Paul Collingwood smashed a
composed half-century as England claimed a five wicket win over Eastern
Province in Port Elizabeth.Durham's Collingwood guided his side away
from the potential perils of losing three early wickets with 78, compiled
at almost a run a ball.
While stand-in captain Alec Stewart provided the chase with backbone in
the township of Motherwell, with an unbeaten 55, it was Collingwood's
freedom of stroke that ushered the win in with five wickets and 10 overs
to spare.
Driving through mid-wicket and extra cover with regularity, he struck
eight fours and a towering straight six off Craig Thyssen's medium pace.
His flurry of boundaries provided momentum that Andrew Flintoff built
upon once Nantie Hayward returned to take the edge as Collingwood advanced
down the track.
The reply to Eastern Province's 173 for nine was initially undermined
by Hayward, Worcestershire's new overseas signing, who struck twice in his
first two overs.
Working up a brisk pace, Hayward drew Nick Knight into a loose drive to
extra cover from the fifth ball of the innings.
Then Craig White, employed as a makeshift opener, had his off-stump
sent cartwheeling by another searing delivery as England slipped to nine
for two.
Michael Vaughan countered with two majestic cover-driven boundaries and
a pulled six off Brent Kops.
With the runs flowing, Stewart struck Hayward for three consecutive
fours before Vaughan checked a drive at Botha's first ball to be caught at
cover point.
Stewart subsequently bedded in to play second fiddle to Collingwood.
Set on their way by Andrew Caddick's impressive early spell, the
tourists chipped away at the hosts' batting until the tail wagged to great
effect to guide their side away from the potential perils of 88 for seven.
In fact, Eastern Province looked down and out when Botha walked to the
crease with half the side out in the 21st over but his unbeaten
half-century was instrumental in gaining respectability.
Caddick struck twice early on, extracting considerable bounce on a
ground which was constructed from mounds of dirt six months ago to finish
with two for 26 from 10 overs.
Fellow seamers Matthew Hoggard and Flintoff also contributed on a
two-paced surface and Ashley Giles claimed a wicket on his first
competitive run-out since breaking a wrist in the build-up to the Adelaide
Ashes Test in November.
After winning the toss, Eastern Province were undone by Caddick's
bounce and movement as the first four wickets to fall all did so via
outside edges.
A superb piece of fielding from Flintoff got rid of the compact Bruce
Frederichs. Collecting the batsman's drive to his left off his own
bowling, he swivelled and threw down the stumps to beat a desperate dive
and usher Botha to the crease.
Another run-out saw Justin Kemp sacrificed during White's spell of
4-1-9-0, his first competitive bowl following just 20 minutes in the nets
since tearing a side muscle in December.
White was included in the side despite the team management and the
Yorkshire all-rounder saying he would not play at the new ground in one of
South Africa's largest townships.
White, 33, last played in the fourth Ashes Test and was initially given
a deadline to bowl here to prove his fitness for the tournament.
That was delayed by 48 hours until Thursday's fixture against Border in
East London, however, before they changed their decision.
Only some lusty blows from Botha took the hosts past three figures.
He shared stands of 28 with Craig Thyssen for the eighth wicket and an
undefeated 50 - the highest partnership of the innings - for the last
wicket with Kops gave the total respectability.
Giles ended the first of those by bowling Thyssen round his legs and
Hayward
skied Ian Blackwell's spin to deep midwicket.
However, Botha lifted Blackwell over the sightscreen and after he was
dropped by White at long-off off the same bowler in the last over, Kops
hit another six from the final delivery of the innings.
