Hamla Puts England on Brink

With records being broken all over the place at the Oval, England face a very heavy defeat in the opening test with South Africa, thanks largely to Hashim Amla becoming the highest individual scorer in an innings for the visitors...

Amla batted for a mammoth 13 hours and 10 minutes, and refused to be budged as South Africa made a real statement of intent with their 637-2 in reply to England's 385 all out during the second days play.

England Cricket Sportnetwork had made their way down to the Oval for the remainder of England's innings during that 2nd day, but there was definately no hint of the carnage to follow as Smith (131), Amla (311no) and Kallis (182no) did to England, what we had done to Australia in Brisbane (and we know what happened in that series after posting 517-1).

England have simply been outplayed here, and face a defeat that will threaten our world number 1 status, given it's only a three match series.

That's irrelevant though, because South Africa look a far better outfit that anything the England Cricket Team has come against in recent time.

If there is one hope, then look no further than the 2009/2010 series out in South Africa, when England twice defied the odds on the final day, to scrape a draw on both occasions. I was in Cape Town when Graham Onions batted out the final over (for the 2nd time in the series) to send the 10,000 England supporters wild in the stands, we had started that day with three wickets down, but it was still none the less, a marvelous days rear guard action.

England will need all that resolve on the final day of the Oval test match, it will be tough, but then again South Africa are playing much better cricket at the moment.

First Test, day four, The Oval England 385 & 102-4 v South Africa 637-2 dec

BBC SCORECARD