. What many fans feared has come to pass: in his third match back after injury, Jimmy Anderson still looks a shadow of the bowler who tormented Pakistan in the UAE and, rather than being able to toss the ball to Steve Finn to re-gain control with a quick wicket or two, Alistair Cook has been landed with a bowler in Chris Woakes, who is struggling as much or more. Jimmy Anderson has at least been fairly economical, if unthreatening. Chris Woakes has been both unthreatening and expensive.

In an eerie echo of the 2^nd Test, two chances have bounced off Jonny Bairstow’s gloves: both quite difficult, but perfectly catchable. The first might have better been Alistair Cook’s and it could well be that Jonny Bairstow’s fingers just pushed the ball out of Alistair Cook’s grasp, stopping the captain from cleaning-up the miss. The second was also tipped around the post and was reckoned to be an easier chance.

As in the 2^nd Test, it was Hashim Amla who profited. The first drop, with Amla on 5, would have made South Africa 54-2. The second at 122-1, saw Cook dropped on 47. They cost England a total of 172 runs.

A post-Tea fightback saw South Africa slip from 237-1 to 273-5. Take 172 from that and South Africa would have been in deep trouble again.

The match is still not lost for England. An early wicket on Day 2 would make things interesting. Two early wickets would bring England right back into the match. But England have to take them first and then make a better fist of dismissing the tail and batting themselves.

Day 1, very definitely, to South Africa.