Andy Flower stands firm

Andy Flower became the first wicketkeeper to score centuries in both innings of a Test match as Zimbabwe battled to save the first Test against South Africa on Monday.

With an hour's play left on the fourth day, Zimbabwe were 278 for six, 36 short of the 314 needed to avoid an innings defeat.

The home side replied to South Africa's first innings of 600 for three declared with 286, and were asked to follow on.

Flower, who scored 142 in the first innings, was 130 not out after almost seven hours at the wicket in which he has faced 300 balls and hit 18 fours. Heath Streak was 11 not out.

Flower's innings, a combination of sound defence and aggressive strokeplay and innovation including several reverse sweeps, marked the first time in 52 years that a batsman had scored centuries in each innings of a Test against South Africa.

The last player to do so was Australia's Jack Moroney, who scored 118 and 101 not out in Johannesburg in 1949-50.

The only other Zimbabwean to score centuries in each innings of a Test was Flower's brother Grant, who scored 104 and 151 against New Zealand in Harare in 1997-98.

Zimbabwe resumed on 97 for three, and Andy Flower and Hamilton Masakadza took them to lunch without further loss on 188 for three.

The visitors squandered a sharp chance to separate the pair when captain Shaun Pollock, fielding in the gully, spilled a difficult catch offered by Masakadza, who cut hard at a ball from fast bowler Makhaya Ntini. Zimbabwe were 149 for three with Masakadza on 56.

Masakadza prodded forward to the fourth ball of the seventh over after lunch, bowled by left-arm spinner Claude Henderson, and was dropped by Jacques Kallis at silly point.

Henderson's next delivery took the inside edge of the bat, rebounded off the pad and flew to Boeta Dippenaar at short leg to dismiss Masakadza for 85.

The fourth-wicket stand, the first century partnership for Zimbabwe in four Tests against South Africa, ended at 186. Masakadza faced 230 balls and hit 13 fours.

The Flower brothers then batted together until two overs before tea, when Grant, on 16, tamely drove a delivery from Ntini to Dippenaar at cover.

Guy Whittall helped Andy Flower hold up South Africa's progress for 42 minutes, until Whittall played back to a straight delivery from Henderson and was trapped in front for three.

Flower went to his century with a reverse swept four off Henderson in four-and-a-half hours, off 197 balls and with 13 fours.

Mail Cricket Editor