Tour match: New South Wales v South Africans at Sydney, 20-23 Dec 2001 CricInfo Live Report

Tour match: New South Wales v South Africans at Sydney, 20-23 Dec 2001
Claire Killeen

New South Wales 1st innings: Lunch - Day 2, Tea - Day 2, Stumps - Day 2,
Live Reports from previous days

MORE RUNS AS BEVAN PROLONGS HIGH-SCORING TREND

Welcome returns to form for Boeta Dippenaar and Shaun Pollock were followed by the continuation of a golden run for Michael Bevan as South Africa and New South Wales continued to engage in a run-feast in their tour match here at the Sydney Cricket Ground today.

After Dippenaar (115) and Pollock (53) had combined to lift the tourists to an imposing first innings tally of 498, it was again the left handed Bevan (60*) who shored up the locals' defences to leave this high-scoring match in the balance after two days of near-complete batting domination.

New South Wales was at 3/170 by stumps, still needing 179 runs to avoid the prospect of following on. Yet it appears in little danger for as long as its captain continues to occupy the crease.

Rain interrupted play for close to an hour, and there was watchful batting throughout the closing two sessions of the day as Bevan and a string of top order batting partners played with vigilance.

To that end, most of the day's highlights came early.

Under pressure to retain his Test place ahead of next Wednesday's meeting with Australia in Melbourne, Dippenaar had produced one of the best-timed innings of his career in crafting an excellent unbeaten 78 yesterday. And there was little to detract from it today as he made rapid progress toward and beyond three figures. Five glorious boundaries even came in successive deliveries from medium pacer Shawn Bradstreet (1/132) in the third over of the day as his combination of shots through the leg and off side continued to be near perfectly balanced.

It wasn't until he had struck an amazing 23 boundaries in total that he was finally conquered - a lifted straight drive presenting paceman Jamie Heath (3/72) with a sharp caught and bowled chance.

"It is always nice to spend some time out in the middle … you get the confidence back," said a relieved Dippenaar of the boost in confidence his 11th first-class century had afforded him after scores of just 0, 4 and 0 earlier on tour.

"There is nothing like spending some time in the middle."

Pollock also celebrated his return to batting form with a half-century, hooking and pulling impressively before playing the shot once too often at Heath and top edging. He and Dippenaar added 101 runs together for the seventh wicket.

Steve Elworthy (31) and Claude Henderson (11) also chimed in before hitting catches to Stuart MacGill at mid off. On a morning when he had little chance to add to five wickets yesterday, it proved MacGill's best way of keeping his name on the scoresheet.

There were wickets for both Elworthy (2/34) and Pollock (1/22) in the New South Wales reply. Brett van Deinsen (1) hit a catch straight to Herschelle Gibbs in the gully off Pollock; Corey Richards (37) slashed at Elworthy to present the same fieldsman with a brilliant one handed catch to his right; and then obdurate opener Greg Mail (54) succumbed to a classical inswinging yorker from Elworthy just before the end of an extended final session.

But Bevan, backing up an unbeaten 562-minute innings that had helped his team to save a Pura Cup match against Western Australia on Monday, was not nearly as easy to shift. An early stumping chance came from the bowling of Henderson (0/68), and there were a few miscued strokes, but his bat was generally impassable.

Mail's obstinacy, in an innings spread over more than three and a half hours, also proved infuriating.

Further problems were caused by a stiffening afternoon breeze on a muggy but cloudy day in Sydney, and to no bowler more than paceman Allan Donald (0/23). The 35-year-old had looked to be regaining his rhythm at times during a total of 12 overs but was forced to bowl seven of them into the breeze and looked to be so frustrated by it that he even had to abort his run-up more than once.

RAIN DELAYS BLUES' INNINGS

With rain pouring down, and the covers out over the centre, the progress of New South Wales' run chase has been hampered against South Africa here at the Sydney Cricket Ground today.

The Blues had earlier made a slow but vigilant start, reaching 2/67 in their first innings by tea - just minutes before rain hit the ground.

This after the Proteas had posted a massive total of 498, with Boeta Dippenaar (115) batting in fine style to become the second century maker of the innings.

New South Wales' first wicket fell early in the run chase, with Brett van Deinsen (1) slashing a delivery from captain Shaun Pollock (1/13) to the gully. Herschelle Gibbs, fresh from a brilliant 145 with the bat, effected a fine catch.

The wicket left the home side on 1/2 but they recovered well to reach their tea-time position.

South Africa's Allan Donald (0/11) made scoring difficult early as he produced a fine opening spell in his return game for the Proteas.

Donald bowled each of his first seven overs into the wind and looked solid, though perhaps not totally happy about having to work into what was becoming a stiffening breeze.

Pollock, Steve Elworthy (1/15) and Claude Henderson (0/12) all reduced the New South Wales scoring to something resembling a crawl at times. Corey Richards (37) and Greg Mail (24*) were each contained for a long period as they forged a second wicket partnership of 52.

At one stage, Richards' score was even stuck on 24 for as many as six overs.

A lovely shot down the ground off Henderson eventually disrupted the dry spell, and prompted a surge in confidence, but more trouble was lurking. That man Gibbs was back into the action again with another simply sublime catch in the gully as he leapt to his right and plucked a powerful cut shot in one hand.

A comical moment followed as Justin Ontong delightedly chased Gibbs around the ground in a good-natured celebration.

Mail's bat has remained hard to pass, and his defences impeccably tight, all the while. He was joined by an equally watchful Michael Bevan (0*) just before what looks like becoming a long break and the pair will undoubtedly be looking to take over from where they left off here earlier in the week. Back then, they forged a wonderfully resolute partnership that allowed New South Wales to bat for close to two days in saving a domestic match against Western Australia.

DIPPENAAR GUIDES PROTEAS TO IMPOSING TOTAL

Batsman Boeta Dippenaar has banished a disappointing run of form to lead South Africa to a huge total on the second day of the tour match against New South Wales here at the Sydney Cricket Ground today.

The South Africans' first innings came to a close at 498 just before lunch, but not before upper order player Dippenaar (115) had beautifully complemented yesterday's century from Herschelle Gibbs (145).

The 24-year-old's progress to his century - from a score of 78 overnight - was rapid this morning, with a brace of boundaries arriving on a warm but muggy day in Sydney.

In the third over of the day, he moved from 78 to 98 in the space of just five deliveries from the bowling of medium pacer Shawn Bradstreet (1/123). In doing so, he displayed an ability to flick the ball off his pads expertly as well as the capacity to embed enormous power in a strong drive that was lofted down the ground.

Dippenaar's stay finally ended when he smashed a drive back to pace bowler Jamie Heath (3/72) to be caught and bowled. But not before his tally of boundaries had swelled to an amazing 23.

The South Africans continued to push the score close to 500 after his departure. Captain Shaun Pollock (53) also celebrated a return to batting form with a half-century, hooking and pulling impressively before mistiming such a stroke at Heath and skying a catch for wicketkeeper Brad Haddin to run around 20 metres to accept from his position behind the stumps.

Steve Elworthy (31) and Claude Henderson (13) then continued to keep Stuart MacGill's name on the scorecard as they presented catches for him at mid off to go with his five wickets from yesterday.

Elworthy mistimed a drive at Heath and Henderson then did much the same at the left arm spin of Mark Higgs (1/71) to end the innings 11 minutes before the scheduled time for lunch.

It left the New South Wales openers to face one over from the man they call 'White Lightning' before the break. Greg Mail (0*) safely negotiated the over, though he and Brett van Deinsen (0*) are likely to have their work cut out for them against Allan Donald (0/0) and his fellow pacemen if they are to construct a big opening stand when play resumes.