SA pay for poor decisions – McKenzie
LONDON: Vernon Philander came to the Oval yesterday feeling better than he did on day one when he’d also had to leave the field because of what was suspected to be an upset stomach.
Around lunchtime he left the ground for a local hospital and finished the day in that facility’s care. The prognosis was a “tummy bug” that should have cleared off by yesterday morning.
Now it is suspected he may have a viral infection. Doctors will know this morning if he will be okay to play.
South Africa’s batting suffered an infection of its own, and it was down to the overcast conditions, the grassy pitch or the force of a fired up debutant Toby Roland-Jones. In 2015/16 South Africa were twice dismissed for totals of less than 100 leading to loud calls for the appointment of a batting coach.
Neil McKenzie got the job, but still there are problems. At Lord’s they were spun out in less than 40 overs for 119.
McKenzie felt it was a case of conditions, good England bowling, and poor decision-making by the South Africans.
“I don’t think our batters will think we are a side who should be 120/8,” he said.
“The wicket quickened up from yesterday. (Ben) Stokes’s innings was really significant in terms of turning the momentum. Him getting the century – the second century of the series so far – in that sort of fashion put the crowd in a certain position.
“You could feel the tension and the excitement that was on display and Roland-Jones on his debut, was always going to be running in hitting a serious length. You couldn’t ask for better conditions for him, the type of bowler he is and what he represents.”
Too many players fancied playing shots when circumspection was required. The normally aggressive Stokes said he had to fight his way through a difficult period on Thursday when under dark skies he and Alastair Cook got through 40 minutes against Philander and Morne Morkel.
“It’s one for which I had to work much harder,” he said of his fifth Test century.
“On Thursday I wasn’t feeling in very good form and Vernon had a few over me, but we knew it would be even harder for the new batsmen so we just had to stick it out.”
Had Philander been available more yesterday when Stokes was making hay, perhaps England would not have reached 353.
“You miss his control,” said McKenzie. “If you look at his economy rates, it’s not just about wickets ... and I think on that wicket today and yesterday, the economy just shows we didn’t land enough balls in the right areas.”
South Africa are still 28 runs short of the follow-on and with more cloudy weather forecast for today they will certainly need Philander’s nagging discipline and accuracy with the ball if they are to get back into this third Test.