Thursday, 14th August 2008
England Lions 184 (Key 51, Steyn 3-27, Ntini 3-48) lost to South Africa 185-6 (Gibbs 81, Wright 2-22, Kirby 2-38) by four wickets.
Herschelle Gibbs made a 104-ball 81 as South Africa gained a four-wicket win over England Lions at Grace Road.
The opening batsman struck six boundaries and added a six to guide the tourists towards their victory target of 185, which they achieved with 11.2 overs to spare on a pleasant day in Leicester.
Former Leicestershire men Luke Wright and Steve Kirby were the pick of the attack with two wickets apiece on their return to Grace Road but it was not enough to stave off defeat. The Lions refused to go down quietly though, and reduced the tourists from 154-3 to 173-6 as the chase went on.
However, the fightback came too late and England’s total always looked below par after being put in by stand-in captain Johan Botha. Although a number of batsmen got starts, but only captain Rob Key passed fifty. To make matters worse, Gibbs and Hashim Amla got the reply off to a flyer with 24 runs scored from the first three overs.
The team improved their economy and fielding after that point and were rewarded as Steve Kirby made the first breakthrough of the innings, dismissing Amla with a clever slower ball courtesy of an outstanding catch by Ravi Bopara at backward point.
Kirby would have claimed a second with another slower ball had he not overstepped, with Gibbs chipping a catch to Key. The team did not have to wait long for a second wicket though as Kabir – who bowled well upfront - trapped Justin Ontong lbw to leave the tourists on 39-2.
That was not a cue for further wickets as Gibbs who continued on his way and formed a nice partnership with AB de Villiers, who immediately looked the part with two dashing drives through the covers. The pair put on a fluent 49-run stand before de Villiers chipped a catch to Key at mid-wicket off Bopara.
The opener then shared 66 for the fourth wicket with JP Duminy, passing his half-century in the process from 74 balls with five fours. Gibbs added a maximum off a free-hit shortly after and played the ball around well as South Africa broke the back of the chase.
Gibbs looked set to reach a well-deserved century until the Lions showed some fight. Luke Wright completed an all-Sussex wicket, enticing the batsman to nick a catch through to Matt Prior. The all-rounder then bowled Duminy for 23 and Kirby returned to bowl Morkel, but Vernon Philander and Botha saw off the remaining 12 runs required.
Earlier, in the Lions innings, the tourists started well with Dale Steyn and Makhaya Ntini – who each took three wickets in total - beginning with maidens and creating early opportunities.
Joe Denly got off and running with a couple through mid-wicket but was put down by Philander at second slip off Steyn, who was making his comeback from injury. Owais Shah also survived a sharp chance as Duminy spilt a difficult chance at mid-wicket off Ntini.
Both batsmen got into their stride in the sixth with boundaries, as the Kent batsman struck a lovely drive over the top and Shah punctured the off-side field. However, Denly couldn’t add to his boundary tally and was clean-bowled by Steyn in the next over for 10.
That bought Denly’s county colleague Key to the crease and he looked in fine touch, taking Ntini for a four and a six in the tenth. Shah also played nicely for 27, before driving to Morkel at extra-cover off the bowling of Philander in the second powerplay to leave the score at 58-2.
Key and Bopara then built a stand, with the skipper fortunate to survive a chance at slip off Philander in the 18th over. The pair scampered well between the wickets in a bid to increase the rate but Bopara’s eagerness proved costly as he was run out by a direct hit from Duminy at short fine-leg for 23 in the 24th over.
That triggered a mini-collapse at a critical time as Andre Nel followed it up with two wickets in two balls in the next over. The paceman trapped Prior lbw for one and had Samit Patel caught by Duminy at cover with the team slipping from 107-2 to 108-5 in the space of two overs.
Wright then came to the wicket and immediately struck three sumptuous drives. Partner Key – who batted impressively throughout – then moved to a well-deserved 50 from 55 balls with seven fours and a six.
The captain was then unfortunate to be dismissed, chopping a ball from Ntini onto his stumps for 51. Wright continued the charge and took two fours from Steyn before the bowler gained revenge later in the over.
Wicket-keeper de Villiers held a quite superb catch down the leg-side to end a bright innings of 29, with the Lions struggling on 150-7. James Tredwell – who made a patient unbeaten 19 – then shared 24 for the eighth wicket with Kabir Ali, before Ntini returned to bowl both the Worcs man and Chris Tremlett.
Steyn then wrapped up the innings to bowl Kirby to ensure South Africa had the impetus going into the interval - and they duly cashed in during the chase.
Eng: Denly, Shah, Key *, Bopara, Prior ^, Patel, Wright, Tredwell, Kabir, Tremlett, Kirby
SA: Gibbs, Amla, Ontong, de Villiers ^, Duminy, A.Morkel, Philander, Botha *, Steyn, Nel, Ntini.
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