LEEDS, England, 22 August 2003 — Gary Kirsten saved South Africa with a “horrible” back-to-the-wall century against England on the opening day of the fourth Test at Headingley. The touring side recovered from 21 for four — and from the loss of their captain Graeme Smith from the fourth ball of the match — to close on 260 for seven.

Kirsten, whose unbeaten hundred was his second in consecutive Test innings, put on 95 for the fifth wicket with Jacques Rudolph (55) as the seaming conditions eased before sharing an unbroken partnership of 118 for the eighth with Monde Zondeki.

Zondeki, who came in at No. 9 on his debut to face a hat trick ball from Andrew Flintoff, finished with a maiden first-class half-century. Kirsten, on 109, had batted for all but a couple of minutes of the entire day, spending most of his time in studious and trademark defense. “Graeme Smith is a man of extremes, he either makes me wait all day or I get in the first over,” Kirsten said.

“We were obviously in a lot of trouble. A lot of people say that suits my game, to hang in, to play terribly and to look horrible. I was able to do that.

England, who won the third Test to level the series at 1-1, ended the day at Headingley cursing two missed opportunities. On 28, Kirsten had been caught off Flintoff at cover only for a no-ball to be called. On 42, he had edged Flintoff through Nasser Hussain’s fingertips at gully. Otherwise, Kirsten’s 18th Test hundred was an extraordinary exhibition of his mental powers.

When England’s all-seam attack were dominating the morning and afternoon played out in overcast conditions, he planted deep roots and refused to be shifted. During the afternoon session, the left-hander scored just 15 runs in almost 19 overs while concentrating on survival.

The first hour had been all England’s, their accurate bowling performance, in seaming conditions but on a true surface, a revelation. James Kirtley, man of the match on his debut in the third Test, struck first after South Africa opted to bat. The left-handed Smith, who made double centuries in the first two Tests and who was still averaging 132 yesterday morning, chased a wide delivery and snicked behind for two.

Seamer Martin Bicknell, recalled for his third Test after a 10-year absence from the side, then cut a ball away from Herschelle Gibbs to have him snaffled for a duck by Alec Stewart, making the score two for two.

It was soon 16 for three when Jacques Kallis, attempting to take the initiative, drove Bicknell straight to Michael Vaughan at wide mid-off after making six. Bicknell’s 54-ball opening spell of two for 12 contained just four scoring shots as he stuck to a disciplined off-stump line.

Kabir Ali, on his debut, then removed Neil McKenzie with his fifth delivery, the ball seaming away and taking the edge to the keeper to make it 21 for four after an hour. Rudolph and Kirsten, however, changed the mood with their cautious partnership.

Warne Faces Training Bans After Government Pressure

In Melbourne, Australia, the problems won’t go away for controversial cricketer Shane Warne who’s facing a training ban during his 12-month drug suspension under pressure from the Australian government.

The disgraced 33-year-old Test leg-spinner may be forced to stop training with the national and Victorian state teams and even his Melbourne club side after new advice to Cricket Australia (CA) from the federal government. CA said yesterday it would seek urgent talks with the government-funded Australian Sports Commission (ASC) next week over the tough stance that it was unacceptable for Warne to train while serving his 12-month ban for taking a banned diuretic.

Under CA’s anti-doping policy, that would cover national, state and even club training.