Proteas sniff series win
2008-07-21 21:24
Comment: Rob Houwing
Cape Town - It has been two years since South Africa last tasted successive defeats in Test matches, losing the 2006 series in Sri Lanka 2-0 when Graeme Smith was an injured absentee.
But that is what will have to happen again fairly shortly to Smith's altogether steelier class of 2008 if they are to be beaten by England in the four-Test series.
Monday's slightly laboured but still massively satisfying 10-wicket win in the second Test at Headingley with a day to spare - putting them 1-0 up with just Edgbaston and the Oval to come - also gives them a wonderful chance now to break a 43-year drought in snatching English summer spoils.
That said, England's tail-end defiance, as an innings defeat was remarkably avoided, suggested there remains bite in the home dog.
Michael Vaughan's team will take comfort, too, from a post-isolation trend which reveals that, in three series since 1994, South Africa have held a lead on every occasion, only to squander it and either lose or share the rubber.
So the next two or three weeks present the Proteas with a tantalising chance to make amends for that and show that they are the worthiest team from our shores to tour England since Peter van der Merwe's triumphant 1965 brigade.
Sidestep the subject
Ideally, they will want to clinch the business at Edgbaston although Vaughan, in his post-match interview, indicated that "we consider it a good ground for us".
But it is also true to say - even if the England captain tried to deftly sidestep the subject - that his team is in some disarray from a selection and balance point of view.
Events on day four of the Headingley Test only served to underline the massive headache facing their selectors.
Central to it all was Stuart Broad, the undoubtedly talented young all-rounder who played an unbeaten knock of nonchalant brutality and verve in amassing 67 not out in England's rearguard effort off just 60 balls.
He played so beautifully from the crease - and off his hips with an astonishingly short backlift - against an increasingly tiring and ragged Proteas attack who had already done their most essential work, that he looked as if he should be a permanent fixture in the side.
But it is not so simple. He also needs to be getting wickets regularly because he is meant to be in the team primarily as a seam bowler, and when Neil McKenzie and Graeme Smith knocked off the token nine runs required to win, they treated his one and only over with effortless contempt.
Legendary pick-me-up charisma
It would be tough on him, but Broad's participation in Birmingham is not assured, especially as another all-rounder, the fit-again Andrew Flintoff, is bound to retain his spot on the grounds of his pure "name" and legendary pick-me-up charisma.
As a former England captain, Nasser Hussain, noted after South Africa's sumptuous victory: "Michael Vaughan has plenty to think about - the balance of the team, runs from the top order (only Alastair Cook got past 50 at Leeds) and somehow finding 20 wickets."
Less troubled, of course, are the cock-a-hoop Proteas, whose pace attack by and large made up in the second Test for failings at Lord's and whose batsmen are doing very nicely, thank you - even with one Jacques Kallis rather out of nick.
With Makhaya Ntini firing more consistently again, the only selection matter to consider prior to Edgbaston may be the spinner's spot: maybe there is a case for giving Robin Peterson a crack at the expense of Paul Harris?
Peterson, after all, strengthens the team in both the batting and fielding departments (where Harris is a minor liability), although coach Mickey Arthur has prided himself in settled line-ups in recent months and may only want to contemplate change grudgingly.
On glorious evidence at Headingley, maybe his philosophy is to be deeply respected at this stage?