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Hondo rocks England

By Ted Corbett

CHESTER-LE-STREET June 5. The ground announcer excitedly counted down the seconds -- "5-4-3-2-1 PLAY!" -- to mark the opening of the latest and most northerly Test venue, the weather remained cool but fine throughout the long day, the sun broke through fitfully and even though the seats were never full the crowds of schoolchildren produced enough noise to convince us that this was a thrilling Test encounter.

No, it was not an illusion. The second Test between England and Zimbabwe was typical of the first day of a Test at any ground and it was not until mid afternoon when Douglas Hondo's spell of three wickets for eight runs in 11 balls reduced England to the sort of shambles that was once quite common.

In Australia six months ago, to be precise.

At that point we all felt a lot more comfortable. Writing about the superiority of England does not come easily to those of us who follow its fortunes world-wide but Zimbabwe is such a poor side, was so comprehensively beaten at Lord's and so depressed that we felt justified, for once, in remarks about an early finish. How foolish. The collapse hinged on a decision by the off-field umpire Peter Willey, who like so many people working at this Test was born locally.

It will never have crossed this straight as a die, soldier-like, tough guy to give Zimbabwe a helping hand but his decision to give Robert Key out, caught low at square leg, came as a surprise to the television-watching spectators, although not to those who felt instinctively that Grant Flower had held a clean catch.

Hondo, bouncing to the wicket with more vim than the kids playing at the back of the temporary stand, had been left in the background while Heath Streak and Andy Blignaut kept the England openers Marcus Trescothick and Michael Vaughan under control. There was no great venom in the pitch but Trescothick is adjusting to a new method and Vaughan appears to be pressured by his huge success in 2002.

He needed 11 balls to get off the mark but then opened out furiously until one from Streak left him and was taken at slip. Trescothick, slowed down appreciably after a flowing start, and Mark Butcher, who hit 137 at Lord's, put 97 on the board at lunch. Soon afterwards Trescothick, who had hit Ray Price for six that was almost a catch on the mid wicket boundary, was caught behind by way of pad and glove behind the wicket also off Price.

Nasser Hussain struggled for a few minutes but just before tea, at 145 for two, England seemed ready to put up such a substantial first innings score that Zimbabwe would once again crumble. It was at that point that Heath brought back Hondo who missed his run-up, dropped the ball and looked as far out of synch as it was possible without giving up cricket altogether. But half way through the second over of his spell he bowled Butcher who cut a wide ball on to his middle and off stumps and, after being hit for four off the back foot by Robert Key, forced the controversial catch that changed the day from another procession of England runs to one that had swung decisively Zimbabwe's way.

From the last ball of the same over Hussain drove at an over-pitched ball, got only an edge to the ball and walked off with England 156 for five. The change was the more remarkable for the catches taken by Tatendo Taibu who began the day by allowing a wide ball to slip through his gloves to the boundary but afterwards hardly made a serious error.

His work in the series to lunch today had reminded me of the gloriously uncertain days of the West Indies pair Courtney Browne and Junior Murray, who were without question the worst Test keepers of their day.

I am not sure Taibu was as good as them but he is only 20 and, judging by his work late today, a revision of that judgement is due. One wicket-keeper will never need a revision of his place in the game nor his stamina. Alec Stewart, 40, and in his 128th Test walked in as if to put all the doubters to shame, hit 21 off his first 13 balls and with his fourth four passed the 8231 aggregate set by David Gower.

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