***Official*** India in South Africa

[Turbinator]

What a way to end, with a misfield, really represented Indian cricket right there.

 

[adharcric]

Avg of 33 does satisfy, looking at how both teams batted

Lowering your standards isn't exactly the best way to produce a good team. Learn from the Aussies, please.

 

[Beleg]

Nice, competitive series. Well played, both teams.

Lets see if Pakistani's can do better than India.

 

[Dravid]

Lowering your standards isn't exactly the best way to produce a good team. Learn from the Aussies, please.

We don't have anything else to expect.


And for the last time. If sachin does bad after looking like he found form, he should be reconsidered, but he should play in England atm. I'm not saying like omg he can never be dropped.

 

[jot1]

Matches were good. Series was good. Very entertaining. I think all you Indies are moaning for nothing. Your guys played well and hard and we've enjoyed having you here. I hope the Pakistani's can give us as much entertainment and enjoyment .

 

[Slow Love™]

Good win by SAF. Disappointing result from my perspective, but doom and gloom talk aside it pays to keep a realistic perspective as to what people's expectations were at the outset of this test series.

Either way, although it hasn't been magnificent cricket at all times, I've really enjoyed what I've seen of the contest.

 

[adharcric]

SS, take over instead of trolling. We know barely anyone else would have done better in these conditions (Apart from the third test)

Not really. I'm fairly confident Badrinath or Kaif may have done well. Tendulkar has done enough to stay in the team for now, but if he keeps batting like this he should be dropped. 33 is not the standard for batsmen who represent India. The pitches were not greentops either.

 

[marc71178]

One of those unfortunate ones where pressure might have mounted in Rauf's head, as a few fairly close ones where no shot was offered were called not out (correctly for the most part).

You say that they were correctly for the most part, so were there some which went in the batting side's favour then?

 

[adharcric]

Guys, you should end the Tendulkar discussion now. You've all made your points and virtually agreed on everything. Having too much fun now.

 

[marc71178]

Wait! I don't get this tbh, how can someone bowl a 7 ball over and the match refree doesn't do anything about it!

It happens quite often actually (as do 5 ball overs) - just one of those things.

I guess having 2 wickets already in the over can make counting difficult if concentration goes for just a moment.

 

[adharcric]

This has been a wonderful series. The standard of cricket has been ordinary but the contest has been exhilarating. Pakistan to win 2-1 IMO. Asif will destroy this lineup.

 

[silentstriker]

On the basis of this series alone, Benson and Rauf are not elite panel quality. But its possible that this was just a bad series for them. It happens with players, so it has to happen with umpires.

 

[Goughy]

I know its wrong to judge a Team on a session and a day, but this India bowling in this innings will do a lot to formulate my opinion of this 2007 team.

Its a defendable total, with a very impressive series victory on the line.

If they can bowl SA out I will be impressed and give them a great deal of well deserved praise, but if they lose this game and the series I see little to get excited about.

Its a game they can win, I want to see them pull their socks up and fight like crazy to make it happen.

I saw this 4th innings to be like the championship rounds of a heavyweight fight. The better team would show through and the tougher and stronger team would pervail.

I saw this game in the balance with SA needing a little over 200 and having to bat on a 5th day wicket with overcast conditions. Its a total good teams chase and good teams defend. It just depended on which team wanted to step up and take the accolades. Again, set up for the better team to win.

This result surely shows me that SA are the better team. Firmly putting themselves 4th in the world and asks questions about India. England and Australia have come to SA and walked away with good victories.

India must now look to beating England in England to bring themselves into the reckoning as one of the top teams in the world.

To continue with the boxing analogy, SA are like one of the good but not great fighters that promoters pit their boxers against to see how good they are. England and Aus passed the test and India failed.

Its upto Pakistan now to pit their wits against a tough but 2nd tier team.

If Pakistan win 2 or 3-0 in SA I think I would put them ahead of England at #2. However, if they draw or lose I think, despite the Ashes, England will firmly be in 2nd place.

 

[silentstriker]

This result surely shows me that SA are the better team. Firmly putting themselves 4th in the world and asks questions about India.

To be fair, when has India ever won outside subcontinent? That's the main thing, we don't even win matches, let alone series.

Do you know how many tests Kumble has won in 100+ matches outside of India? 11. And that includes Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

 

[adharcric]

On the basis of this series alone, Benson and Rauf are not elite panel quality. But its possible that this was just a bad series for them. It happens with players, so it has to happen with umpires.

Umpiring is far easier than batting or bowling - at any level I suppose. Benson was disappointing but Rauf was horrendous. He does not deserve to umpire in cricket that matters.

 

[adharcric]

Quite happy for Graeme Smith.

 

[Dravid]

Umpiring is far easier than batting or bowling - at any level I suppose. Benson was disappointing but Rauf was horrendous. He does not deserve to umpire in cricket that matters.

Agree. A few bad decsions can be understandble...but 20 odd...thats crazy


Pollock MOTS

 

[Slow Love™]

You say that they were correctly for the most part, so were there some which went in the batting side's favour then?

Can't remember whose dismissal I was discussing there, was it Tendulkar's where it was going down leg?

In terms of the ones where no shot was offered, "for the most part" was mainly to cover for the fact that one was pretty close, and people might have argued it. I personally thought they were correct decisions until the one that was given.

 

[silentstriker]

Umpiring is far easier than batting or bowling - at any level I suppose.

I don't know about that mate - look how hard it is to find even 10 top quality umpires.

 

[adharcric]

I'm actually surprisingly happy after this defeat. Perhaps I've learned how to handle India's defeat now ... later guys.