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Everything Toulouse for South Africans

By Tim Rice

17 June 1998


I REALLY hope that South Africa triumph in the crucial match tomorrow, the second of the series. They must have been a little disappointed first time out, crashing 3-0 to France. I wanted South Africa to win that one, too, but as I was watching the match in a crowded restaurant in St Tropez in the company of around 100 Frenchmen armed with steak knives, I kept my support quietish.

However, in the other crucial second-of-the-series match featuring South Africa, at Lord's tomorrow, I am hoping for a different result. The fact that both South African national sides are in action at the same time could be very good news for Alec Stewart MBE.

It is crucial that England bat first, for just after tea, when South Africa's footballers kick off against Denmark, Hansie Cronje and his team will be longing to know what is going on in Toulouse and may not be concentrating with their usual Woolmer-inspired enthusiasm.

Better to have all 11 of the opposition unable to get near a TV, than just two, as would be the case were South Africa to bat first.

While everyone with a forehead of more than an inch will be mightily relieved if the moronic chants that disfigured the Edgbaston Test are not repeated, regular co-ordinated cheers from 4.30 until 5.15 and then again from 5.30 to just after 6.15 will add to the fielders' frustration.

Regard any injury necessitating a South African return to the pavilion with great suspicion. Their 12th man, and probably their 13th and 14th, too, will be in for a busy final session.

Of course this assumes that: (a) England win the toss and, (b) will still be batting after tea or, (c) perish the thought, are all out before tea. But the England and Wales Cricket Board have already done England a service by squeezing the Test into a slot between England's football fixtures.

Mention of a 12th man brings young Ben Spendlove to mind. His superb catching was one of the features of the excellent Edgbaston Test. Before the start of this season he had held just two catches in his entire career (admittedly only two games) and has picked up one more in his only first-class 1998 appearance so far. But if he never achieves a full England cap he will have made a bigger impact on a Test than many who have.

The England sub's job is rightly shared around fit young things, so Spendlove has not been summoned to Lord's. But if he had been he could not have taken part as, ironically, he has just emulated the man he replaced at Edgbaston, Darren Gough, by breaking a finger. His successor is Ben Hutton, a man with about as good a cricket pedigree as you can get: Sir Leonard's grandson, Richard's son.

The first catch held by a substitute in a Test match was back in 1884, during England v Australia at Lord's, while W G Grace was off the field with a hand injury. The man who took his place was none other than the opposition captain, W L Murdoch, who disloyally caught his own side's top scorer, H J H Scott. England won by an innings.

I am sure Stewart, who thrives on all the extra responsibility, would jump at the chance to field for the South Africans if needed.

Finally, all cricketers will have been delighted by the news of Geoff Hurst's knighthood. As is universally known, Sir Geoff is the only man to have completed the double of having played first-class cricket (for Essex v Leicestershire in 1962 when he scored 0 and then 0 not out, so he was improving) and of having topped the charts (with ``Back Home'' in 1970).

It was about time this unique achievement was recognised.


Source: The Electronic Telegraph
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Date-stamped : 17 Jun1998 - 10:19