An irritating malaise swept that threatened to do Middlesex in cheaply was stemmed by two contrasting innings on day two against the South Africans at Uxbridge

The Bulletin by Jamie Alter at Uxbridge05-Jul-2008
Scorecard
Dawid Malan’s half-century lifted Middlesex to within 48 runs of the South Africans by stumps © Getty Images
An irritating malaise that threatened to do Middlesex in cheaply was stemmed by two contrasting innings on day two against the South Africans at Uxbridge. Dawid Malan overcame a bout of nerves to score a polished 154-ball 67, but it was Eoin Morgan’s bustling unbeaten 108 from 118 balls deliveries that really sparked life into what had been an innings of fits and starts. Middlesex’s predominantly left-handed batting line-up had all got decently settled but three of them failed to carry on before Morgan and Malan helped them to 311 at stumps, 48 runs behind the visitors.Ed Joyce’s dismissal for 20 to make it 126 for 3, bowled through the gate trying to drive Paul Harris through the covers, brought Morgan together with Malan. Malan had poked and prodded his way into the 30s till now, like his top-order team-mates. He was well held at second slip off a Morne Morkel no-ball when on 39, early into the pacer’s second spell, and took the chance to actually press on.Morgan’s presence at the other end seemingly enthused some confidence and Malan took three fours off Jacques Kallis’ last over before tea, driving two full deliveries and flashing one over the slips, and raised his fifty from 113 balls. He threatened to up the ante with further aggressive shots, but fell to Ashwell Prince’s part-time slow stuff for a well-made 67. The Morgan-Malan stand was worth 94, but much more in terms of boosting Middlesex’s spirits.His dismissal brought the first right-hand batsman, Nick Compton, to the crease. Compton was a patient onlooker as the left-handed Morgan, turned the complexion of the innings with a bright innings. Adept against pace and confident against spin, he flashed his way past fifty without playing a false shot. Suddenly the run rate was healthy and Middlesex were in control. Morgan’s footwork was assured and he threw his bat at anything off-line. South African shoulders were soon drooping.Three clean sixes were the highlight of his counter-attack, and his hundred was raised off 103 balls with a spanking cut off Hashim Amla’s harmless part-time spin.Compton pulled a stunning six off Makhaya Ntini shortly before the close, only to fall to Prince for 27. But the note Middlesex ended on was in stark contrast to how they had started.The South Africans added 20 runs to their overnight 339 and declared after overnight centurion Prince was snapped up at gully, cutting the width from Danny Evans three balls into the 99th over.It wasn’t as warm as the first day and there was a steady breeze blowing across the ground when the South Africans took the field: conditions were ideal for batting. The South African pace quartet wasn’t entirely menacing on a flat track, but Morkel did produce enough lift to give Andrew Strauss another disappointing innings going into the Tests. Dale Steyn’s first over went for 15, Strauss crashing a square-cut and clipping off his pads, in between four leg-byes booming past Mark Boucher. Strauss was looking to be aggressive – one cracking pull off Ntini struck the square-leg umpire before he had time to duck – but he fell after getting a start.With Steyn trying too much too soon and Ntini not having any effect, it took the first change to produce a wicket. Strauss was forced to play at one from Morne Morkel, after being peppered, and got a faint tickle down the leg side to Boucher for 29. Morkel’s second match after an injury curtailed his stint with Yorkshire was restrained, but he hit the right areas and used his height to trouble the batsmen.Unlike his senior partner, 19-year-old Billy Godleman found Steyn a little on the sharp side. Steyn had him hopping, swaying and ducking and he was stuck on 1 for an eternity, only getting down the other end with a fortuitous inside-edge to fine leg. Three fours in Ntini’s first over after lunch hinted at more, but Godleman edged Kallis to second slip for 29.Graeme Smith turned to Harris’ left-arm spin for the 26th over and it wasn’t long before Joyce skipped down and flicked him over mid-on for six and then four. Joyce’s on-drives off Harris remained crisp, and allowed him to keep adding singles to Middlesex’s score, until he was defeated in flight.From there on Morgan and Malan batted sensibly and gave the South Africans some discomfort in the field. It was a heartening display for a side missing some key players.