Nortje finds it difficult to celebrate maiden five-for as Proteas capitulate

South Africa's Anrich Nortje speaks to the media at the end of day 2 of the fourth and final Test against England at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on Saturday. Photo: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix

South Africa's Anrich Nortje speaks to the media at the end of day 2 of the fourth and final Test against England at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on Saturday. Photo: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix

Published Jan 25, 2020

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JOHANNESBURG – Sadly the occasion of Anrich Nortje’s first ‘five-for’ was spoilt by the inability of his teammates to support him. 

“It's not nice sitting here being so far behind in the game,” the 26-year-old said on Saturday night. 

England lead by 312 runs after two days of play, the Test and the series gone. It was very unfair on Nortje, playing just his sixth Test that having bowled more overs than anyone else - and much quicker too - and then having to face 16 balls as nightwatchman he was made to explain South Africa’s capitulation on Saturday. That was a job for the team’s management - the bowling coach to maybe say why South Africa bowled the way they did to England’s no.10 and 11, or the batting consultant to explain the side’s batting. 

Instead there sat Nortje, having taken 5/110 in 24 overs, shrugging his shoulders. “I would love (the team) to be in a dominating position when I got five (wickets), but you can’t pick and choose,” said. 

“It is a great feeling, it was nice to get it. I’ve been thinking about it for a long time and it is nice to get some reward and to do it in South Africa.”

He had bowled to lengthy spells and would have had every right to believe his teammates could have wrapped up England’s no.10 and 11. Instead Mark Wood (35*) and Stuart Broad (43) added 82 for the last wicket in 39 minutes totally taking the game beyond South Africa’s reach. 

Faf du Plessis employed just one slip - himself - and scattered the rest of the fielders to the boundary. “We had a target and some plans for them, but unfortunately they were hitting the ball cleanly as well.”

The majority of the bowling during that partnership was done by Dane Paterson and Beuran Hendricks playing in their second and first Test respectively. And in a sense one could forgive them in terms of international experience but as Nortje pointed out, they’ve both been bowling for the best part of a decade at first class level. “Both of them (Hendricks and Paterson) are experienced, they’ve played a lot of games, this is Beuran’s home ground as well. They know what to do, how to handle situations, but it unfortunately got away from us for a period there,” said Nortje.

“On any other day it could have gone our way, maybe a nick or something, it just didn’t happen. It could have been anyone, not to blame anyone, this is a collective effort, it's on us as a unit, it's not on one or two guys to finish up a game, it’s all of us.”

Nortje somewhat wearily pointed out that despite having just four first innings wickets in hand, South Africa would still fight to drag the game out as long as possible - although fighting spirit was glaringly absent on Saturday.

“There is still good energy (in the dressing room), we have to turn this around tomorrow, and fight again for the next few days. The guys are ready to fight.”

@shockerhess

IOL Sport

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