Morkel and Steyn rout England for 180
Friday, 15 January 2010
England's hopes of emerging from South Africa with a memorable series win were dealt a devastating blow on a breathless first day at Johannesburg, as Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel combined with ruthless intent a helpful but not unplayable surface, according to website cricinfo.
The pair claimed eight wickets between them, including four inside the first ten overs alone, to bundle England out for a meagre 180 inside two sessions, and take a massive stride towards the victory that would square the series at 1-1.
The ball that got him, from Steyn, was a largely anonymous sighter on leg stump, but Hashim Amla had been cleverly positioned at backward short leg, and reacted in an instant to dive full-length to his right and scoop a brilliant low chance.
Strauss had earlier won the toss and batted first with some slight trepidation, recognising the likelihood of a tough first hour in dank conditions against a pumped-up new-ball pairing.
Without his rock-solid temperament to guide their approach, England's middle-order faltered disastrously, much as they had done in their hapless meltdown at Headingley in the summer.
Within ten overs they had slumped to 39 for 4, and though Paul Collingwood and Ian Bell provided a mini-revival with a fifth-wicket stand of 76, Steyn returned after lunch to mop up the tail for the richly-deserved figures of 5 for 51.
England 1st innings:
AJ Strauss 0, AN Cook 21, IJL Trott 5, KP Pietersen 7, PD Colling-wood 47, IR Bell 35, MJ Prior 14, SCJ Broad 13, GP Swann 27 and JM Anderson 6.
Total: (all out; 47.5 overs) 180.
The pair claimed eight wickets between them, including four inside the first ten overs alone, to bundle England out for a meagre 180 inside two sessions, and take a massive stride towards the victory that would square the series at 1-1.
The ball that got him, from Steyn, was a largely anonymous sighter on leg stump, but Hashim Amla had been cleverly positioned at backward short leg, and reacted in an instant to dive full-length to his right and scoop a brilliant low chance.
Strauss had earlier won the toss and batted first with some slight trepidation, recognising the likelihood of a tough first hour in dank conditions against a pumped-up new-ball pairing.
Without his rock-solid temperament to guide their approach, England's middle-order faltered disastrously, much as they had done in their hapless meltdown at Headingley in the summer.
Within ten overs they had slumped to 39 for 4, and though Paul Collingwood and Ian Bell provided a mini-revival with a fifth-wicket stand of 76, Steyn returned after lunch to mop up the tail for the richly-deserved figures of 5 for 51.
England 1st innings:
AJ Strauss 0, AN Cook 21, IJL Trott 5, KP Pietersen 7, PD Colling-wood 47, IR Bell 35, MJ Prior 14, SCJ Broad 13, GP Swann 27 and JM Anderson 6.
Total: (all out; 47.5 overs) 180.