JOHANNESBURG, 15 January 2005 — Michael Vaughan rediscovered his touch as England countered in dramatic fashion after South Africa fast bowler Makhaya Ntini’s early burst on the rain-affected second day of the fourth Test.
Vaughan made 82 not out and teamed up superbly with his tailenders as England, tottering on 278 for eight after losing three middle-order wickets for five runs, fought back to close on 411 for eight.
Bad light ended yesterday’s play early, to Vaughan’s obvious disgust after he had declined an offer to go off. Only 38.2 overs were possible all day after morning rain delayed the start by two hours.
The England captain, desperately short of form and averaging just 14 before Johannesburg, looked at sea early in his innings but gained in confidence to record his 11th half-century in 54 Tests.
He batted for 273 minutes, faced 159 balls and hit 10 fours and a six. He put on 51 with Ashley Giles for the eighth wicket and then an extraordinary 82 more off 91 balls in an unbroken partnership with Steve Harmison (30 not out).
Ntini ended with four for 111. The five-match series is level at 1-1.
The rain and overcast conditions were ideal for the seamers early on and Ntini took full advantage after England had taken 19 balls to open their account.
He removed Matthew Hoggard when the nightwatchman fended an angled delivery to AB de Villiers in the gully.
Three overs later bad light stopped play and seven balls after the resumption all rounder Andrew Flintoff, who scored two, drove loosely at a wide delivery from Ntini and was caught by Graeme Smith at first slip. Eight balls after that England were 278 for seven when Geraint Jones, pushing forward, edged a regulation catch to Smith at first slip off fast bowler Shaun Pollock to be dismissed for two.
More rain seven overs later saw the tea interval taken 20 minutes early. Vaughan and Giles had batted conservatively before the break but then went on the attack.
Six overs after the resumption, though, Ashley Giles square-drove fast bowler Dale Steyn’s first ball of the day uppishly to backward point, where Herschelle Gibbs took the catch. Giles made 26.
Vaughan scored more and more fluently once he passed 30, and Harmison hit out powerfully against a South African attack that paid the price for giving him too much width.
Meanwhile, England captain Michael Vaughan criticized the umpires for inconsistency after bad light brought the rain-interrupted second day of the fourth Test against South Africa to a premature close yesterday.
Umpires Steve Bucknor and Aleem Dar brought the players off the field with 13 overs still to be bowled and England on 411 for eight, with Vaughan and Steve Harmison in the course of a dominant 82-run stand.
The umpires had offered the light to the batsmen three overs earlier, but they decided to stay on the field.
“I’m wondering why we’re not out there now,” said Vaughan, half-an-hour after stumps with the sun still shining. “It’s always tricky when there’s cloud cover, but we thought we batted in differing conditions around midday. “All we ask for is consistency and we don’t think there’s been consistent decisions made today. “When the fielding side is in a bit of trouble you’d expect them to ask the umpires, any captain would, but it’s up to the umpires to make a decision.”
