Abject England humiliated by Adams' guile

DEREK PRINGLE

reports from East London

South Africa 129 England 115 (South Africa win by 14 runs)

England's tour was in danger of collapsing completely yesterday after they folded against the spin of Paul Adams, who took three wickets in a six-over burst after his side had made their lowest score in a home international.

It was a dire performance on a slow, low pitch, but one that will have advanced South Africa's feeling of indomitability over Michael Atherton's beleaguered team, as Adams, ignored by the selectors for most of this series spun England to defeat with 3 for 26. The performance won him his first man of the match award a day before his 19th birthday.

With the score at 75 for 3, England were coasting. Graeme Hick and Jack Russell had just put on 50, while South Africa had lost their wicket-keeper and Jonty Rhodes, their best fielder, to hand injuries.

In a state of desperation, Hansie Cronje turned to Adams and with the first ball of his second over he removed Hick, who was given out caught behind by the the deputy keeper, Gary Kirsten, but his body language suggested umpire Cyril Mitchley was wrong in giving him out.

It was the turning point for South Africa needed and it precipitated a collapse with Graham Thorpe going next ball, bowled by one that spun back viciously through his legs from the rough outside his off-stump. When Jack Russell followed three runs later, failing in his attempt at a daft run, England suddenly found themselves on the edge of a familiar precipice, which none of the remaining batsmen had any hesitation in hurling themselves over.

Ray Illingworth later lamented that such lemming-like behaviour is becoming a habit. "We do silly things at silly times, especially when the pressure is on. It's unprofessional."

Losing has become familiar territory for England, who experimented with Craig White as a pinch hitter. It was the right tactic on a pitch that defied convention, though White after striking a sumptuous cover drive past Jonty Rhodes for four, was out trying to play that staple one-day stroke by running the ball down to third man.

England got themselves a game, when Robin Smith was bowled for nought by Shaun Pollock, which meant they went to supper on 12 for 2, their innings starting before the break due to South Africa being bowled out early.

It was the kind of pitch that demanded team work with the bat, but if it was not a true surface, neither was it a dangerous one. Rather it called for somebody to dig deep and prop up and end, while bold strokes were attempted at the other.

Brian McMillan played the barnacle for South Africa, scoring an unbeaten 45 off 92 balls, though no one fulfilled the hitting role at the other end.

Not once did he go for the big shot, and his ninth-wicket stand of 30 with Fanie de Villiers was the second highest of the innings, five less than the one McMillan shared with Jonty Rhodes for the fifth wicket. Rhodes paid the type of penalty typical on a pitch of this nature - a leading edge to mid-on - after trying to work Illingworth to leg.

It is difficult to assess the merits of England's bowling on this surface. They adhered to the basics, as they should being international bowlers, and none was profligate, although Darren Gough, who finished with 3 for 25, tried to york the tailenders when a good length had done for the better players up the order. It was that tactic which allowed the No 10, de Villiers, to become the third highest scorer with 15 before being bowled by White.

The funereal pace of the batting did not prevent the sell-out crowd of 17,000 from enjoying the occasion, even though only Kirsten fell to the kind of aggressive stroke they came to see. He was well caught by Robin Smith trying to hit Cork over mid-on in the ninth over. Otherwise most perished from the vagaries in the pitch or those it created in their minds.

If either side plays the knockout stage of the World Cup in India, they may encounter pitches similar to this one. After South Africa's win in Durban, Ray Illingworth warned them they might struggle on pitches like this one. What he forgot to mention is that England will do so as well.

Buffalo Park scoreboard

(South Africa won toss)

SOUTH AFRICA

G Kirsten c Smith b Cork 17

(31 min, 37 balls, 2 fours)

R P Snell c Atherton b Martin 8

(37 min, 19 balls)

*W J Cronje b White 13

(52 min, 28 balls, 1 four)

J H Kallis lbw b Martin 0

(2 min, 3 balls)

B M McMillan not out 45

(134 min, 92 balls, 3 fours)

J N Rhodes c Gough b Illingworth 10

(42 min, 36 balls, 1 four)

L Klusener lbw b Gough 0

(4 min, 3 balls)

S M Pollock b Gough 6

(8 min, 10 balls)

D J Richardson lbw b Gough 0

(4 min, 2 balls)

P S de Villiers b White 15

(24 min, 20 balls, 2 fours)

P R Adams b Cork 0

(3 min, 3 balls)

Extras (b1, lb11, w1, nb2) 15

Total (175 min, 41.4 overs) 129

Fall: 1-25 (Kirsten), 2-29 (Snell), 3-29 (Kallis), 4-54 (Cronje), 5-89 (Rhodes), 6-89 (Klusener), 7-98 (Pollock), 8-98 (Richardson), 9-128 (de Villiers), 10-129 (Adams).

Bowling: Cork 8.4-1-22-2 (nb2,w1) (6-1-12-1, 2-0-9-0, 0.4-0-1-1); Martin 7-0-23-2 (one spell); Gough 10-1-25-3 (nb1) (6-1-8-0, 4-0-17-3); White 7-1-18-2 (4-1-7-1, 2-0-8-0, 1-0-3-1); Illingworth 9-1-29-1 (one spell).

Progress: 50: 76 min, 108 balls. 100: 153 min, 227 balls.

ENGLAND

*M A Atherton c Richardson b de Villiers 6

(36 min, 27 balls)

C White c Richardson b de Villiers 6

(13 min, 11 balls, 1 four)

R A Smith b Pollock 0

(6 min, 4 balls)

G A Hick c Kirsten b Adams 39

(95 min, 65 balls, 3 fours)

R C Russell run out (sub: Hudson-Kirsten) 12

(90 min, 68 balls)

G P Thorpe b Adams 0

(1 min, 1 ball)

N H Fairbrother b Snell 13

(67 min, 45 balls, 1 four)

D G Cork b Adams 2

(21 min, 15 balls)

R K Illingworth run out (sub:Hudson-Kirsten) 1

(13 min, 7 balls)

D Gough lbw b Snell 4

(12 min, 11 balls, 1 four)

P J Martin not out 5

(9 min, 9 balls, 1 four)

Extras (b1 lb13 w12 nb1) 27

Total (186 min, 43.4 overs) 115

Fall: 1-10 (White), 2-11 (Smith), 3-19 (Atherton), 4-75 (Hick), 5-76 (Thorpe), 6-78 (Russell), 7-88 (Cork), 8-95 (Illingworth), 9-104 (Gough), 10-115 (Fairbrother).

Bowling: Pollock 10-3-15-1 (nb1) (7-2-12-1 3-1-3-0); de Villiers 8-1- 10-2 (6-1-8-2 2-0-2-0); Klusener 4-0-19-0 (w1) (one spell); Snell 9.4- 2-22-2 (w3) (6-1-13-0 3.4-1-9-2); Kallis 3-0-9-0 (w2); Adams 9-1-26-3 (w5) (one spell each).

Progress: At interval: England 12-2 (Atherton 4, Hick 0) 6 overs. 50 in 79 min, 120 balls. 100 in 169 min, 238 balls.

Kirsten's catch was taken when he was wicket-keeper in place of the injured Richardson.

Umpires: C J Mitchley and D L Orchard. TV replay umpire: R E Koertzen. Match referee: C W Smith. Man of the match: P R Adams Adjudicator: Peter Bacela.

South Africa won by 14 runs