AB: The booing really hurt

2008-07-20 22:30

Altus Momberg

Leeds - AB de Villiers, after scoring 174 runs off the England attack here on Sunday, expressed disappointment about the way he had been treated by spectators at the start of his innings.

"It's the first time that I have been booed like that, and it hurt," said the gutsy South African who had also come under fire from the British news media at the weekend.

But by the end of the third day of the second cricket Test here on Sunday De Villiers had steered South Africa into a match-winning position.

England will start their second innings on 50/2, still 269 runs behind, on Monday and De Villiers, for one, feels sure the Proteas can take a 1-0 lead in the four-match series.

"We have one of the best attacks in the world," De Villiers said after Makhaya Ntinti had removed Andrew Strauss and England captain Michael Vaughan.

"I am confident that we can win this match."

After being criticised in the news media, he also told his side of the story that began when he missed a catch off Strauss's batting last Friday.

It appeared as if he was claiming the catch but slow-motion replays showed that he had dropped the ball.

Referred it to the television official

"The ball went from my left hand to my right. I thought I had caught it fairly, but I was unsure. I immediately went to my captain and told him I was not certain.

"He said there was nothing we could do about it as the umpires had already referred it to the television official," De Villiers explained.

The Proteas, eager to claim the remaining eight England wickets, will be hoping for thick clouds over Headingley on Monday. This will enable the bowlers to swing the ball and could make the wicket misbehave.

James Anderson, the English seam bowler who will continue batting after coming in as night watchman on Sunday, praised the South African batsmen for their performance.

"AB was outstanding in the way he left the ball. He showed our batsmen how to bat on this wicket."

Anderson believes England can still save the match. "We have a long batting list and with Stuart Broad now coming in at number ten, I have a lot of confidence," he said.

- Die Burger