outside off stump on a good length and Onions gets solidly behind it to save the game for his side! Match drawn. Onions punches the air and looks to the England dressing room! Collingwood goes over to congratulate his Durham team-mate, and the players exchange hand shakes. South Africa are obviously despondent as they make their way off the field.
South Africa vs England, 1st Test at Centurion, , Dec 16 2009 - Match Result
RESULT
1st Test, Centurion, December 16 - 20, 2009, England tour of South Africa
Match centre
Scorecard summary
South Africa • 418/10(153.2 overs)
1st INNINGS120 (225)
5/110 (45.2)
56 (150)
3/86 (30)
England • 356/10(104 overs)
1st INNINGS85 (81)
5/123 (37)
50 (88)
2/78 (23)
South Africa • 301/7(85.5 overs)
2nd INNINGS100 (213)
4/73 (20.5)
64 (101)
2/58 (16)
England • 228/9(96 overs)
2nd INNINGS81 (143)
4/55 (23)
69 (212)
2/51 (26)
end of over 96Maiden
ENG: 228/9CRR: 2.37
Graham Onions1 (12b)
Paul Collingwood26 (99b 6x4)
Makhaya Ntini 18-7-41-0
Morne Morkel 18-3-46-2
Don't forget to read Andrew Miller's bulletin, which is being furiously hacked out as we speak, check out the gallery and discuss all the drama on our Facebook page. That's it from me, Sahil, and I hope you'll join us again on Boxing day for the second Test, until then, have a very merry Christmas.
Graeme Smith looks happy and confident, despite coming so close and, rather touchingly, wishes the country a 'safe Christmas'.
Strauss describes it as a 'crazy last hour' and Swann looks more relieved than thrilled as he collects his man-of-the-match award, saying "we're single handedly keeping Test cricket alive".
Makhaya Ntini is awarded, slightly bizarrely, with a personalised beer-fridge, to commemorate his 100th Test as he sounds positive looking ahead to the Boxing day Test.
Ian Bishop, heading the presentation ceremony declares we have witnessed "the best of Test match cricket today," and how right he is.
South Africa were superb, they recognised the slightest hint of an opportunity when Pietersen ran himself out, and burst through to open up the Test match.
Graeme Swann, who saved Strauss's blushes in South Africa's first innings, with five wickets before rescuing England from 242 for 8, with a sparkling 85, is awarded man of the match for his efforts.
Well, what sublime Test-match drama. At tea England were entertaining thoughts of a late run chase, with Pietersen and Trott going along well. Then a suicidal run out and some inspired new-ball bowling from Freidel de Wet on debut, blasted through England's middle order and tail. Collingwood, a man cut entirely from steel, stood firm throughout.
95.6
•
Ntini to Onions, no run
Morkel moves in from mid off to a catching position on the off side
95.5
•
Ntini to Onions, no run
this time it's just outside off stump, Onions gets a solid defence on it
95.4
•
Ntini to Onions, no run
oh my goodness! Absolute grubber and dead straight. Onions jams a bat down, somehow, so close
95.3
•
Ntini to Onions, no run
shortish, would have gone over the stumps from that length, and Onions gets solidly behind it
95.2
•
Ntini to Onions, no run
oh so close! Fuller, and Onions plays at it and it whistles agonisingly close to the outside edge
95.1
•
Ntini to Onions, no run
starts slightly wide of off stump, Onions plays at it and it comes off the inside edge, safely
Well, after a spell of 7 overs 3 for 11, de Wet gives way to Ntini, in his 100th Test, for the final over.
end of over 956 runs
ENG: 228/9CRR: 2.40
Paul Collingwood26 (99b 6x4)
Graham Onions1 (6b)
Morne Morkel 18-3-46-2
Friedel de Wet 23-8-55-4
94.6
•
Morkel to PD Collingwood, no run
short delivery, Collingwood rises with it and tries to drop it into the off side for one, but the fielders swarm in so Onions will have strike for the final over
94.5
4
Morkel to PD Collingwood, FOUR runs
Collingwood clips firmly into the leg side from a full delivery, he set off for one, but the ball ran away to the boundary
94.4
1
Morkel to Onions, 1 run
goes for the yorker, but it was a full toss and Onions pushes it out to mid on. The batsmen cross so Collingwood has two deliveries to find the single that will give him the strike
94.3
•
Morkel to Onions, no run
shortish and wide of off stump, Morkel just needs to get one up and hitting the stumps, Onions thinks about playing, absurdly, but reconsiders and leaves it alone at the last moment
94.2
•
Morkel to Onions, no run
too wide from Morkel, and Onions leaves it
Onions fiddles with his arm guard and looks nervous, as well he might
94.1
•
Morkel to Onions, no run
Onions leaps back to defend a good length delivery on off stump
Man comes up very close on the off side
94.1
1nb
Morkel to Onions, (no ball)
no ball again, Onions rises with a good-length ball and defends
end of over 944 runs
ENG: 222/9CRR: 2.36
Paul Collingwood22 (97b 5x4)
Graham Onions0 (1b)
Friedel de Wet 23-8-55-4
Morne Morkel 17-3-40-2
93.6
4
de Wet to PD Collingwood, FOUR runs
angled in at the body, and Collingwood succeeds in pushing it into the leg side, but it runs away for four. Not many South African fielders chasing that!
Collingwood and Onions convene for a crisis meeting, how will they get this run?
93.5
•
de Wet to PD Collingwood, no run
Collingwood defends solidly into the off side, but no single is there
South Africa want to prevent the single, fine leg is up
93.4
•
de Wet to PD Collingwood, no run
solidly forward and defending, Boucher cheering on, and Smith taking his time
93.3
•
de Wet to PD Collingwood, no run
slightly wider of the crease, angling in, but wide enough for Collingwood to leave it alone. He fenced at one during the Cardiff epic to get out, and he doesn't want to here
93.2
•
de Wet to PD Collingwood, no run
This is wide of off and Collingwood, who looks calm, somehow, shoulders arms
When will Collingwood take the single?
93.1
•
de Wet to PD Collingwood, no run
shortish, defended into the leg side, surprisingly, the batsmen won't cross.
Collingwood will need all the strike if England are to survive, South Africa will be pleading for a go at Onions
end of over 93Wicket maiden
ENG: 218/9CRR: 2.34
Graham Onions0 (1b)
Paul Collingwood18 (91b 4x4)
Morne Morkel 17-3-40-2
Friedel de Wet 22-8-51-4
92.6
•
Morkel to Onions, no run
goodness me, this is fired miles down the leg side and Onions happily lets it go
Here comes Graham Onions, and it's Cardiff, all over again. 19 balls remaining for England, that will seem like days.
Best performances - batters
Spike Graph
Wagon Zone
120 runs (225)
16 fours1 six
Productive shot
leg glance
34 runs
2 fours0 six
Control
85%
SA
100 runs (213)
10 fours0 six
Productive shot
leg glance
34 runs
2 fours0 six
Control
87%
Match details
| SuperSport Park, Centurion | |
| Toss | England, elected to field first |
| Series | |
| Season | 2009/10 |
| Player Of The Match | |
| Series result | 4-match series level 0-0 |
| Match number | Test no. 1942 |
| Hours of play (local time) | 10.30am start, Lunch 12.30-13.10, Tea 15.10-15.30, Close 17.30 |
| Match days | 16,17,18,19,20 December 2009 - day (5-day match) |
| Test debut | |
| Umpires | |
| TV Umpire | |
| Reserve Umpire | |
| Match Referee | |
Match Coverage
Instant answers to T20 questions
England Innings
<1 / 3>