South Africa v SAB English XI. Third Test
Played at Kingsmead, Durban, March 26,27,28,29 -1982

The tour by the SAB English XI, which began amid so much  contro-
versy  and  sensation, ended on a somewhat anti-climatic note be-
cause this t hird "test" was ruined by rain - there was  a  wash-
out  on  the  third day - and this denied Graham Gooch team any
chance of forcing one win in South Africa.

At one stage, on the  first  day,  the  tourist  were  splendidly
placed, for after sending the Springboks in to nat, they had them
at 111/6, this after Jimmcy Cook and Barry Richards added 48  for
the first wicket.

Then dogged batting by Alan Kourie (50 not out) and Ray  Jennings
(22)  enabled  the  Boks, led by Barry Richards in the absence of
Mike Procter, extricate themselves from a stick position.  Howev-
er,  in  the  end,  thanks  to Les Taylor (5/61) and Mike Hendrik
(3/28) the Englishmen were able to have  the  Boks  declared   at
181/9.

Both Taylor and Hendrik returned their best figures of the  tour.
Yet, they might have been even more impressive because Kourie was
dropped when four, but eventually stayed just over three   hours,
hitting  six  fours, while Jennings was dropped behind the wicket
when he had 18.

Adrian Kuiper , having taken Procter place,  was  bowled  first
ball!  Bowled  by  Taylor  at  a  venomous pace, the ball whipped
through and splayed the off and middle stumps.

Thereafter, the English batted as well as at  any  stage  of  the
short  tour,  Gooch (48) and Geoff Boycott (31) adding 67 for the
first wicket, Wayne Larkins compiling a competent 39, Dennis  Am-
iss  50  in  203 minutes and Bob Woolmer, coming to light after a
string of low scores and injury problems, scored a lusty  century
in 212 minutes.

Woolmer second 50 runs came off  only  42  balls,  whereas  his
first half-century had required 101 balls.

The product was a total of 311/8 before Gooch  declared,  leaving
only three hours and 20 overs for play. So the Springboks second
innings was merely an exercise in survival on a  pitch  that  had
slowed up considerably.

When play was abandoned at 4 pm on the third  day,  there  was  a
suggestion  that  Monday play be abandoned and the team instead
play a one-day limited overs fixture. But officials decreed  that
the  four-day  "test"  should continue, believing that they would
make a mockery of "test" cricket if  they simply  abandoned   the
match in progress.

<END> Contributed by Donald (G94P5293@giraffe.ru.ac.za)