da pinup bet： Fletcher: sour-faced © Getty Images As if England’s impending defeat was not enough to dampen the spirits in the dressing-room, the news that Andrew Flintoff was suffering from”discomfort in his left side” was the last thing they needed
Andrew Miller05-Jan-2005
Fletcher: sour-faced© Getty Images
As if England’s impending defeat was not enough to dampen the spirits in the dressing-room, the news that Andrew Flintoff was suffering from”discomfort in his left side” was the last thing they needed. Add to that afreak injury in the nets for Matthew Hoggard, and it all made for asour-faced press conference from England’s coach, Duncan Fletcher.As a precaution, Hoggard did not bowl after being struck on the back ofthe heel in the morning practice session, but it was later revealed to beno more serious than soft tissue bruising. Flintoff’s problem, however, is more serious and will have to wait until the morning until its full extent is unveiled. Hewas checked by a doctor after lasting just 45 minutes in the field this morning,but Fletcher remained optimistic that all would be fine.Less fine, however, is England’s match situation. They finished the day on151 for 5, with just Graham Thorpe of the specialist batsmen remaining.And once again, Fletcher’s rage was communicated in his peculiarly pent-upmanner, as he chastised some of his players for their “soft” dismissals.”We turned it around at Durban,” he said, “but it’s up to individuals toshow more patience. Some of the batters wanted to play attacking cricket.”Fletcher brushed aside criticism of Michael Vaughan’s form: he hasmanaged just 84 runs in the series so far. “It was the same with Nasser[Hussain],” he shrugged. “We see him as an allrounder as he’s captainedthe side well, and I’m sure he’ll get runs soon.” But he did suggest thathis team ought to have learned from the example set by the home boy,Jacques Kallis, one of Fletcher’s own charges during his time as coach ofWestern Province.”Kallis sometimes gets criticised by his own people,” said Fletcher, “butwith the amount of times he’s played here, he knows it’s not an easywicket. It can lull you into a false sense of security. It’s very slow,but then one bounces on you, and if you’re playing a shot you’re introuble. You’ve got to concentrate as much as on a wicket that is zippingaround.”South Africa have had no such problems about learning from their mistakes,however, as Shaun Pollock was proud to point out. “You’re bound to makemistakes in Test cricket,” he said. “It’s how you react to them and learnfrom them that counts, and I think we’ve learned well. We weren’t verygood at Port Elizabeth, nowhere near where we needed to be, but we’veresponded well to that.”After letting England off the hook in the second innings at Durban,Pollock was cagey about predicting victory tomorrow, but he admitted he wouldbe “very, very disappointed” if England got away again. “We’ve bowled wellas a unit and we’ve got the big five out, but now we’ve got to push theadvantage home.””Hanging on in Durban gave us momentum,” said Pollock, who added thatwinning the toss and sticking England back out in the sun just two daysafter that game had worked in their favour. “Graeme [Smith’s] been superbwith the toss. I’ve been there as well, and to be back in the field aftera long bowling session, mentally it works on mind and plays on body. Theway we’ve gone about it is bearing fruit.””To have been 2-0 behind here would be a big ask. But the new ball’s due,the guys fresh, and after a good night’s rest, we’ll make the new ballwork in the morning.”