If the weather holds at Kingsmead on day 5, England will convincingly demolish South Africa in the second test.
Starting the day at 386/5, England produced numerous partnerships in scoring a massive 575/9. Ian Bell top scored with a magnificent 141 to give the tourists a 232 run lead after the first innings. In reply South Africa are in dire straits ending the 4th day on 76/6, still some 156 runs behind making England bat again, and with their engine room gone, I can’t see South Africa surviving until lunch let alone the 98 overs in the day.
During the England innings it was evident from the South African body language and demeanour they lack any enthusiasm or energy, were simply going through the motions and waiting for the declaration or the next stanza in play to happen. Representing South Africa you should never give up. That is not good enough.
England played superbly, sucking the life out of the South African bowling attack. It worked.
All we heard from the commentators was how good a batting strip it is. And it truly is. History shows it is easy to bat on days 3, 4 and 5.
South Africa couldn’t cash in on it however as both Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann claimed 3 wickets apiece to trigger a collapse where South Africa lost 6 wickets for just 23 runs.
Both bowlers are hardly the most dangerous in the world, and on a good batting wicket, it was the pressure that told. South African cricket simply doesn’t respond well to pressure situations. There are the odd exceptions such as the Melbourne test match against Australia last year, but in general we either choke or succumb way to easily when someone has to stand up and fight.
England should go 1-0 up heading to Cape Town. With only 2 tests remaining South Africa would have to win them both. Based on how things normally unfold I’d suspect an England victory again with South Africa claiming a dead rubber in the last test. I don’t wish to be the eternal pessimist, but we’ve down this road to many times before.
I’ll be praying for rain for day 5 at Kingsmead!
