ENGLAND'S misery was complete yesterday as they watched South Africa celebrate victory in the deciding fifth Test at Newlands. Mike Atherton's team crashed to a 10 wicket defeat but only after a third day blighted by controversy.
South African umpire Dave Orchard, standing in his second Test, was involved in a double drama that cost England dear and certainly contributed to the series being settled 48 hours ahead of schedule.
First, Orchard gave Robin Smith out, caught behind off the bowling of spinner Paul Adams, when it appeared there had been no contact with bat or glove.
Then the 47 year old official seemed to buckle under pressure from home captain Hansie Cronje and a noisy crowd over a replay run out decision.
Orchard's change of mind ended with Graham Thorpe departing for 59 quite rightly as it turned out. But, having made a mistake initially in not calling for assistance, the umpire erred again by not sticking to his guns.
Cronje was later fined £600 by International Cricket Council match referee Clive Lloyd for breaching the ICC's code of conduct.
The bottom line, however, is that England have lost a fourth consecutive overseas series. And, judged by their performance in this match, they can have no real complaints.
Bowled out in the first innings here for 153, they failed to complete a good fight back on Wednesday when allowing last pair Dave Richardson and Adams to add 73 vital runs the biggest stand of the match.
Then, yesterday, England 17 for one overnight were dismissed for 157, leaving South Africa with the formality of scoring 67 for victory.
Their hopes of setting the Springboks a challenging victory target were badly dented inside the first six overs yesterday morning when Alec Stewart, playing loosely outside off stump, edged Shaun Pollock to slip before night watchman Angus Fraser gloved Allan Donald to leg gulley.
At 22 for three, the writing appeared to be on the wall. But Smith and Thorpe raised spirits a little by adding 44 until Smith's untimely and dubious departure for 13 before lunch.
England's future rested then on Graeme Hick and Thorpe. Hick struggled initially against Adams while Thorpe, without a half century in the series before yesterday, counter attacked confidently taking three boundaries in two overs off Donald.
Hopes began to soar when Hick hoisted Adams for two handsome straight sixes as the stand reached 72 and the tourists led by 47. Four wickets for two runs in the space of 10 deliveries changed all that, however.
Pollock, who has given Donald the support he needs since arriving on the scene at the start of this series, returned to the attack to remove Hick Ibw for 36. Then, during the same over, Jack Russell steered a lifter angled across him to Andrew Hudson in the gully.
Next over came Thorpe's remarkable dismissal for 59. Sent back after Mike Watkinson had cut Adams towards backward point he was struggling when Hudson hit the non striker's stumps.
Orchard looked as though he was going to signal for third umpire Karl Liebenberg to make the decision but then ruled `not out' himself. Before Adams could send down another delivery, those spectators in range of television screens let out a roar confirming that Thorpe had been short of safety.
Cronje ignoring the ICC regulation that states "players may not appeal to the umpire to use the replay system" approached Orchard twice. On the second occasion, the umpire consulted colleague Steve Randell before finally signalling for Liebenberg to study a re run of the incident. Thorpe had to go but it was debatable whether two wrongs deserved to make a right.
After that, Watkinson went Ibw to Adams without scoring, Dominic Cork (8) drove Pollock to extra cover and England were all out just before tea with Peter Martin hooking the same bowler to Adams at long leg. Pollock finished with five for 32 and home openers Gary Kirsten and Andrew Hudson made sure there was no miracle escape for a thoroughly demoralised England by knocking off the runs in just 16 overs.
It seemed fitting, somehow, that Devon Malcolm, whose has had a wretched tour, was given only 12 deliveries and let a four through his legs on the boundary edge just before Kirsten cut Hick for the winning hit.
England had achieved fighting draws in Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth. But they had never set up a winning chance and, once again finished second best on their travels.
Commentator Jack Bannister honoured a promise to eat the, paper on which he wrote a column predicting defeat for South Africa in their Test series against England.
The former Warwickshire bowler ripped up, then ate the newspaper page carrying the headline "I'll eat my words" in front of television cameras after South Africa clinched the five match series by winning the fifth Test in Cape Town yesterday. He washed downs the paper with wine.
