England Sneak Draw In First Test
By Paul Bakel
July 28 2003
Marcus Trescothick's defiant, unbeaten half-century ensured England saved the first Test against South Africa at Edgbaston.
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Marcus Trescothick's defiant,
unbeaten half-century ensured England saved the first Test against South
Africa at Edgbaston. He struck nine fours in his 94-ball 52 not out as England shut out the
tourists' attack on a wearing pitch to finish on 110 for one, in notional
pursuit of 321 in 65 overs before rain and bad light cut short the final
day. Trescothick showed no discomfort from the right index finger he broke
on day one of this rain-affected match, clubbing five successive fours in
one Makhaya Ntini over to become only the fourth man in Test history to
achieve the feat. Nasser Hussain finished unbeaten on 23 while Trescothick enjoyed one
last reprieve before the close, edging Dewald Pretorious to Shaun Pollock
at slip on 51 only for the regulation chance to be spilled. England's only second-innings hiccup came just before tea when Michael
Vaughan was dismissed for 22. He was caught by Pollock at slip after edging a Robin Peterson delivery
that turned out of the rough outside leg stump. Earlier Graeme Smith had responded to England's success in avoiding the
follow-on by hitting two sixes and 10 fours to add a 70-ball 85 out of 134
for four to his first-innings South Africa record 277. The day began with another rash of boundaries - this time courtesy of
Ashley Giles who hit five fours in eight balls to almost single-handedly
carry his country from a start-of-play 374 for seven, past the initial
target of 394 and on to 408 all out.
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