Day 2 of 5
:
England 400
South Africa 88/6
JOHANNESBURG – South Africa will lose this Test and with it the series. That much was clear by 2.30pm on Saturday afternoon.
Faf du Plessis stood as the sole slip. The rest of the South African fielders were spread to all corners of the outfield. The two English batsmen were Mark Wood, the no.10 and Stuart Broad, the no.11. They batted together for 39 minutes, faced 51 balls, hit four fours and seven sixes and added 82 runs.
They could do as they pleased for that period because South Africa – led by Du Plessis – waved the white flag. It was a shameful display, one that will only turn the volume up several notches that Du Plessis’ reign as captain should end once this Test is over.
Yes, this is a largely inexperienced Test attack, but even Dane Patterson and Beuran Hendricks who bowled the majority of overs in that disgraceful 40-minute period, know better than to bowl the kind of filth they dished up to England’s 10th wicket duo. They’ve both been professional cricketers for a decade. And even if they didn’t know better they should have been told by the captain.
Instead South Africa came up with just one plan - hope. Bowl the ball somewhere and hope Broad, who’s batting hasn’t been the same since being savagely struck in the face by India’s Varun Aaron in 2014 or Wood hit it in the air to one of the boundary fielders. They took singles also because they could, they were being given them. Du Plessis gave away the initiative, a staggering capitulation given all his talk before the match about the team needing to show ‘fight,’ in order to win here and draw the series.
Anrich Nortje must have wondered why he bothered to put in the effort in two bruisingly physical spells. They brought him deserved reward in the shape of a first Test ‘five-for’ even as his captain dropped one chance off his bowling.
Nortje bowled with purpose and pace, something his teammates couldn’t manage. In the process he actually dragged the Proteas back into the match after Ollie Pope and Joe Root’s century partnership had given England control after the first hour.
At 269/7, South Africa could legitimately harbour hopes of winning. Jos Buttler and Chris Woakes’s eighth wicket partnership was the last real danger - they did add 40 - but even a total of 320 would have been manageable and given SA a chance of playing for a win. 400 gives them no chance.
For one thing that last wicket stand lifted England’s spirits, while South Africa were left deflated.
Du Plessis’ captaincy credentials will definitely form part of the discussions he will have with Smith once this game ends, although the interim Director of Cricket may have made up his mind already after Saturday.
South Africa, under Du Plessis’ captaincy has won one out of its last eight Test matches, and yes there has been a period of transition - some of it very badly handled by Cricket SA - and 11 players have been given debuts in the last 10 matches but on Saturday it seemed as if it had all become too much for Du Plessis. Twice in India last November and last week in Port Elizabeth the players have looked like they don’t have the will to fight and Du Plessis appears to have lost the ability to inspire them.
South Africa’s Test schedule for the next 14 months is light. Two Tests in the Caribbean in July, a few months off, then two Tests against Sri Lanka here next summer followed by three Tests against Australia in February next year. It might be the ideal opportunity to give a new captain a chance to bed in.
As for this game, by stumps the hosts had gotten ahead of the 82 scored by Broad and Wood by six runs but the same number of wickets have been lost too. The match, series and seemingly the players’ spirit is lost as well.