Monday, Jul 07, 2003
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Cricket
By Ted Corbett
We had such a game at the Nevill Road ground today. England's pacemen, led by Darren Gough and Andrew Flintoff, shot Zimbabwe out for 92 — the second lowest total in its history — in only 24.5 overs. We enjoyed a leisurely lunch interspersed with good conversation, convinced that England would win in 15 overs, pinch all six points and trot into the final of the NatWest tri-series against South Africa, leaving the most dedicated fan distressed by the prospect of two dead matches. Nine overs into the England innings we were shaking our heads in astonishment, wondering if Zimbabwe might pull off a win against all odds, thinking that Heath Streak, its captain and leading — nay, its only — bowler might take all 10 wickets and pull off a victory that will beat all victories. You may remember the Roman Horatio defending the bridge with two companions against an army. The poet claimed that even "the ranks of Tuscany could scarce forbear to cheer.'' Streak knew that feeling today. He shot out Marcus Trescothick in his third over and completed a double wicket maiden when the England experiment with fast bowler Richard Johnson as a pinch hitter lasted just two balls. He had Vikram Solanki caught behind the wicket in his next over and Anthony McGrath snapped up at slip in the next. His figures included a spell of four wickets for no runs in 16 balls. Captain, new ball bowler, and the red-blooded heart and soul of this Zimbabwe team; Streak had the power and the imagination to dream of victory when all around him saw only defeat and humiliation. Streak had adequate support from Douglas Hondo and Andy Blignaut but he really needed another superman at the other end and, inevitably, Flintoff suddenly let fly in a poor over from Blignaut with four fours and a six to send England to victory. In the 18th over, he ensured victory by six wickets with 32 overs left with another six off Blignaut. Streak had to trudge off the field through a cordon thrown up by his admiring men when he should have been leading them off dancing and singing. Instead, he will take them back to his pitiful country, not knowing what to expect next or even if its team will have Test status much longer. It must have been the result he visualised as his batsmen struggled against Gough in the morning. Gough, James Anderson, Richard Johnson, Steve Harmison and Flintoff know the Bristol pitch at least by repute, and they bowled so precisely that it would have taken the best Gloucestershire batsmen of the last century — Wally Hammond, Tom Graveney and Zaheer Abbas — to counter their attack. By the 12th over, Charles Coventry — brought in to boost the Zimbabwe batting — Dion Ebrahim, Travis Friend, Tatenda Taibu and Grant Flower were all back in their dressing room for 39. Little, cheerful and adventurous Stuart Mitsikeneri mishit his way to a top score of 26 and put on 33 in 33 balls with Blignaut, whose 17 was the only other score in double figures. If you want to criticise England you can point to 16 wides. I imagine it simply found itself in such a dominant position that it did not need to worry about anything save attack, attack, attack. Gough's figures of 9-1-26-4 might have earned him the man of the match award which went to Flintoff's three for 13 and his undefeated 47 in 37 balls. You can argue about the justice of that decision — based on the votes of television viewers — but it will mean more to Gough that he is now a regular member of the England side, that he must start the Test series against South Africa and that he is once more in the public eye. He so loves the limelight that he never gives less than 100 per cent and, as he takes pleasure in entering old age, he may teach James Anderson and the other youngsters the art of Test bowling. For that alone the selectors should carry him to every Test for the next year.
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