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Date released: 30 June 2008
South Africa touched down in England ahead of their Test and one-day international series. Just seven days until that first Test - here at Lord's on 10 July.
| Opposition | Result | SA highlights |
|---|---|---|
vs. Somerset | Match drawn | Amla 172 |
vs. Middlesex | Match drawn | Amla 161 |
The Proteas certainly showed no ill effects from their long flight, getting their tour off to a flying start in Somerset.
Smith: Sat out match in Somerset In their first tour match they won the toss and quickly decided to have a bat at Taunton, to shake loose any cobwebs.
It was an ominous start for the tourists when former England man, Andrew Caddick, had Neil McKenzie trapped LBW, first ball.
No signs of concern in the South Africa camp though, as Hashim Amla and Jean-Paul Duminy set about the Somerset attack. Duminy departed on 64, bring Jacques Kallis out to bat.
Perhaps the big-hitting Protea all-rounder was unaware the match at Taunton was a three day game and not a one-dayer - as he thrashed the ball to all corners of the ground, scoring 160 from just 157 balls.
Kallis: Scoring runs in a hurry Kallis eventually retired hurt after being struck on the elbow - but there's no relief to the sleepless nights for the England bowlers, 'just bruising' was the verdict.
Amla was eventually run-out on 172 and stand-in captain, Ashwell Prince, had time to score his own half-century before South Africa declared on 515 from 100 overs exactly.
Now the South Africa bowlers were unleashed. Both sides were resting a few of their front line players: Graeme Smith and Dale Steyn sat out for South Africa; Marcus Trescothick and Justin Langer were missing for Somerset.
Morne Morkel was keen to get his eye in though, taking three of Somerest's first innings wickets.
Makhaya Ntini, the last man to take 10 wickets in an internatioanl match at Lord's, was turning his arm over too - in a strong South Africa line-up. Add in Smith and Steyn and it's likely to be the line-up that take to the field at Lord's on 10 July.
Strauss: A chance to get his eye in against the SA attack Indeed, in their second tour match, against Lord's residents Middlesex at Uxbridge, Smith and Steyn made the line-up. Middlesex also featured England batsman Andrew Strauss.
Opener Neil McKenzie had another shaky start, out in the first innings at Uxbridge with just 11 runs to his name. Smith started slowly, just batting himself in to form perhaps - eventually falling to the bowling of England Lions seamer Alan Richardson, on 35 runs, having faced 77 balls.
Hashim Amla continued his explosive start to the tour though, racing to a century in a little over 100 balls, slowing slighty at 150 from over 200 balls, including three 6s and 21 boundaries - finally falling on 161.
All-rounder Kallis was another victim of Richardson's. Following his virtuoso 160 runs at Taunton, Kallis scored just two. Ashwell Prince scored another century as the South Africa team all looked to make the most of their final warm-up match before the Test at Lord's.
Prince also turned his arm over during Middlesex's reply picking up a couple of wickets too. England's Andrew Strauss was out for 29, edging to the 'keeper from Morne Morkel's quick bowling.
Middlesex's Eoin Morgan scored his own century on a good batting wicket as the South Africa bowlers toiled. The third day was washed out by rain, leaving the tourists short of match practice ahead of the Test.
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