More guts than glory
Atherton's confrontation with Donald proved what he's made of
Posted: Wednesday October 21, 1998 04:20 PM
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Atherton captained England in 52 tests, more than anyone before, and quit on his 30th birthday last March Clive Mason/Allsport |
LONDON (Reuters) -- It was more of a bar-room brawl than cricket one day last July at Trent Bridge when Mike Atherton confronted Allan Donald.
Like two High Noon gunfighters seeking a final showdown.
Not cricket? No, not the type of cricket one normally sees. It was brutal, almost vicious.
But it was also the most riveting period of test cricket in recent years.
Atherton, who had quit as England captain only months earlier after a dismal tour of West Indies, was rebuilding his international batting career and reputation.
South African Donald, one of the fastest of fast bowlers, was on his last test tour of England and desperate to win.
With England needing 247 for victory in the fourth test to retain a chance of winning a five-test series for the first time in almost 12 years, Atherton looked to be out, caught off the glove by a brilliant diving catch by South African wicketkeeper Mark Boucher.
Atherton stayed unmoved, as did New Zealand umpire Steve Dunne who denied Donald's bellowed appeal.
Whether he had got a touch to give a catch and declined to walk, which almost everyone in the ground or watching on television believed he had, became secondary to what was to follow.
That one moment catapulted the two adversaries into 90 minutes of total confrontation. The other players on the field were secondary.
Donald's face was contorted with righteous anger, Atherton staring back blankly, expressionlessly.
In fury, Donald bowled at express speed. He wanted not only to dismiss the England opener, he wanted to hurt him.
Atherton was hit many times when he failed to duck or weave inside balls travelling around 90 miles an hour (144 kph). Each time he refused to flinch or acknowledge he had been hurt.
After each vicious delivery, Donald followed up with a volley of abuse. "There's more of that, mate," he said with open venom.
It was frightening, but wonderful cricket.
In the end Atherton, who had been on 27 when the disputed catch was made, survived that session, which proved to be crucial for England.
The rest, as they say, is history. Atherton batted on the next day to reach 98 not out as England won. And then they won the final test to take the series 2-1.
That innings at Nottingham personified Atherton, the most resilient of England batsmen, the one all opponents want most of all to dismiss.
It was not the first time Atherton had thwarted South Africa. Probably his greatest innings was a marathon 10 hours 45 minutes as he scored an unbeaten 185 to rescue England from an impossible position and force a draw in the test at the Wanderers in Johannesburg in December 1995.
He is neither the greatest batsman England has ever produced, nor the most fluent. But there has rarely been one more stubborn or obdurate.
Atherton captained England in 52 tests, more than anyone before. He quit on his 30th birthday last March after a 3-1 defeat in West Indies where his own batting had failed throughout the series.
In six tests in that series Atherton scored only 199 runs, hit just one half-century and ended with the abysmal average of 18.09.
For a man of lesser caliber it could easily have spelled the end of an international career.
But despondent though he was that day, he said he was not quitting. "I am keen to remain part of the international set-up as a player. I hope I will begin to score runs again and that I will be worth my place as a batsman now that I have taken this step," he said at the time.
He was retained in the England squad under new captain Alec Stewart for the following series.
Free of the captaincy, Atherton looked, not exactly carefree because it is doubtful if he ever could, but at least more relaxed.
"I think I am playing far better now than for the previous 12 months -- basically stiller and taller than before and more beside the ball than behind it," he wrote in a newspaper column this week.
His batting certainly prospered against a very strong South African bowling attack.
He hit more runs during the series than anyone on either side and finished with an average of 54.77.
But more important than his average were the occasions on which he scored runs when his country most needed them.
South Africa always counted his the most important wicket to take. Australia will doubtless feel the same.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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