Date-stamped : 26 Jul94 - 18:27 Long journey ends at Lord's HISTORY PLAYS AN EMOTIONAL PART IN FIRST TEST AS SOUTH AFRICA RE- TURN AFTER 29 YEARS Christopher Martin-Jenkins on the need for Mike Atherton's Eng- land to rise to challenge The time will come, perhaps, when South Africa will play a Test match against England at Lord's without a political dimension to the occasion, but not, inevitably, a mere 21/2 years since the creation of a genuinely united South African cricket board or a few months after the country's first all-embracing election. That South Africa's deputy president, Thabo Mbeki, should have travelled to London for this match is one indication of the sig- nificance of cricket, both negatively and positively, in the country's recent history. But for apartheid, the 11th Test here between the two countries would have been played 24 years ago in 1970 rather than starting this morning, as it will, before a full house and in fine weather. But for all that he and many others of like mind have done to break down apartheid within the game it- self, Dr Ali Bacher, chief executive of the United Board and cap- tain at Lord's 29 years ago, would not have been guest of honour last night at a dinner given by the Lord's Taverners and presided over by their 12th man, Prince Edward. In his speech, Dr Bacher, concentrating on the township cricket programme which will give South African cricket an increasingly broad base, drew a direct link between today's match and a message that he received from Mr Mbeki, then a senior ANC official, during the 'Gatting tour' to South Africa early in 1990. Much flowed from the subsequent deci- sion to abort that tour, which is one reason why, in the next five days, receipts may well exceed @2 million for the first time. The teams will hope to a large extent to divorce them- selves from sentiment, but they will be unable to separate them- selves from history, ancient or modern. On the walls of the two dressing-rooms, indeed, are four elegantly inscribed wooden boards containing the names and scores of all the players who have made Test centuries on the ground or taken five wickets in an innings and 10 in a match. The lists are longer in the visi- tors' room. Lord's, for understandable reasons, brings the best out of overseas players. That it should also too often see the home team playing below themselves is something of a mystery. One exceptional victory against India in 1990 apart - the match in which Graham Gooch scored his 333 - England have beaten only Sri Lanka at Lord's in 16 Cornhill Tests during the last decade, seven of which they have lost. Mike Atherton is more a cerebral captain than an emotional one but, recalling last month's close call against New Zealand and what it felt like to be part of the side beaten yet again at Lord's last season - only Verity's match in 1934 has gone England's way here against Australia this centu- ry - he needs somehow to kindle the St Crispin's Day spirit into his men. The South Africans, Proteas now, not Springboks, return to the scene of an enthralling game in 1965, the summer of Bar- low, Bland, Bacher and the Pollocks, with a less gifted team but one which knows that by the form book it should win. The Aus- tralian side which beat England 4-1 last season was genuinely held, both at home and away, in the winter. The 11 who play today are tough and resilient. Allan Donald is by achievement (63 wick- ets at 24 in 14 Tests, putting him fifth in the world ratings) and common consent the most likely bowling match-winner on either side. By contrast, England's side today contains only four of those who played here against Australia last June: Atherton, Gooch, Stewart and Hick. This is a potentially effective England side, with five strong batsmen including a new recruit in John Crawley who should, given patience, be on the threshold of a very successful Test career. They have, too, at last, a properly bal- anced attack: fast bowler (Gough); swing bowler (DeFreitas, now ranked ninth in the Coopers and Lybrand world list); a reliable third seamer (Fraser, who is ranked seventh); a leg-spinner (Salisbury) and an off-spinner (Hick). There will be two of the latter if Udal plays in place of Craig White. This would be the most aggressive 11 to play, since between them DeFreitas, Salis- bury, Gough and Udal should make serious runs, but Udal remains probable 12th man. They are well-matched sides, but it is England who will need to raise their game during the five days, despite a record against the counties so far - no wins in six matches but only one defeat in what virtually became a one-innings match against Kent - which confirms Kepler Wessels's team to be more workmanlike than scintillating. England have much the better record in games between the two countries at Lord's. They have won six of the previous 10 Tests stretching back to 1907, when the South African team contained no fewer than four wrist spinners - Schwarz, Vogler, Faulkner and White. "Such was the success of the slow bowling," wrote Sydney Pardon in the 1908 Wisden, "that Kotze and Sinclair, who in the tour of 1904 took between them over 200 wickets, had comparatively little to do." So radically has the game changed that there will, barring any unexpected decision to include the off-spinner Pat Symcox (eight Test wickets at 47 to date), be four fast bowlers in South Africa's team today and not a single wrist spinner. This is where England, by judicious use of Ian Salisbury, who had such a promising first Test here two years ago, hope to find a weakness in their established batting. The draw is favourite, but it would not surprise me if England, for once, rise to the occasion at Lord's. (Thanks : The Daily Telegraph) Contributed by Vicky (VIGNESWA@*umass.edu)