Cricket: Mixed messages from rival camps

BLOEMFONTEIN - It was hard to decide who was kidding who halfway through the first cricket test at Goodyear Park.

On the one hand we had the world's newest member of the 300-wickets club warning all and sundry that South Africa would be hard pressed to dismiss New Zealand inside two days, while on the other we had Stephen Fleming defending his side's first-innings capitulation, and suggesting a win was still within their reach.

Given that the tourists are battling to save the match after one of their more reckless batting efforts in recent times, this seemed a curious way to look at things.

They were scheduled to begin the fourth day last night still 160 runs in arrears with nine wickets in hand, after the top order self-destructed for 229 and were forced to follow-on 242 runs behind.

There had been some talk of a more patient game plan from New Zealand's batsmen in the series against South Africa, but on yesterday's evidence, you could probably find more discipline in one of those customised dungeons on Bloemfontein's notorious east side.

Of the top order, only Mark Richardson was defeated while playing defensively, and he was on his way to making amends when New Zealand's second innings was stopped by bad light at 82 for one, being unbeaten on 50 - his second half-century in just three tests.

As for the others, the catalogue of dismissals went something like this: Craig Spearman: caught behind while attempting to force off the back foot; Mathew Sinclair: caught behind, flaying; Fleming: bowled through the gate, driving; Nathan Astle: caught behind off a leaden-footed waft; Craig McMillan: caught at the wicket, slashing; and Spearman again: this time miscueing a hook shot.

Whatever the theory was, it did not work.

New Zealand's top six batsmen managed to hang around for just 54 overs in the first innings, and it was only some sterling work from Brooke Walker, who batted for 134 minutes for an unbeaten 27, and No 10 Shayne O'Connor who ensured the total was pushed past 200.

Donald later suggested South Africa faced a massive task in taking the remaining nine New Zealand wickets, as the pitch was becoming flatter and the tourists' batsmen appeared to be applying themselves more stoutly.

For all that, the earlier batting had verged on the irresponsible and may yet cost New Zealand the game, so it was surprising to hear Fleming expressing his satisfaction with the approach of his top order.

The New Zealand skipper, who extended his unwanted world record for the worst 50-100 conversion rate when he was bowled for an accomplished 57, said he was not concerned with the way they batted, but rather with how the batsmen got out.

"I wasn't as concerned with the way we went about it. I thought some of the batsmanship was fine," he said. "It was the 'outs' that were the problem."

He believed his side still had a chance to push for a win if they batted well overnight, adding: "It's a small chance, but we're going to focus on that because it's too far out to be concentrating on salvaging the test."

SOUTH AFRICA

First innings 471-9 dec

NEW ZEALAND
First innings

Total 229

Fall: 1/28 (Richardson), 2/29 (Sinclair), 3/72 (Spearman), 4/151 (Fleming), 5/153 (Astle), 6/176 (McMillan), 7/183 (Parore), 8/185 (Tuffey), 9/213 (O'Connor), 10/229 (Martin).

Bowling: A. Donald 21-4-69-3 (1nb), S. Pollock 22-10-37-4, M. Ntini 14-4-48-1, J. Kallis 13-4-30-1 (1nb, 2w), N. Boje 16-4-35-1, L. Klusener 3-2-2-0.

Second innings

Total for 1 wkt 82

Fall: 1/33 (Spearman).

Bowling: A. Donald 5-2-4-0, S. Pollock 6-3-8-0, M. Ntini 6-1-20-1, J. Kallis 7-1-29-0, N. Boje 6-1-16-0, L. Klusener 1.2-0-1-0.