By Christopher Martin-Jenkins
First day of three: Worcs (31-1) trail S Africans (287-4 dec) by 256 runs
MANY a lesser side than the South Africans would have been bowled out by Worcestershire yesterday. The thundery atmosphere in the morning was ideal for swing bowling and Hansie Cronje's decision to bat first can have taken little account of what Philip Newport has done to past touring sides.
In the event he bowled well without any luck as Jacques Kallis, with an innings of class and solidity, and Gerhardus Liebenberg, with much character but a lot of luck, put together a second-wicket partnership of 162.
They prepared the way for some imposing and attractive batting later in the day as the thick haze lifted and the faster bowlers lost their sting. Daryll Cullinan played superbly and Cronje himself only marginally less fluently as the South Africans reached 287 for four before Cronje's run-out prompted a declaration.
Worcester looked even more of a picture than usual once the heavy dankness of the morning had given way to a grey-blue softness which lent an almost timeless feel to the afternoon stillness. Half close the eyes and this might have been the 1948 Australians or, indeed, the 1960 Springboks, the last South African team to play at New Road. There were no Bradmans or Hassetts - not to say McGlews, Goddards, Adcocks or Heines - to pull them in yesterday.
Allan Donald, of course, is almost worth Adcock and Heine together but with so many international matches these days, familiarity breeds a certain apathy. Nevertheless, club officials were disappointed with a crowd of 2,000.
It will be double that, perhaps, today, especially if Graeme Hick, the acting captain, gets going in a last-ditch attempt to keep his one-day international place. The great enigma was simply magnificent in the final overs, hitting the fast bowlers with clean, fierce strokes and bearing no relation to the strangely subdued batsman who failed to make his mark in the final stage of the tour of the Caribbean.
Gary Kirsten was an early casualty yesterday, caught at short leg off inside edge and pad as Newport swung a ball in to him. Perhaps this most deserving of beneficiaries, one of four England qualified bowlers still playing to have taken 800 first-class wickets, was a little more reluctant to be driven than usual but that he did not take a hatful had more to do with Kallis's excellent judgment and impeccable defence.
Liebenberg was altogether less impressive and there will be half a door open if he continues to go in first in the Tests, but he is a determined fellow and he hung on stoutly, scoring his runs mainly through the covers and off his legs. After Alamgir Sheriyar's demanding new-ball spell had ended, Worcestershire's familiar array of bustling medium-pacers met the same stout resistance. Both Stuart Lampitt and Gavin Haynes bowled well without luck.
Liebenberg has not scored a first-class hundred for two years and the place he won in Sri Lanka for the last of the 11 Tests which South Africa have played since last October was gained to some extent because of a shortage of opening batsmen. Adam Bacher played in 10 of the matches and shared three century opening partnerships with Gary Kirsten but 96 was his highest score and he eventually lost his place.
It was not until 28 overs into the afternoon that Worcestershire took another wicket when Sheriyar curved an inswinger inside Kallis's expansive drive and not until after tea that Hick then robbed Liebenberg of his hundred, after 74 overs, when he top-edged a sweep to square leg.
Worcester's left-armers, Sheriyar fast and Matt Rawnsley slow (he played because Richard Illingworth has lumbago) had contrasting days. Sheriyar is a much improved bowler while Rawnsley, despite two catches and a run-out, had a rather chastening day after his 11 for 116 against Oxford. Kallis had begun to cut him down to size even before Cullinan did so with quick-footed brilliance.
Day 2: Tourists hit by injury to fast bowler
By Christopher Martin-Jenkins
Second day of three: S Africans (287-4 dec & 107-2) lead Worcs (228-6 dec) by 166 runs
SOUTH AFRICA'S earnest pursuit of match practice in the flawless setting of a perfect May day at Worcester was overshadowed by an accident to one of their six specialist fast bowlers before play even started yesterday.
Roger Telemachus, the 25-year-old from Stellenbosch who had only just established a right to a place in their one-day side with some good performances in the recent triangular series with Pakistan and Sri Lanka, dislocated his bowling shoulder as he fell heavily while taking a high catch.
Unlike Adam Hollioake's similar injury early on the tour of the West Indies, Telemachus will be out of action for some time. It was an anterior dislocation and the joint was only put back under sedation in a local hospital. He will not be able to bowl for at least four weeks and though he was not playing against Worcestershire, an immediate adjustment to the plans for next week's three one-day internationals against England was required.
Brian McMillan is now expected to take the new ball with Shaun Pollock. Allan Donald and Lance Klusener, the opening bowlers here, are usually kept for a little later in the innings. 'Big Mac' is a fairly handy fellow to have in reserve: despite his three Test hundreds, he might bat as low as No 10 in the one-day order. Nor will the South Africans worry about a replacement, for the time being at least. Apart from McMillan and five other specialists, they have Jacques Kallis and Hansie Cronje to bowl seam up.
Kallis is already playing a major all-round part on the tour. He bowled 13 disciplined and lively overs yesterday on a pitch which continued to play truly without being entirely bland, and then helped Gary Kirsten to put on 81 after Graeme Hick had made a mildly eccentric declaration, 32 minutes before tea. Since this gave 10 minutes between innings and 20 for the tea interval, it spared his bowlers too long a session.
It was a day for savouring the general scene, not least that majestic cathedral finally unsullied by scaffolding, rather than cricket which was honest but prosaic. The inspiration briefly displayed by Hick on Wednesday night was not repeated as Donald pierced and probed his defences like a persistent mosquito. But it was Klusener, springy and strong, who took his wicket with a slower ball, flicked to square leg, five balls after he had hustled a quicker one of full length under Philip Weston's optimistic off-drive.
Worcestershire recovered by means of solid innings by David Leatherdale, Gavin Haynes and Steve Rhodes, but they all had their moments of embarrassment against Donald, who bowled with smooth athleticism and no little menace. There was naturally more interest in the wiry, red-headed 21-year-old Nantie Hayward, whom South Africa hope may be his successor.
He has great pace, but was more intent yesterday on bowling a decent length. He delivers from wide of the crease and his line was often too wide of off stump, hence his modest figures, but half of the eight fours he conceded were to third man, which is not a bad sign.
Leatherdale peppered the cover region with some elan, as he often does, hitting eight fours in an 80-ball fifty. Klusener defeated him with an inswinger but Rhodes batted for over two hours before Paul Adams got a googly to turn as he prodded forward and he edged to slip.
The South Africans had extended their lead of 59 to 166 by the close, but it took them 41 overs. Kallis needed 27 balls to get off the mark after Gerry Liebenberg had edged Phil Newport's outswinger, but Kirsten got the first of what will no doubt be many fifties under his belt. Matt Rawnsley, settling this time into a good, steady bowl, beat him in the air and jumped like a lamb when the ball spun back to bowl him.
Day 3: Kallis in the swing of things
By Scyld Berry at Worcester
FOR the second game of their tour, the South Africans will take on the cricketers past and present of the Duke of Norfolk's XI at Arundel. That will leave them with only one more 50-over match before the Texaco Trophy starts at the Oval on Thursday, which represents a serious degree of under-preparation.
The tourists' first game against Worcestershire was at least a worthwhile and rain-free work-out. They also made a very sporting declaration in a game that was as full of sporting declarations as a cricket match could be, which left the county side a minimum of 62 overs to score 279 for victory and some sponsorship prize money.
All eight of the South Africans who batted in the game scored some runs in one innings or the other except for Jonty Rhodes, who looked as sketchy as ever against the swinging ball before one found his outside edge. At that stage, the tourists were 131 for five, only 190 ahead, and Phil Newport was still in his opening spell of the day from the Diglis Road end: but the danger was negotiated by Jacques Kallis, and a declaration target was set quarter of an hour after lunch.
Kallis was highly impressive in his treatment of swing, and added 74 to his first innings of 75. His season of opening at Middlesex helped to teach him to play late with soft hands, and he might have to open again this year in partnership with Gary Kirsten. The biggest single defect in this touring party seems to be their lack of an international standard opening pair.
Kallis also produced the shot of the third morning when he stood up, rode Newport's outswinger and drove it back past the bowler's left hand. Sheer class, but he also has a capacity for soft dismissals, which has kept him to a Test average of 24 so far. Only Kirsten of the tourists' top three is cast-iron proven.
None of these South Africans in fact averages so much as 40 in Test cricket. Yet eight of them have made Test hundreds, while Adam Bacher and Shaun Pollock have passed 90. Swap Kirsten and Allan Donald around and sometimes their entire order could be reversed without much detriment.
Before the third and last of the declarations, Lance Klusener pull-drove and square-cut breezily until he hit to mid-on in the last over before lunch. Partly for want of any specialist alternatives, Klusener has opened the batting for South Africa in one-day internationals and is expected to do so again this week. He is one of those cricketers blessed with a personality that does not think too much, a strong-shouldered third seamer who has the vital job of backing up Donald and Pollock.
It is in Klusener's favour that he was South Africa's leading bowler with 31 wickets on their A tour of England two years ago. But he and Donald conceded four an over - only slightly less than the overall run-rate required - when Worcestershire began their chase, which prompted Hansie Cronje to bring on himself and Paul Adams, a move which kept the county to three runs from six overs and led subsequently to the dismissal of the young strokemaker Vikram Solanki.
As impressive as any of the tourists in this opening game has been their new wicketkeeper, Mark Boucher, who looks the part in front of the stumps as well as behind. He is of the Ian Healy school of keepers who watches the ball right into the gloves, not the Jack Russell school which takes the last couple of feet for granted. Boucher's range was extensive enough, too, to reach a legside wide from Donald in his wayward opening spell.
Solanki's dismissal at 69 in the 22nd over marked the start of a significant innings for Graeme Hick, his last chance to save his place in the one-day international side. After an unproductive winter for England, in which 45 was his highest score in nine internationals, and a ponderous start to the season, he started moving his front front forward during his century at Oxford, for what it was worth; and two fine slip catches yesterday, one to each hand, also suggested that his form was returning.
Hick had until yesterday to beat Wally Hammond's record as the youngest man to reach 100 first-class hundreds. As he started the day on 97, it was no longer feasible. But saving his one-day place in the England side still was, for against South Africa, who tend to bowl Donald in mid-innings, specialist batsmen are required in the middle order, preferably of experience.
At tea, Hick had reached eight not out in good order, and Worcestershire needed 189 from the last 34 overs. But Phil Weston at the other end had been tied down by Paul Adams, so the onus was on Hick as the temporary captain to do the business.