Manchester (England) - They banned the booze and the bizarre at Old Trafford yesterday but it failed to stop the Gary Kirsten and Jacques Kallis run-making road show on the first day of this third test.
As batting record partnerships tumbled Kallis finally overcame his mid-innings crisis to score a second test century while Kirsten was left with a two-run shortfall of his seventh three-figure score at this level, and on a day when the clouds were finally swept away and we had some sunshine.
Yet, as South Africa approach the second day with an impressive score of 237 for one, they will be conscious of wanting to build a big total as Hansie Cronje last night hinted he would prefer his side to bat only once in this test.
No one can blame him either as the surface, relaid during the winter became pitted and my yet give Paul Adams his best chance to win a test with his left-arm wrist spin and batting could become a tricky problem by Sunday.
It was, however, the record second wicket partnership of 212 by Kirsten and Kallis which has set up South Africa's hopes of wresting a 2-0 lead in the series. At 199 they broke the 47 year-old record held by Eric Rowan and Clive van Ryneveld against England. The Old Trafford record, which had stood for 65 years fell a few runs later.
If anything the run-scoring, on a flat, plastic surface devoid of bounce or pace, made it hard to score too freely while England's bowling, Darren Gough apart, lacked penetration and seemed to be more bent on containing the run-rate than taking wickets.
All credit to Kallis who went to his century with successive boundaries off part-time leg-spinner Mark Ramprakash: the first a long-hop through mid-wicket and the second, his 13th of the innings, smacked sweetly through the covers.
While this was going on Kirsten's anchor role was as impressive as it was blunting the England bowlers. He had a great duel with off-spinner Robert Croft, taking him on at times and using his feet, but he gave the impression he was not always in command against the Welshman. As for Ashley Giles, there must a question mark about his role in this game.
Yet Kallis, before lunch, did not look too comfortable against the left-arm spinner making his test debut. At one stage, looking to play more strokes Kallis shuffled around the crease, looking uncomfortable in the first overs after the break.
Although Giles, bowling around the wicket to Kallis, did get some turn, it was slow bite drawing few false strokes. Yet his line to Kallis was not too tidy, no doubt disturbed by the right-and-left hand batting combination of Kirsten and Kallis.
Once he settled in after lunch Kallis preferred to employ the sweep and the cut, and his footwork far better co-ordinated as the innings progressed. Kirsten also had patches where he looked as untidy as are the approaches to Old Trafford.
His in-between-overs chats to Kallis also helped the stroke-player's concentration level as Kallis is in in the habit of allowing his focus to wander at time. It was good understanding against steady if often uninspiring bowling.
Kallis' second half-century of the series was scored off 101 balls with a glance for a single off Fraser. The century partnership was not too far behind as was Kirtsen's 22nd test half century. It was a tribute to the South African vice-captain's anchor role: the longer he batted the better he looked.
When Western Province pair came together South Africa had lost Gerhardus Liebenberg, a replacement for Adam Bacher, for 16 when he was bowled by Gough with his feet were no where near the pitch of the delivery.
The was also a buzz of surprise before the toss when it was announced that Shaun Pollock's thigh strain was in need of a rest and Makhaya Ntini earned his third test cap. There was an opinion among some British press on Wednesday that Brian McMillan's should play as an extra seamer
England's decision to go into the game with two spinners instead of Ben Hollioake as the second all-rounder was made after a look at the Old Trafford surface. Even with all the rain around it was drying fast on Wednesday which was surprising.
Day 2: Kirsten's double ton magic
Manchester (England) - When Gary Kirsten began this tour of England two months ago he set himself a number ambitious targets, one included a double test century.
A second target was to haul his test batting average into the 40s, the acknowledged benchmark by which world-class players are judged.
The gusty left-hander achieved two goals at Old Trafford yesterday with a monumental nine hours innings of 210 in a South African first innings total of 487 for four with the not out batsmen Hansie Cronje and Jonty Rhodes.
They will need to turn up the turbo booster today if they are going to give themselves enough time to bowl England out twice on a pitch which might suit Paul Adam's wrist-spin later today.
But as Cronje readily admitted last night, Kirsten's monumental innings, the first double century by a South African in a test since Graeme Pollock against Australia at Kingsmead in Durban more than 28 years ago, was the sort of performance that will be hard to beat.
Kirsten was less forthcoming, but agreed that it was a demanding innings on a demanding surface and where scoring runs was never easy against tidy, often flat bowling, although Darren Gough deserves some recognition for his enthusiasm.
Although a tabloid columnist labelled Kirsten's undefeated first day effort of 98 as ``A lesson in slow batting technique from Mr Plod'' Kirsten was quick to his three-figure mark yesterday before watching Jacques Kallis depart.
After that he hauled on the anchor chain and began to play more strokes than he had done on the slow plastic surface on the first day. There could be no criticsim of his footwork or his timing as he set about batting South Africa into a match-winning position.
He admitted, however, that ``scoring a double ton had become a burning ambition'' as no South African batsman had managed to achieve such a pinacle demanding high levels of batting skills since the post-isolation era. The nearest was Andrew Hudson's 163 agaisnt the West Indies at Bridgetown, Barbados in 1992.
``A number of us were aware no one had scored a double century and I felt it would be nice if I could get it on this tour,'' a beaming Kirsten said last night.
He went to the three figures with a chip off his hip off the bowling of off-psinner Robert Croft and carried on, aiming to add another record to his list. There were 24 fours and a six. When he departed 19 balls later the Old Trafford crowd rose to him.
Just the sort of tribute which brother Peter and his later father, Noel, would have saluted. For a change he did not quite get into perfect position to cut Angus Fraser's delivery backward of point. By that stage England's captain, Alec Stewart had set a defensive field and it was a rare error by the South African vice-captain.
Kirsten is not the sort of swashbuckling left-handed genius which is the normal pattern for left-handers. He's more the Kepler Wessels-Bill Lawry type. Yet there was no mistaking his calm as he nursed Daryll Cullinan through a rough early patch.
Now Kirsten becomes only the third South African batsman to score a double century in England. The last South African to manage such a feat was Eric Rowan with 236 at Headingley, Leeds 47 years ago. On the same tour Dudley Nourse scored 208 at Trent Brige with a broken left thumb.
Kallis departed early in terms of the time of the South African innings with the partnership of 238 setting a variety of records. The most important of the fistful was the highest second wicket partnership by a South African pair at Test level.
The 176 partnership with Cullinan was just as important, although the normally fluent Cullinan was hampered by the slowness of the ball coming off the pitch. It meant a more determined, patience innings, and in the end his 76 may not have been one of his best but in terms of value, it was a class act.
Day 4: Stewart and Atherton rescue England
Manchester (England) - Memories of England's great escape act at the Wanderers three years ago resurfaced in the gloom of a chilly fourth day of this Old Trafford Test yesterday.
And the man who was responsible for the Wanderers rearguard action, former England captain, Mike Atherton is playing the role he's best known for - thwarting South Africa's dreams of victory.
Yet it was the man who has taken over from Atherton as captain, Alec Stewart, who has played a major role in the third Test fightback. The quality batting which was missing in England's first innings, emerged in the second innings led Stewart to a maiden Test century against South Africa and the 11th in his career.
As England finished on 211 for two when bad light stoppped play, Hansie Cronje was no doubt weighing his options. Much now depends on the new ball assault today with Cronje turning to Allan Donald to provide the ammunition needed to rip through what could be England's last line of defence.
With Mark Ramprakash either out of form or just not up to it as a Test batsman and Graham Thorpe's back injury still cause of concerns (''He will bat if needed'' was the message issued by the England dressing room), there's not much else left in their ranks.
And to salvage a draw which would be more remarkable than that at the Wanderers in early December 1995 where Atherton ended undefeated on 185. It is a statistic which Cronje still thinks about as game, which for England appeared to be buried at 11 for two in the second innings was revived with a 200 runs partnership for the third wicket.
England were still 158 adrift of the target needed to force South Africa to bat a second time with Stewart on 114 and Atherton 81.
It needs to be said, however, that both looked more organised yesterday than on on Saturday when they managed a first innings partnership of 60.
Although Cronje experimented a lot with his bowling tactics, his alternate attack and defence strategies did not work as well as they did at Lord's where the ball swung more. In the chill of Old Trafford, the only thing likely to swing are the spectators arms as they battle to keep warm.
Cronje showed a lot of confidence in Jacques Kallis' bowling. He opened the second innings with the Western Province all-rounder, and the ball he produced to rip through Nasser Hassain's defences was as good as he's going to deliver in this match. Yet it was a similar to the ball which ended Kallis' innings on Friday morning: forcing the batsman to square up and play inside the line.
Which brought Stewart and Atherton together with the scoreboard 11 for two and 358 runs needed to avoid another humiliating as the South Africans prepared to pounce.
While Atherton was given a torrid time by Donald, Stewart stood up and was quick to pick up the line of the South African attack. He handled Paul Adams well, and although Makhaya Ntini was sharp, he was used as sparingly as was Lance Klusener.
The boundary which saw Stewart to his century off 174 balls was typical of the man whose mission is to score the second double century of the match. It had the class of the stroke he played when pulled Donald for one of his 15 boundaries to see the partnership to 150.
Little wonder at one stage the slips cordon of Daryll Cullinan, Kallis and the skipper Cronje - or the CKC factor - gave the impression of being bored. It was not a comfortable day at all as the chilly wind swirled around while they enjoyed sunshine and warm termaperatures in the south of the country.
As El Nino has left its impact on this miserable English summer, so has the standard of the game in England been affected by an outdated county system. Few quality players are emerging and few who impressed in the Under-19 World Cup have been filtered into the county teams.
And in such artic conditions only the true Pom patriot, the genuine lover of the game and polar bears are foolhardy enough to endure such bitter weather. It has been more like a blustery mid-winter's day at Newlands than middle of summer.
England's tail was wrapped up quickly yesterday: a wicket apiece for Adams and Kallis, giving away 21 runs and the follow-on came as a matter of course rather than possible speculation. A rare event for South Africa as Cronje backed his bowlers to do bowl England out a second time.
Yet the pitch, without a hot sun baking the surface, did not dust up or cause as many problems as anticipated.
What has been, no doubt, disappointing for the England selectors is how Nick Knight's recall to the side been as ineffectual as was the debut of Steve James at Lord's. Both failed and Mark Butcher's recall for the fourth Test, at Trent Bridge, in Nottingam, has become a matter of importance for the side (if he's fit).