Ken Borland

As a boy growing up in the sub-tropical agricultural town of Tzaneen, Tian Koekemoer loved Jonty Rhodes and Dale Steyn and was used to enjoying plenty of success as one of the most talented cricketers at Merensky High School.

Despite Steyn and fellow pace bowlers Marchant de Lange and Ethy Mbhalati all coming from the Limpopo province at the northern edge of South Africa, the region is the poorest in the country, a large rural expanse of mostly tribal area, and is not known for producing many cricketers.

So despite dominating at local level and starring for the Limpopo U19 team, Koekemoer knew that he still needed to be really tested as a cricketer. That has come since he enrolled at the University of Pretoria and studied BA Languages, and started playing for the Assupol Tukkies team.

It’s a star-studded Tukkies team, the most powerful club side in the country, and Koekemoer often has to wait for an opportunity to bat or bowl.

In the Red Bull Campus Cricket Finals against Steinhoff Maties, he once again sat patiently waiting for his chance to shine, bowling just two overs in each of the first two games and not getting the chance to bat.

And then the final game gave him his chance. Tukkies finally batted first, and the absence of an unwell Aiden Markram and a few errors by the top-order gave him his chance.

Koekemoer responded with a crucial innings of 19 off 11 balls that lifted Tukkies to a competitive total of 144 for nine, and he then ensured that it would be a day to really remember as he claimed three wickets to stop a strong Maties chase and win the man of the match award.

“I don’t often have to come in under pressure moments, but today I had to and I liked the challenge,” Koekemoer said after the game.

“There are only a few good cricketers in Limpopo, but in Pretoria you’re up against the whole Northerns Premier League and it was an eye-opener. I haven’t really been exposed to that level of cricket, you get used to being the only good player in your team, but this really pushes you.”

Another measure of how well Koekemoer adapts to whatever life throws at him is the fact that he has only been bowling seam since last July.

Prior to that he was an off-spinner, but he broke his finger and was unable to grip the ball and obtain as much turn as previously, so he changed to pace.

South Africa enjoyed a position of complete dominance on 207 for three, leading by 411, after the second day of the first Test against Pakistan at the Wanderers on Saturday, set up by Dale Steyn’s astonishing bowling earlier in the day.

Steyn took six for eight in 8.1 overs as Pakistan were shot out for just 49, the lowest total in their Test history, worse than the 53 they scored against Australia in Sharjah in 2002/3.

It was the third time South Africa had dismissed a team for less than 50 in the last two seasons. Only England, against Australia in 1887/88 and twice versus South Africa in 1888/89, have done this before.

South Africa bowled Australia out for 47 at Newlands in November 2011 and New Zealand for 45 at the same venue last month.

Pakistan’s 49 is also the lowest ever Test score at the Wanderers, the previous worst being 72 by South Africa against England in 1956/57.

Steyn’s magnificent swing bowling, backed by two wickets apiece from Jacques Kallis and Vernon Philander, gave South Africa a 204-run first-innings lead and, after declining to enforce the follow-on, they cruised to 207 for three in 53 overs before stumps.

Coming into bat soon after lunch, Steyn taking the last three Pakistan wickets without conceding a run, openers Graeme Smith (52) and Alviro Petersen (27) were quickly into their stride as they compiled an opening stand of 82 in 21 overs.

Umar Gul removed both openers just four overs into the post-tea session and South Africa then slipped to 99 for three when Jacques Kallis (7) skied an attempted sweep off Saeed Ajmal into the hands of Asad Shafiq at deep midwicket.

But Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers attacked to great effect as they added 108 off 159 balls before stumps, both completing unbeaten half-centuries.

Pakistan had begun the second day on six without loss after making a fine start to the series on day one, but their first innings was a procession of batsmen as Steyn took advantage of their lack of footwork in bowler-friendly conditions.

He ripped through the top-order with ease, having Mohammad Hafeez (6) caught behind off a superb away-swinger, trapping Nasir Jamshed (2) lbw and then having veteran Younis Khan caught in the slips for a duck in his first two overs.

Kallis then removed Azhar Ali (13) and Pakistan captain Misbah ul-Haq (12) with aggressive short-pitched bowling, before an incisive two-wicket burst just before lunch by Philander reduced the visitors to 40 for seven at the break.

Steyn then made an impressive return after lunch, having Saeed Ajmal caught behind off a precise away-swinger and then snaring Sarfraz Ahmed in his next over, wicketkeeper AB de Villiers again taking the catch.

Rahat Ali was then caught at fourth slip by Faf du Plessis for a duck off Steyn to complete a top-class catching display behind the wicket by South Africa, wicketkeeper De Villiers finishing with six catches, a career-best that equalled the national record shared by Denis Lindsay and Mark Boucher (four times).

South Africa’s bowlers were the heroes as the Proteas cruised to a satisfying seven-wicket victory over England in the first T20 international at the Riverside Ground in Chester-le-Street on Saturday.

 – http://www.supersport.com/cricket/sa-team/news/120908/SA_bowlers_the_heroes

Dale Steyn, Johan Botha and Robin Peterson were all superb as England were restricted to 118 for seven after being sent in to bat.

South Africa were in early trouble in their reply, sinking to 29 for three before Jacques Kallis and JP Duminy killed England’s hopes with a record, unbeaten fourth-wicket stand of 90 off 90 balls.

Kallis played with typical composure, breezing to 48 not out off 44 balls, with seven fours, while Duminy handled the pressure with ease and scored 47 not out off 54 balls, collecting four fours and impressing with some clever improvisations.

Defending such a meagre total, England had to strike with the new ball and they did.

Richard Levi would have sent some chills through the home camp with two flat-batted boundaries in Steven Finn’s first over, but Jade Dernbach removed the powerful opener in his first over, caught at slip as the bowler gave him no width to work with.

The out-of-form Faf du Plessis was caught cold and trapped in front for four by Finn in the third over, but AB de Villiers played a couple of glorious strokes in scoring 10 off six balls.

But he then tried to play an ambitious square-drive off Dernbach, the ball being too full and too straight for the shot, and De Villiers was caught behind.

South Africa were in serious trouble on 29 for three in the fourth over, but they had the ideal batsmen in, with Kallis the ultimate accumulator and Duminy a busy player who can keep the scoreboard ticking over without taking too many risks.

They cashed in when Ravi Bopara was brought on, Kallis collecting successive boundaries in the seventh over, but they were content to see Graeme Swann off, the off-spinner conceding just 16 runs in his four overs.

Duminy collected successive boundaries off left-arm spinner Samit Patel in the 11th over with innovative reverse-paddles and victory was achieved in the 19th over.

Steyn and South Africa’s spin pairing of Botha and Peterson had earlier restricted England to a miserable 118 for seven.

WICKETS AT REGULAR INTERVALS

Only a couple of England batsmen looked threatening as South Africa, having won the toss, produced a superb performance in the field with their impressive bowlers taking wickets at regular intervals.

Openers Alex Hales (11) and Kieswetter (25) gave England a solid enough start of 27 runs in 3.4 overs, but Botha and Peterson ripped through the middle order and Steyn was magnificent, grabbing only one wicket but conceding just 13 runs in his four overs.

The first wicket came via a run out as Hales came charging down the pitch for a quick single, Kieswetter ignored him and Kallis scored a direct hit running in from midwicket.

Botha has not played for South Africa for five months but the off-spinner immediately showed that he will considerably boost their chances of winning the ICC World T20 in Sri Lanka later this month as he claimed two for 19 in four overs.

Botha’s first ball spun sharply to trap Kieswetter lbw for 25 and South Africa captain De Villiers went on to the attack to further pressure England and make a mockery of their decision to bat the out-of-form Bopara at three.

Steyn returned to target Bopara, De Villiers put a slip in and the batsman rewarded their bravery outside the powerplay by edging the ball straight to Botha to be caught for just six.

Botha and Peterson troubled England with their changes of pace as much as anything on a sticky pitch. Bopara’s dismissal left the hosts on 50 for three in the eighth over, but their middle-order just faded away.

Their best batsman, Eoin Morgan, bottom-edged a sweep at a quicker delivery from Botha into his stumps to be bowled for 10, and young Jos Buttler (6) was bowled by Peterson as the canny left-arm spinner held the ball back beautifully and the batsman was through with his drive way too early.

Jonny Bairstow (15) impetuously holed out at long-on off Albie Morkel and when Peterson had Patel caught at long-off for four, the veteran Kallis taking a sprightly catch running in from the boundary, South Africa’s old problem of death bowling didn’t really matter with England 85 for seven.

Stuart Broad and Swann both scored 18 not out as they added 33 for the eighth wicket but the home side were never going to be favourites after that batting display.

South Africa player ratings

Graeme Smith – 8

The South African captain once again provided immense substance at the top of the order. His unorthodox strokeplay drove England to distraction and he was solid in trying conditions.

Alviro Petersen – 7

Starting to feel comfortable at international level; a solid series highlighted by his epic, stoic 182 at Headingley after missing out on the Oval run-fest.

Hashim Amla – 9

As reliable and elegant as always, his 311* at the Oval will be remembered forever. When his team were under pressure at Lord’s, he responded with another fine century.

Jacques Kallis – 7

Never failed to impress whether it was in scoring his wonderful, series-defining century at the Oval, making vital breakthroughs with the ball or taking superb catches in the slips.

AB de Villiers – 6

Three 40s suggest there may have been too much of a load on him being asked to keep wicket as well. Reliable with the gloves, but his focus is surely on scoring big hundreds.

Jacques Rudolph – 6

Although he has still not cemented himself at number six, his battling efforts at Headingley and Lord’s were crucial for victory.

JP Duminy – 7

Batted beautifully and with an air of assurance that he has not had for a while. Possibly moved himself ahead of Rudolph in the queue with his defiant efforts down the order.

Vernon Philander – 8

Starred with bat and ball at Lord’s after chipping in with a couple of wickets in each of the first two Tests. His unerring line and length did not bring as much reward as it could have … until Lord’s where he showed what all the fuss was about.

Dale Steyn – 8

Another whose efforts did not always bring the reward they deserved, but he showed his class at the Oval. The leader of the attack even if he didn’t take the new ball and tremendously skilful and fiery.

Morne Morkel – 7

England’s batsmen were kept on their toes when he hit his straps – his pace, bounce and aggression meant they were continually under pressure.

Imran Tahir – 5

Stopped some threatening England lower-order rallies with important wickets, but is still in the developmental stage of his international career. A lack of control at times arrested his ability to build pressure.

Highlights of the series

Kevin Pietersen – The only England batsmen capable of turning a dodgy position at Headingley into a situation where the hosts could be the only winners. The only person capable of sowing such discontent that his international career was seemingly over straight after that innings.

Vernon Philander’s dream day – Philander had an outstanding fourth day at Lord’s. He had been joint top-scorer with Duminy in the first innings and South Africa had been reduced to 282 for seven in their second innings, a lead of just 276, when he scored a crucial 35 to take the target well beyond 300. Philander then claimed two quick wickets to fatally undermine England’s chase.

Oval heroics – There have been many great batting line-ups that have taken on England, but in 924 Tests they had never conceded successive double-century partnerships until Kallis and Amla put on an unbeaten 377 for the third wicket, following the 259 for the second wicket between Smith and Amla. A pitch that had been seemingly flat was then transformed as Dale Steyn took three for eight after lunch on the final day to set up a crushing innings win.