England Survive Again

For the third time since the Ashes began last summer, England saved an unlikely draw with only one wicket in hand.

South Africa had the visitors 160 for five an hour before lunch on what turned out to be the most thrilling final day as Paul Colingwood (40, 188b) and Ian Bell (78, 213b) somehow got their side through 58 of the remaining 70 overs as they amassed an exceptional partnership of 112 runs.

How Collingwood survived after lunch when he was on the receiving end of one of the finest six-over Dale Steyn spells ever produced with a new ball was beyond the tremendous Newlands crowd. As Boycott said on telly, “If these batsmen were good enough, they’d have been out caught behind several times by now!”

When Duminy claimed Collingwood to make the score 272 for six with 12 overs to survive, a draw still seemed all but nailed on. But when Duminy dismissed Prior (4, 9b) with his next over the South Africans smelled blood, just as they had done at Centurion.

Harris got Broad (0, 22b) with a little over four overs remaining and then Morkel found the edge of Bell with 17 balls still remaining.

Enter Graham Onions, the hero who batted out the last over at Centurion, and the cheery Barmy Army went quiet. For the next eleven minutes, they sat frozen in silence except for ten seconds after each ball survived, upon which they erupted with an applause that shook Table Mountain.

Swann (10, 8b) survived but the man of the moment made so many Englishmen so happy without even scoring a run as he safely fended off 11 balls.

Chants of “One nil.. To the Engeland… one nil, to the Engeland…” can still be heard across the fairest cape in all the land.