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Cricket

Nel admits lucky Strauss dismissal changed game

30/07/2008

South African bowler Andre Nel admitted the lucky wicket of Andrew Strauss on the morning of the third Test helped swing the game in the Proteas' favour.

England were going well on 68-0 before Strauss trod on his wicket trying to whip Nel away on the leg side.

However, Nel claims that having got the breakthrough South Africa then created their own luck by bowling a consistent line and length which produced results.

Nel, known for his fiery temper, was admonishing himself for a bad delivery when he looked up to see his team-mates celebrating the wicket of Strauss.

He explained to Sky Sports: "I was going to shout at myself for a bad ball and then I saw the stumps were down. It was a bit of luck but you take it, and that changed the game for us at that stage."

Nel then had Michael Vaughan caught behind off the next ball. After finishing with figures of 3-47 Nel said the Proteas had exploited conditions to the fullest.

He said: "I think it stayed slow but the ball kept on swinging all the time. It always seemed like there was something in the wicket.

"We made a decision to be consistent with our length and try and hit the deck as hard as possible. Jacques bowled an unbelievable spell into the wind for us."

After getting the wicket of Essex team-mate Alastair Cook Nel gave the England batsman a very vocal send off, but insists his aggression is channelled into trying to be a better bowler.

Nel added: "I've learnt to control my emotions in the last few years. It makes me a better bowler when I got fired up and get in other people faces."

Finally, Nel said he hoped South Africa could repeat their success from the previous Test at Headingley and put England under pressure by getting a big first innings score on day two of the match.