Decades Tournament - Final - South Africa 1960s v England 1950s - Second Test

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South Africa 60s were duly crowned Decades champions after another crushing innings victory over England 50s in the 2nd final at Centurion. Going into the Test both teams were rocked by injuries,  with South Africa losing their tall fast bowler Lawrence to a knee injury, and May succumbing to a thigh strain. 

It is doubtful the England captain could have prevented the onslaught that followed. South Africa amassed a huge 602-8 over the 1st 2 days, with Colin Bland's 330 an innings of a lifetime. The home side were wobbling at lunch day 1, 76-3 with Barlow, Richards and Graeme Pollock all out cheaply. But Bland's 555 minute stay at the crease, in which there were 40x4 & 7x6, changed the course of the Test match. 

England struggled, as they had at Lord's, against South Africa's pace battery. Adcock was arguably the pick of the bowlers, eventually ending up with 6 wickets in the match. He hit Parks on the head with a bumper in the 1st innings, but the wicketkeeper recovered to top score with 73.

Following on, England were 207-3 at tea on day 4, but then lost 4 crucial wickets that evening, including MJK Smith for a valiant 144. The match reached its inevitable conclusion on the stroke of lunch on the 5th day. Eddie Barlow's team had proved without doubt they were a class apart.

South Africa 1960s: BA Richards; EJ Barlow [c]; RG Pollock; KC Bland; RA McLean; TL Goddard; DT Lindsay [w]; MJ Procter; PM Pollock; NAT Adcock; JT Partridge
England 1950s: MJK Smith; MC Cowdrey; TW Graveney; KF Barrington; ER Dexter [c]; JM Parks [w]; JC Laker; FS Trueman; JB Statham; FH Tyson; R Appleyard

South Africa 1960s 1st Innings 602-8 (163 Ov)
KC Bland 330, DT Lindsay 71*, TL Goddard 46, R Appleyard 3-94, JB Statham 3-121

England 1950s 1st Innings 229-10 (70.5 Ov)
JM Parks 73, ER Dexter 65, KF Barrington 32, NAT Adcock 3-45, TL Goddard 2-33, PM Pollock 2-34

England 1950s 2nd Innings 346-10 (112 Ov)
MJK Smith 144, KF Barrington 59, JC Laker 33*, NAT Adcock 3-43, MJ Procter 3-69, JT Partridge 3-72

South Africa 1960s win by an innings and 27 runs
Man of the match: KC Bland






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