England v South Africa 1907

Played at Kennington Oval, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, August 19, 20, 21. Though not so unfortunate in the weather as those at Lord's and Leeds, the last Test Match was a good deal interfered with and could not be played out. Still, it produced first rate cricket, and was in many respects the best match of the three. On the opening day rain after the luncheon interval caused a delay of little over two hours, and on the Tuesday cricket was limited to three hours and a half, nothing being done until twenty minutes past one, and a drenching shower afterwards stopping the game for half an hour. During the time available for cricket on Monday, England, winning the toss for the third time, scored 226 for seven wickets. As the pitch was never easy this was a very good performance. The batting, however, was curiously uneven, the side owing nearly everything to Fry and Foster. From the first ball in the match Hayward was out leg before wicket, and with Tyldesley clean bowled in the sixth over two of the best wickets were down for 19 runs. However, ample amends were made for this disastrous start, Foster staying with Fry for an hour and twenty minutes, and Braund, although he did not do much in the way of hitting, maintaining a stubborn defence for nearly an hour. The result was that when the fourth wicket fell the score had reached 154. Foster at the opening of his innings, was much at fault in running between the wickets, sometimes hesitating, sometimes dashing for dangerously short runs, but when once he had settled down he played very finely, making a number of beautiful hits. After Braund left Fry for a time could get no help. Hirst showed no form at all, Jessop, a little too impatient, was well caught by S.D. Snooke running in from the deep field and Crawford, from a fine hit, was caught at deep square, just on the boundary, S.D. Snooke being again the fieldsman. With seven wickets down for 181, England did not seem likely to profit much by getting first innings, but Lilley kept up his end, and without further loss 45 runs were added before the drawing of stumps. Fry was not out 108, and it would be impossible to praise him beyond his deserts. He played with consummate judgement and, apart from a couple of lofty hits that fell harmless, scarcely made a mistake. He set himself to master the breaking bowling by defensive means and was rarely tempted to hit unless he could score with perfect safety. As an example of self-control under rather trying conditions his innings has perhaps never been surpassed in Test Matches. All through the afternoon the South African bowling was very difficult, and the fielding was almost free from fault.

On the following morning, after the long delay in resuming the game, Fry changed his methods. It was essential that runs should be put on as quickly as possible and he did his best to force the pace. In this endeavour, however, he was not very successful, and at 271 his great innings- the highest against the South Africans- came to an end. In first and out eighth he was batting for four hours and three-quarters, his innings comprising one 5 (four from an overthrow), seven 4's, five 3's, seventeen 2's and fifty singles. He and Lilley added 90 for the eighth wicket in less than an hour and a half. It was over half-past three when England's innings, which lasted five hours, came to an end for 295.

When the South Africans went in to bat it was generally thought that they would fare very badly on the drying pitch, and as two wickets fell for eight runs a collapse was looked for. From this point, however, the batting asserted itself in surprising fashion. Blythe did not bowl in anything like his proper form, being very inaccurate in length, and the other bowlers looked quite plain. S.J. Snooke and Nourse put on 61 together, and at the close of play the score had reached 149 for five wickets. Snooke was batting two hours and a quarter, his fine innings of 63 being simply invaluable. The third day's play was from first to last full of incident and excitement. The weather proved fine, and from eleven o'clock till bad light cause stumps to be pulled up the game went on without interruption. In the morning the pitch was very difficult and Blythe bowled so well that in fifty minutes the South African innings was finished off for 178- five wickets going down for 29 runs. Of these five wickets Blythe took four, and only fourteen runs were hit from him.

Leading by 117, England seemed in quite a safe position, but the match underwent a sudden change, Hayward, Fry and Tyldesley being so quickly got rid of that three wickets were down for 20. After such a start no one could tell what would happen, but Foster and Braund, playing with great judgement, saved their side. When lunch time came they were still together and the score had reached 65. Thus with seven wickets in hand England held a lead of 182. On starting afresh the two batsmen found run getting a hard matter, S.J. Snooke and Nourse bowling such a length that no liberties could be taken with them. At last Foster hit out too soon at a ball from Snooke, skied it, and was caught and bowled. Acting on instructions, the batsmen who followed tried to force the pace, but the result was disastrous. Schwarz and Vogler, who took up the bowling, made the ball do so much that unguarded methods were almost doomed to failure, and by half past three the innings, which at lunch had promised so well, was all over for 138- the last six wickets going down in three-quarters of an hour for 49 runs.

The South Africans were then left to get 256 to win, the time remaining for play amounting to two hours and forty minutes. Victory thus demanded an uniform rate of scoring of 96 runs an hour. The task seemed impossible but, with everything to gain and nothing to lose, Sherwell decided that it should be attempted. The heavy roller had a most beneficial effect, and in such brilliant style did Faulkner and Sinclair start the innings, that for a time it seemed just possible that the runs would be obtained. Faulkner after scoring six just missed at short leg by Braund, and the blunder proved very expensive. Runs came at such a rate that at the end of thirty-five minutes play the score stood at 61. Then to the relief of the England eleven and the spectators Hirst clean bowled Sinclair. Faulkner, who hit with great brilliancy, was also bowled by Hirst at 72, and at 76 the Yorkshireman followed up his successes by shattering White's wicket. After this the South Africans had nothing to hope for but a draw. Vogler, however, hit so hard that the 100 was up before five o'clock, the innings having then been in progress only sixty-five minutes. Getting in two minds with a ball from Blythe, Vogler was clean bowled at 110, and thenceforward a draw was certain. S.J. Snooke and Shalders put on 41 runs in fifty minutes, but at 159 Snooke, who had played admirably for nearly an hour and a half, was caught at forward point, Foster going in and taking the ball a foot from the ground. As it happened there was no further cricket, an appeal being made against the light directly Nourse got to the wickets. The players left the field just before six o'clock, and a little later stumps were pulled up, the South Africans with five wickets to fall wanting 97 runs to win. Apart from the failure in batting in the morning, the third day's play reflected immense credit on the South African team.