Cricket: England mauled as Smith joins Bradman in the record books

By ANGUS FRASER

Donald Bradman is the greatest batsman cricket has ever seen, but never, even in his remarkable career, did "The Don" score more runs in three consecutive Test innings than the South African captain, Graeme Smith. The best Bradman managed was against England in 1934 when he scored 460 runs.

When Smith walked off the ground yesterday evening at 5.45pm, unbeaten on 214, only Sir Garfield Sobers, who amassed 599 runs against Pakistan in 1957-58, stood between him and another deserved record.

After scoring 277 at Edgbaston last week, the highest Test score by a South African, this formidable 22-year-old, with 586 runs already to his name this summer, is now only 14 away from passing the great West Indian all-rounder.

And while it is unimaginable that Smith will go on to better Bradman's Test batting average of 99.94, his desire to score runs and occupy the crease is beginning to draw comparisons with the legend.

The records are fine, the thing which will have pleased the tourists' leader the most is that through his and Gary Kirsten's efforts, South Africa are now in a position from which only the rain can prevent them moving into a 1-0 lead in this five-Test series.

To accept the umpire's offer of bad light with 18 overs of the second day still to be bowled, Smith obviously feels that time is on his side. He should. His team lead a hapless England by 239 runs.

For most of another appalling day for England, Smith enjoyed the company of Kirsten, his Western Province team-mate, and together, the pair put on 257 for the second wicket, a record for South Africa against England.

One could only feel sympathy for the new England captain, Michael Vaughan, watching helplessly at mid-off. It is difficult to imagine any leader has had a more torturous debut in charge. No matter who the 28-year-old bowled, or what field he set, the broad bats of the two left-handers made firm contact with the ball.

Bad light and early morning drizzle delayed the start of play until midday and should have provided England's fast bowlers with ideal conditions to make the breakthrough they desperately needed.

Historically, cloud cover at Lord's is as important a vehicle to swing bowlers as the wind for a yachtsman. But, for the second day in a row, Vaughan's pace attack failed to get the ball in the business area often enough to put the batsmen under pressure.

For an international attack with the elements in their favour, the bowling was unacceptable. Yes, Smith and Kirsten - who notched up his 17th Test century - played superbly, but batting should have been difficult under a heavy, grey sky.

The initiative was grabbed by Smith in the first over of the day when he glanced James Anderson's second ball to fine leg for four. Then, just to make sure England knew who was in charge, the burly left-hander savagely cut a Steve Harmison loosener to the backward point boundary.

That Vaughan failed to open the bowling with Darren Gough, his most experienced bowler, is not a good sign for the Yorkshire pace man. Despite all his positive talk, Gough has looked ineffective in the two Tests he has played since his comeback. The effort is still there, and to a large extent so is the pace, but the 32-year-old's bowling does not have the snap of old.

Gough is too small to be able to get away with bowling line and length. To be successful, he needs to be able to throw himself, almost recklessly, at the pitch. Only then can he gain the bounce and zip his bowling needs. However, following his two-year lay-off with knee problems, it appears such qualities have gone and it will be a surprise to see one of England's most popular cricketers play in another Test match.

Although he bowled poorly again, the normally undemonstrative Anderson at least showed some emotion when he picked up a Kirsten straight drive and threw the ball at the stumps in frustration. His aim, however, was as wide of the mark as his bowling and nearly decapitated Kirsten.

This action caused Smith to have a word with the Lancashire fast bowler as he made his way past the umpire. Feeling that the South African captain was attempting to intimidate the 21-year-old, Nasser Hussain, forgetting he was no longer leading England, jumped to Anderson's defence and gave Smith a few choice words of his own.

This exchange had no effect on Kirsten, who proceeded to take his side past England's paltry first innings score of 173, while Smith, who made further progress to becoming the fourth batsman to score double centuries in consecutive Test matches.

That large sections of the full-house crowd preferred to take an extended lunch rather than watch England's beleaguered bowlers being flogged highlighted how one-sided this contest was.

Kirsten was given a life on 54, when Mark Butcher dropped a simple catch at second slip off Andrew Flintoff, but that was his only mistake on the way to three figures.

During the best spell of bowling by an Englishman in this match, Flintoff deserved at least one wicket for his endeavour, but cricket is a cruel game when things are not going your way.

At the other end, Ashley Giles, often bowling with four fielders on the boundary, was getting milked like a Friesian cow.

Gough may not be the only England player fearing the worst at the conclusion of this match.

- INDEPENDENT