LahoriMunda

Vaughan's Time has come


Kids. They grow up so quickly these days. One day, you're holding their hands from mid-off as they toddle into bowl. The next, they've dyed their hair red and are schmoozing from one lad's mag to the next, talking girls and PlayStations, with hardly a backward glance to the crotchety old patriarch who made them the men they are today.


This was Nasser Hussain's dilemma as he was reintroduced to his boys after seven weeks on the sidelines during the NatWest Series. And true to form, his assessment was instinctive and unequivocal. His time had passed. His cajoling, backside-kicking style was out of tune with the spirit of the age. It was time for Michael Vaughan to come to the fore.


Hussain, it transpires, broke the news to Vaughan over a bacon sandwich on Monday morning. Whether the sandwich was subsequently dropped in astonishment, we do not know. But, in his inaugural press conference at Lord's, Vaughan was still wearing the look of a man caught in the midst of a whirlwind. He was lucid and authoritative, as he talked of his desire for a focused but relaxed team, but he couldn't deny that the captaincy had arrived "sooner than he expected".


"I don't think Nasser landed me in it at all," Vaughan insisted. "I feel ready for the job. I feel really excited and I am looking forward to it. I know people will say things, but Nasser has had four years at the top and I am very pleased he has left me with a young and talented team. He turned up this morning with a huge weight taken off his shoulders, and I told him to go out and enjoy his cricket. He is a huge player for England and I expect him to continue in that vein."

Given his supreme self-motivation, it would surprise no-one if Hussain marks his return to the ranks with a century, just as Michael Atherton did against South Africa at Edgbaston back in 1998. But, as Vaughan admitted, this week has been a tale of three captains, not two. England's main task at Lord's will be to halt Graeme Smith, whose record-breaking scores of 277 and 85 dispelled all doubts that he lacked the authority to succeed in such a high-profile series.

"I definitely think England underestimated us, and wrongly so," said Smith. "We had them under pressure all the time and that's a great feeling. While they're trying to sort out where they went wrong, we are going forward with a lot of positives to take into the rest of the series. "Maybe Nasser was feeling the pressure a bit and just wants to play a bit now," added Smith. "It definitely puts a bit of pressure on Vaughan again. Maybe it will weigh on his shoulders, who knows? But it could be a breakthrough for us."

But Smith, wary of making Hussain's mistake and proclaiming that England were "there for the taking", admitted that they would come out fighting at Lord's. And, given that Jacques Kallis will once again be missing from South Africa's team, he has enough selection headaches of his own. Worcestershire's overseas player, Andrew Hall, has been drafted back into the squad, and is likely to take his place as a bowling allrounder ahead of the ineffective Charl Willoughby. His belligerent batting will strengthen the tail and may enable Paul Adams to take over from Robin Peterson, whose left-arm spin was the weakest link in South Africa's attack.

England, for their part, hope to be unchanged – personnel-wise at least. Sussex's James Kirtley is on standby in the bowling department, but seems set to miss out for the fourth Test running, while Marcus Trescothick and Alec Stewart are likely to play despite the injuries they picked up at Edgbaston. Vaughan, who wants 11 captains in his team, would probably have them wheeled out in bath-chairs rather than have them miss this vital match.

LahoriMunda

England 94/5 at lunch. Another good start by South Africa, lets see if this time they can finish it off or will England recover to pull off a draw.


TOSS

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VAUGHAN COMES IN TO BAT IN HIS FIRST tEST AS CAPTAIN

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NTINI CELEBRATES tRECOTHICK'S WICKET

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PULLOCK STRIKES AS BUTCHER WALKS BACK

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VAUGHAN AND HUSSAIN PUT ON 38 BEFORE THE LATER WAS BOWLED BY HALL

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LahoriMunda

Ntini on fire as England batting collapsed. Latest score England 163-9.

HUSSAIN BOWLED.

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ehsan

England 173 all out. Last wicket partnership of 55 runs between Gough and Anderson saved England from complete humiliation.

Ntini took 5/75.

Full details:

http://uk.cricinfo.com//link_to_data...04AUG2003.html

UMAIR316

Its always a great pleasure to see the English being humiliated.
South Africa should go on to win this match.
Graham Smith is high class batsman, another century on the way for him.

Talha

Well talk about getting your career as a Captain off to a bad start! That was dreadful from England - they realy were more than shambolic today! And to think that South Africa are yet to have Jaques Kallis return to the team....

Zero_one

well well well

Hussain saw this coming didn't he ????????????????

LahoriMunda

South Africa finish off the day at 151-1 with Smith not out at 80 and Kirsten not out at 9.

A DEJECTED VAUGHAN

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GOUGH TOP SCORED FOR ENGLAND

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NTINI 5 WICKET HAUL

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SMITH CONTINUES HIS GOOD FORM FROM THE 1ST TEST

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GIBBS ONLY S.AFRICAN WICKET TO FALL. HE MADE 49.

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yaasir

Greame Smith is really enjoying destroying the English bowling attack. He is proving all those people wrong who questioned his ability as a skipper and batsmen.

Diablo Kazama

Graeme bhaijaan ki tappi hoi hai aaj kal.

Watching him bat nowadays gives the feeling one's watching a Matt Hayden-ish big southpaw opener going about business with a Gilchrist-type ruthless attitude.

I don't agree with most of the ways he's conducted himself as captain in the little period so far. But displaying gutso and putting in dedication in the manner in which he's doing to prove ur critics wrong deserves respect.

LahoriMunda

At lunch South African's are 216/1. Smith 116* & Kirsten 29*.

LahoriMunda

Kallis set to return

South Africa's Jacques Kallis is set to return to England on Tuesday.
The all-rounder has missed the first two Tests between England and South Africa because he has been in Cape Town, following the death of his father Henry.

Kallis flew back to South Africa when his father was critically ill with lung cancer.

He died days later and the funeral was held in Cape Town on Monday.

The third Test of the five-match series begins at Trent Bridge on 14 August.

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Good news for South Africa. I dont know what England will do now, seems they cant handle S. Africa minus Kallis.... with Kallis South Africa will kick a**

LahoriMunda

South Africa are 300-1. Smith 152* and Kirsten 75*

DELAYED START DUE TO RAIN ON DAY 2.

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BUTCHER AFTER DROPPING KIRSTEN.

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ANOTHER DIFFICLUT CHANCE BY GIVEN BY KIRSTEN.

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KIRSTEN ON HIS WAY TO HIS CENTURY.

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SMITH AND KIRSTEN BUSY PILING RUNS.

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SOUTH AFRICAN DRESSING ROOM, APPLAUDING THEIR CAPTAINS EFFORT.

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A JUBLIANT SMITH AFTER SCORING HIS SECOND DOUBLE CENTURY.

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The new COOLDUDE

Smith's whooping some english ass.....again!!!

LahoriMunda

South Africa is 386-1. Smith gets another double century. Smith 201*, Kirsten 107*

UMAIR316

What a great batsman, I don't remember any batsman being so dominated in a test series, he is going to end up scoring 1000+ runs in the whole series.

UMAIR316

I would pay anybody anything if they can broadcast this match.

LahoriMunda

Day two ended an hour earlier due to bad light. At the end of day two South Africans are 412/2. Smith is not at 214 and Dippennar is not at 11. Kisrtsen made 108 before McGrath bowled him.

Well played Smith

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Hussain... probably relieved he is not the captain.

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Vaughan. out of ideas.

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Sadi Sobi

Well done South Africa, very well played.

I'll be back to defend my boys on Monday, when all my stupid assignments have been handed in.

The new COOLDUDE

Defend?...
U were clearly outclassed by a very stylish batsmen...for the second time!...
It's better u don't come back...