LEEDS, 24 August 2003 — Gary Kirsten’s painstaking 60 gave South Africa the upper hand on the third day of the fourth Test against England at Headingley here yesterday. Left-hander Kirsten, who made 130 in South Africa’s first innings, was primarily responsible for the tourists’ stumps score of 164 for five — a lead of 199.
Neil McKenzie was 17 not out and Mark Boucher two not out. On a pitch where the odd ball rearing alarmingly or keeping exceptionally low, South Africa were not far short of a decisive lead.
Together with Jacques Kallis, Kirsten put on 97 for the third wicket after South Africa had wobbled in their second innings at 31 for two. “When the ball takes off a length, it’s very difficult. It makes batting a lottery,” said Kirsten, the 35-year-old Western Province left-hander. Looking ahead, Kirsten added: “We’re targetting a lead of around 250. If we got that we’d be happy.”
Kallis fell for a well-constructed 41, defensively edging seamer James Kirtley through to wicketkeeper Alec Stewart. South Africa were then 120 for three.
All-rounder Kallis, who earlier led the attack with three for 38 as England were bowled out for 307, faced 109 balls including one six and four fours in his two-and-a-half hour innings.
However, he was dropped on nine when Mark Butcher at gully could only get fingertips to an edge off debutant seamer Kabir Ali. It seemed as if nothing could dislodge the watchful Kirsten who batted for over 11 hours in the match as a whole.
But Kabir’s third ball of a new spell jagged back sharply, Kirsten lbw with the 35-year-old facing 147 balls including five boundaries.
Shortly before stumps Jacques Rudolph (10) fended fast bowler James Anderson to short leg Ed Smith.
Earlier Kirsten — South Africa’s most-capped player now in his 92nd Test — hesitated after Kallis pushed Andrew Flintoff into the covers and would have been run out for 52 if substitute Jim Troughton’s throw had hit.
South Africa, who started with a lead of 35, saw opener Herschelle Gibbs — nought in the first innings — lbw for two to Kirtley, the Proteas nine for one.
And when South Africa captain Graeme Smith fell lbw to seamer Martin Bicknell for 14, South Africa were a mere 66 ahead albeit with eight wickets standing.
England lost their last five wickets after lunch for 47 runs as they were bowled out for 307. Flintoff, dropped on six, flayed South Africa’s quicks for a 58-ball fifty including three sixes and three fours.
He was last man out, bowled for 55 by paceman Makhaya Ntini after recklessly stepping away to leg. Ntini finished with an economical three for 62 off 20.2 overs. It was a good collective effort from an attack lacking leading paceman Shaun Pollock after the former captain missed this match to witness the birth of his daughter.
And the bowlers’ workload was further increased when debutant quick Monde Zondeki withdrew with a side strain after bowling just 1.5 overs Friday.
