DONald - AtherTON

South Africa batted badly in their second innings to leave England with a target of 247 in a day and a half. Both sides knew that the outcome would probably be decided by what happened on the fourth evening.

England started confidently, reaching 40 before Mark Butcher was caught behind by Mark Boucher in the 18th over. "I felt we were entering a decisive phase," Donald said. Hansie Cronje, his captain, agreed and brought him back into the attack. "What followed," Donald recalled, "was the best duel I've ever had with a batsman over a prolonged period."

Donald's first over was a loosener - "not slow but not quick by his standards," according to Atherton - but after one ball of his second over, he switched to round the wicket, a sure sign that he was warmed up.


In Donald's third over he produced a brute of a ball aimed straight at Atherton's throat . "Instinctively, I tried to protect myself with my bat and the ball cannoned into my right hand and ballooned up to Boucher," he recalled. Donald continued his follow-through, arms raised in triumph, while Atherton stood his ground. "I dared not look up," he said. "But when I did umpire Steve Dunne remained unmoved."

Donald said he didn't read too much into Atherton's reluctance to depart, putting it down to disappointment. "We both knew he'd gloved it." But as the reality set in, Donald's disbelief turned to anger. His recollection is that he told Atherton; "You better be f****** ready for what's coming because there'll be nothing in your half." Atherton recalled a more succinct message: "You f****** cheat." The two glared at each other, with Atherton determined not to be the first to break eye contact - "Keep staring," he told himself, "he's got to turn away next."

What followed was utterly engrossing, as Donald put every ounce of his energy into flattening the batsman. To add insult to injury, Atherton inside-edged the next ball past his leg stump for four. Donald's only response was to continue the verbal barrage against the batsman, in English rather than Afrikaans. "I wanted him to understand what I was saying to him."

Thereafter Donald did everything but take a wicket, peppering both Atherton and Nasser Hussain with vicious bouncers, striking Atherton a painful blow in the chest. Most of the SouthAfricans added to the tension with audible asides of their own. "I'd never felt such adrenalin," Donald admitted. "Both of us gave our all," Atherton wrote, "laying ourselves bare, with nothing in reserve."

A fascinating period of play was effectively ended when Hussain edged Donald, and Boucher spilt a routine catch. Donald stood in the middle of the pitch, looking fit to burst, and screamed in frustration. But the spell had been broken: Atherton recalled that the missed chance had taken something out of Donald and he visibly tired. England reached the close on 108 for 1, and eased to an eight-wicket win the next day. Atherton finished unbeaten with 98.