Monty Panesar inspires England against South Africa

Gary Fitzgerald at Lord's 13/07/2008

MONTY Panesar’s magical fingers spelt sheer agony for South Africa at Lord’s yesterday.

Just when the doubters were questioning whether the Northamptonshire twister had lost his destructive edge, he came twirling through with added spice.

Panesar grabbed 4-74 to help bowl out the tourists for 247, despite Ashwell Prince’s defiant century – still a very long way from England’s first innings 593-8 declared.

Just to add insult to injury, Kevin Pietersen claimed the final wicket when Dale Steyn lobbed his occasional off spin right down Ryan Sidebottom’s throat.

Michael Vaughan made South Africa follow on but with England only allowed to use Panesar and Pietersen because of the poor light, they survived a testing few overs to end on 13-0, still needing another 333 to avoid an innings defeat.

The seamers living in fear of the axe with Andrew Flintoff and Simon Jones knocking loudly on the Test door once more, also came through.

James Anderson, Sidebottom and Stuart Broad let their actions speak volumes on the third day of the first npower Test, sending out the message: “Who needs Freddie when you have us?”

But while those three certainly did their chances of playing in the second Test starting at Headingley on Friday no harm at all, Panesar stole centre stage.

After the pacemen had torn the head off the South African batting order, Montymania gripped this old ground once more.

The delivery which sent Neil McKenzie back through the Long Room with his tail firmly between his legs was worth the entrance fee alone.

“Warne-like” was the cry as it pitched down the leg side, turned viciously around the back of the hapless batsman and thudded into his leg stump.

It was an uplifting moment after the fast men had showed their desire to keep Ashes all-rounder hero Flintoff out of the side for another Test in Leeds.

The selectors are banging on about a four-man bowling attack and that would mean one of Anderson, Sidebottom or Broad to go. But the outcome of this game – if England can finish the job off in the next two days – may persuade them to keep Flintoff on hold for a little longer yet.

While Flintoff was failing for Lancashire with the bat yesterday the guys who have bowled England to two Test series wins over New Zealand this year were proving their worth again on the international stage.

South Africa skipper Graeme Smith’s nightmare Test continued. Having stuck England in and watched them get close to 600, Smith managed to make just eight before Anderson had him caught by Ian Bell.

Broad had Hashim Amla snapped up by wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose and then Sidebottom got the prize wicket of Jacques Kallis for just seven.

England were on the march as South Africa slumped to 47-3 on the same wicket that Pietersen and Bell made look so benign and batsman-friendly.

Monty’s magic then removed McKenzie before a Prince and AB De Villiers’ 78-run stand frustrated England’s efforts for more success.

That was until Panesar returned.

De Villiers, on 42, opened up for a big hit but Anderson flew goalkeeper-like to his left to pull off a stunning dismissal.

Prince defied the bowlers from his end but his team-mates could not as Mark Boucher played on to Broad for four.

Morne Morkel was bowled by Panesar for six.

Panesar grabbed his fourth victim when Paul Harris was taken by another fine diving catch from Anderson. Prince finally reached his eighth Test ton with a single from his 173rd ball but then wafted at Sidebottom and was caught behind.

SCOREBOARD:

ENGLAND.– 1st inns: 593-8 dec (Bell 199, Pietersen 152, Broad 76, Cook 60; Morkel 4-121).

SOUTH AFRICA– First innings:

Overnight: 7-0

Smith c Bell b Anderson     8

McKenzie b Panesar            40

Amla c Ambrose b Broad   6

Kallis c Strauss b Sidebottom            7

Prince c Ambrose b Sidebottom        101

de Villiers c Anderson b Panesar      42

Boucher b Broad  4

Morkel b Panesar 6

Harris c Anderson b Panesar             6

Steyn c Sidebottom b Pietersen         19

Ntini not out         0

Extras (b1 lb4 w2 nb1)         8

Total (93.5 ovs)    247

Fall: 1-13, 2-28, 3-47, 4-83, 5-161, 6-166, 7-191, 8-203, 9-245.

Bowling: Sidebottom 19-3-41-2; Anderson 21-7-36-1; Broad 23-3-88-2; Panesar 26-4-74-4; Collingwood 4-1-3-0; Pietersen 0.3-0-0-1.

Second innings (following-on):

Smith not out        8

McKenzie not out                1

Extras (b4)             4

Total (0 wkt, 4 ovs)              13

Bowling: Panesar 2-0-7-0; Pietersen 2-1-2-0.

- Resumes today at 11am