WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014 SPORTS SA ponder team balance ahead of second Test CAPE TOWN: Whether to stick with an all-rounder It is possible McLaren might have lost his posi- extra batter,” Proteas convener of selectors Andrew contributions to Australia’s cause in Pretoria. at number seven or play an extra batsman to tion in any event as South Africa admit they are Hudson told reporters. “Australia went in batting- Shaun Marsh scored a century in his first test counter Australia’s fiery bowling attack is the considering replacing an all-rounder with a sev- heavy, relying on their three seamers and their appearance in two years while debutante Alex vexed question for South Africa ahead of the sec- enth batsman in Dean Elgar. spinner, which they did successfully. Doolan came within 11 runs of a debut test ton as ond test at St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth start- Aside from AB de Villiers’ 91 and 48, the top six “We need to consider putting in a batter at sev- Australia dominated their hosts to bat them inside ing tomorrow. South African batsmen managed just 57 runs in en. Then we can go in with the three quicks and four days. The Australians were clearly superior in all three the first innings in Pretoria and 68 in the second. Robbie P (Peterson).” Should they opt for another “Obviously we’ll have to see what the wicket is disciplines in their crushing 281-run victory in the The left-handed Elgar’s test career, which start- all-round option then Wayne Parnell will get the like; whether we need the extra bowling option. first test in Pretoria last week, the excellent Ashes ed with a pair of ducks on debut against Australia nod on his home ground, the left-arm quick You’d like him to bowl,” Australia coach Darren form of fast bowler Mitchell Johnson repeated at in Perth in 2012 when he was bagged both times unlucky to lose out to McLaren in the first Test. Lehman said on Monday, suggesting Watson SuperSport Park as he literally hurt the South by Johnson, has been mediocre with a single Australia, who have not lost a test series in would not be selected for his batting alone. African batsmen with 12 wickets and numerous unbeaten century against New Zealand and a next South Africa since 1970, also have a selection pos- “Firstly we’ve got to get him fit, and then we’ll body blows. One of those was to the side of the highest score of 27 in nine innings. er in the lead-up to the Port Elizabeth game if all- see what happens from there. He’s pretty close; he head of all-rounder Ryan McLaren, who has subse- Having chosen not to call up a replacement for rounder Shane Watson returns to fitness in time. was running on Sunday, but at the end of the day quently been ruled out of the second test with McLaren to their test squad, Elgar is the only spe- Watson exacerbated a persistent calf injury on we’ve got to get him fit and ready to play test concussion meaning there will be at least one cialist batsman available for selection. the eve of the first test and watched from the cricket at this level.” The third and final Test will be change to the Proteas line-up. “There (has been) debate around playing an stands as new two players both made significant played in Cape Town from March 1. — Reuters NZ clinch series victory after McCullum triple ton WELLINGTON: New Zealand recorded their first Test series victory over India since 2002 when the second match ended in a draw yesterday after Brendon McCullum had become the first New Zealander to score a test triple century. Captain McCullum’s 302 anchored New Zealand’s record 680 for eight declared, setting the visitors the impossible task of scoring 435 runs in 67 overs to achieve the victory they needed after the hosts won the first test at Eden Park by 40 runs. New Zealand had India in trouble early in their second innings with the sniff of an unlikely victory in their nostrils but once Virat Kohli knuckled down to record his sixth test century, McCullum and Mahendra Singh Dhoni decided to call the game off with 15 overs remaining. Tim Southee took two wickets after lunch to reduce India to 54 for three before Kohli (105 not Adam Gilchrist out) and Rohit Sharma (31 not out) batted out the remainder of the day’s play to take their side Gilchrist to join Warne in through to 166 for three. “Without being disrespectful I probably didn’t know the magnitude of it (scoring 300) until the last Lord’s bicentenary match 24 hours,” McCullum said. “I watched Martin Crowe score his 299 and thought it would have been an LONDON: Adam Gilchrist will be behind the 396 international matches. Left-arm spinner amazing feat if he scored 300 but probably didn’t stumps to fellow Australia great Shane Warne Vettori secured a coveted place on the Lord’s quite understand how much it meant to the whole one more time after his involvement in the honours board by taking five for 69 against country. “I think in terms of New Zealand cricket and Lord’s bicentenary match was confirmed yester- England in a Test in 2008. He also holds the moving forward for this team, we have finally bro- day. Gilchrist will be a member of the Rest of the record for the best ODI figures at Lord’s, with five ken that 300 barrier and hopefully some of these World team captained by Warne that will play for 30 against West Indies in 2004. guys will continue to break that.” Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the owners of MCC president and former England captain WELLINGTON: A team photo of New Zealand players after winning the Test series during day five of the 2nd International Test cricket match between New Zealand and India. — AFP Lord’s, in a one-day match on July 5 celebrating Mike Gatting said: “The teams for this match are TENSE ATMOSPHERE the London ground’s 200th anniversary. really taking shape now, and everyone both McCullum resumed with debutant Jimmy “I’m privileged to have been asked to play in inside and outside MCC is really looking forward Neesham (67 overnight), as the queues formed out- this match on such an exciting occasion,” to Saturday 5th July. “The prospect of watching side the ground to see what many in the small SCOREBOARD Gilchrist said in a statement issued yesterday. Gilchrist keeping to Warne again is one that’s crowd hoped would be history in the making. “Lord’s is a wonderful place to play cricket and sure to whet the appetite of any cricket fan, and He scored his first run of the day when he I’m really looking forward to helping celebrate the talent on show at this match will be fitting of pushed an Ishant Sharma delivery wide of mid-off WELLINGTON: Scoreboard at the end of the second test between New Zealand and India at its bicentenary in this match. the occasion.” “It’s testament to the standing and strolled through for a single, which was warmly Wellington’s Basin Reserve yesterday. “There are going to be a lot of familiar faces MCC has around the cricketing world that play- applauded, and pulled the bowler to the midwicket around and it’ll be a lot of fun to play alongside ers like Adam, Shaun and Daniel want to come New Zealand first innings 192 Bowling: I. Sharma 45-4-164-0 (nb-6), Khan 51- fence for his first boundary. India first innings 438 13-170-5 (w-2), Shami 43-6-149-2, Jadeja 52- a couple of old teammates too.” and celebrate the bicentenary of the current Ishant caused a collective intake of breath when Meanwhile former Australia fast bowler Lord’s Ground with the club, and there are more he comprehensively beat McCullum on 293, though 11-115-1, R. Sharma 11-0-40-0, Kohli 6-1-13-0 New Zealand second innings (overnight 571-6) Shaun Tait and New Zealand spinner Daniel big names to come.” the batsman did not get a nick. Neesham, however, (nb-1), Dhoni 1-0-5-0, Dhawan 1-0-3-0. Vettori have also been added to the line-up of As a player, top-order batsman Gatting was was not getting caught up in the emotion as the P. Fulton lbw b Khan 1 India second innings leading players taking part. involved in a similar, star-studded, match in tension ramped up with every delivery, every over H. Rutherford c Dhoni b Khan 35 M. Vijay c Anderson b Southee 7 India hero Sachin Tendulkar will captain a 1987 when he scored 179 for MCC against the that McCullum was still at the crease being applaud- K. Williamson c Dhoni b Khan 7 S. Dhawan lbw b Boult 2 MCC side that also includes his long-time inter- Rest of the World in a five-day fixture marking ed. The 23-year-old temporarily stole his captain’s T. Latham c Dhoni b Shami 29 C. Pujara c Watling b Southee 17 national colleague and Rahul Dravid. the 200th anniversary of the club. MCC, founded thunder with his first test century when he tucked B. McCullum c Dhoni b Khan 302 V. Kohli not out 105 Their fellow India batsman Yuvraj Singh, is in 1787, moved to its present site in the north- C.