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Somerset v South Africans, Taunton, 2nd day

Kieswetter and Durston save Somerset's blushes

Andrew Miller at Taunton

June 30, 2008

South Africa 515 for 3 dec (Amla 172, Kallis 160*) and 56 for 1 (McKenzie 37*, Boucher 3*) lead Somerset 249 (Kieswetter 67, Durston 61) by 322 runs
Scorecard

	Morne Morkel: rattled the Somerset top order © Getty Images

Kieswetter, who was born in Johannesburg but has held a British passport since birth, was one of two Somerset players who rose to the occasion against their classy opponents. The other was Wes Durston, who was last week playing minor county cricket for Wiltshire, but now found himself repelling a bowling attack that, with the exception of the absent Dale Steyn, is the same that will turn out against England at Lord's next week.

Kieswetter and Durston made 67 and 61 respectively, and rescued Somerset from potential humiliation after Morkel and Andre Nel, armed with the new ball, had instilled panic in the top order. Neither man, however, was able to emulate the South African batsmen, and translate his start into substance. Durston played round a straight ball to give Morkel his third wicket, and Morkel was involved again, this time on the midwicket boundary, when Kieswetter hoisted a short ball from Makhaya Ntini straight into his hands.

Somerset's tail did hang around gamely, with Steffan Jones and Andrew Caddick contributing a pair of hard-hitting 20s before the spinner, Paul Harris, picked off the final two wickets, but their innings was fatally undermined by two run-outs at the top of the order. The first occurred right on the stroke of lunch, when Durston ran the ball down to McKenzie at fine leg, and settled immediately for two runs. de Bruyn, however, had his heart set on a third, and was sent on his way without facing a ball as Harris whipped off the bails with both batsman at the opposite end of the pitch.

Durston responded with great self-confidence, middling two pulls for four off Makhaya Ntini to bring up Somerset's hundred in only 22 overs. But then, the run-out jinx struck again, as Durston cut Andre Nel for two, and it was Peter Trego this time who paid the price for over-optimistic running as the substitute, Robin Peterson, pinged the shy back to the bowler's end.

At 104 for 5, embarrassment loomed, but Durston and Kieswetter did at least salvage some pride, with Durston bringing up his fifty from 63 balls in fine style with a six over long-on off Harris. He was instrumental in denting Morkel's figures in an expensive post-lunch spell, but eventually got carried away as he attempted to flick a full ball through midwicket. Morkel's other two wickets had come in the morning session, the first with a beautiful yorker that burst through Arul Suppiah's defences for 16, and the second one over later, when James Hildreth played forward outside off, and was bowled off the inside edge for 0.

South Africa's other victim was the opener Neil Edwards, who was surplus to Somerset's requirements during the Twenty20s, but appeared to be auditioning for next year's event as he crashed five fours and a pulled six in a frenzied 17-ball 28. His aggressiveness eventually proved his downfall, however, as he pushed hard outside off at Nel, for Prince at third slip to cling onto a comfortable chest-high edge (35 for 1).

For South Africa, the day was slightly overshadowed by concerns surrounding Jacques Kallis's elbow injury, but his absence was not felt by his team-mates. After resuming on their overnight 455 for 3, they added 60 more runs in the first hour before the mandatory declaration at the 100-over mark. Prince batted with particular fluency, and had enough time to become the fourth South Africa to pass fifty in the innings, from 69 balls with seven fours, while AB de Villiers finished not out on 47.

Andrew Miller is UK editor of Cricinfo

© Cricinfo