5 Days at Amla's Test Match

After the first two courses of the summer, the tour of the West Indies and the rather curious one day series (rain affected) against Australia, the South Africans and the summer have finally arrived. With the greatest respect to the previous series this is very much the highlight of the cricketing summer. In years gone by Oval tests were often described as home games for the West Indies, largely because of the large west indian communities in south London, now however the same could be said for South Africa, and there was no shortage of " saffers" in the ground as Andrew Strauss won the toss and elected to bat on the first morning.

This is the first year as a "Surrey and England" member, this means you pay more but are guaranteed a designated seat for England games at the Oval. However as I usually take guests to some days of the test match, this means my viewing was split between the Lock and Bedser stands.

The first morning saw the early departure of Strauss and the dominance of Alastair Cook. Cook is the rock upon which England innings have been built since the Ashes victory in Australia. At the end of the day England stood at 267 for 3 and there was the expectation that they would move the next morning towards a score of around 500.

Friday morning was dull and overcast, it was when rather than if it rains. Wickets soon started to tumble in these conditions, although in some cases poor shot selection was as much responsible as conditions. England rather stumbled to 385, with the general concensus that this was a bit below par for the wicket. Nevertheless after lunch Petersen fell for a duck and South Africa were 1-1. England still felt they could compete on level terms in this game., however the next two days would prove otherwise. By the end of the second day South Africa were 80-1 and early wickets would be needed on Day 3,

The Saturday of a test match, a sell out crowd, the sun beginning to breakthrough and a wicket benign and offering little to the bowlers. New balls came and went and Smith and Amla began to pile on the runs. Amla had offered a chance to Strauss on 40 , but he and Smith plundered the leg side  and runs started to accumulate.

Smith scored a century in his 100th test and fell to Bresnan . England's only wicket of the day , meanwhile Amla joined by Kallis kept on so the day ended at 403 for 2. Amla finshing the day 183 not out.

Sunday, a real summers daybelonged to Amla. He posted the highest score by a South African batsman in test cricket when we went past 278 and then went past 300, the first batsman to do that in England since Graham Gooch in 1990. At lunch Smith declared, frankly had he not declared I have little doubt that Amla could have put Brian Lara's 400 under serious threat. He finished 311 not out.

As the South Africans left the field the ground rose to applaud Hamish Amla off the field. Once again, cricket had shown what makes it such a wonderful sport. Spectators regardless of the allegiance appreciate and applaud skill and dedication

England needed 252 to make South Africa bat again , while some commentators suggested that Smith should have batted another session, the South African captained was determined to leave sufficient time to bowl England out. It has to be said he got the tactics right. The quick loss of Cook, Trott and Pietersen started the rot and at stumps England were 67 for 4.

The only question was could England save the match by batting the whole day, the short answer was no. Although Bell and Prior showed the type of concentration and commitment needed. Sadly for England when Steyn took the new ball wickets began to tumble again and by mid afternoon the tail began to disintegrate and it was only a matter of overs before South Africa claimed victory by an innings and 12 runs.

This is sadly only a three match series, England need to regroup ahead of the 2nd test in Leeds next week. Question marks remain over a couple of the selections, but for the first time in a several years England had taken a "hammering".