Sport - Cricket

An emotional Vaughan quits as captain

— Photo: AFP

Michael Vaughan at a press conference on Sunday.

LONDON: A tearful Michael Vaughan stepped down as the most successful England captain in its history stretching back to 1877 but made it clear he wanted to continue as a Test batsman.

His decision was inevitable after the defeats by 10 wickets and five wickets against South Africa in the last two weeks. He lost only 11 Tests in five years and these were his first back-to-back defeats.

It was clearly the most emotional moment — “the hardest decision of my career,” he said, but added: “It was also the easiest” — and he sobbed when he said how his family had been “a rock” and his father’s comment that “you can step away a proud lad because you have given it everything.”

On Saturday, South African captain Graeme Smith hit what he described as the best century of his career to lead his team to a series-clinching victory on the fourth day of the third Test at Edgbaston.

Smith made an unbeaten 154 as South Africa won by five wickets to take a winning 2-0 lead in the four-Test series.

SCOREBOARD

 England — 1st Innings: 231.

South Africa — 1st Innings: 314.

England — 2nd Innings: 363.

South Africa — 2nd innings: G. Smith (not out) 154, N. McKenzie lbw b Flintoff 22, H. Amla lbw b Panesar 6, J. Kallis lbw b Flintoff 5, A. Prince c Ambrose b Anderson 2, A.B. de Villiers c Collingwood b Panesar 27, M. Boucher (not out) 45, Extras (b-9, lb-9, w-2, nb-2) 22; Total (for five wkts. in 80 overs): 283.

Fall of wickets: 1-65, 2-78, 3-83, 4-93, 5-171.

England bowling: Sidebottom 10-1-26-0, Anderson 13-0-60-1, Panesar 33-3-91-2, Flintoff 20-5-72-2, Pietersen 4-0-17-0.

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu