***Official*** South Africa in India

[DaRick]

Why is it that, despite the flat pitch, flat fielding and weather that makes you flat, I'm struggling with the temptation of yelling "I was right about RP Singh, wasn't I?"

However, he'll probably take a few wickets and then be announced as a fine fast bowler who is easily India's best, despite my reservations where he's concerned.

Reading the text commentary on Cricinfo BTW. Clearly the Indian test team's fielding isn't quite in sync with that of their one-day team.

As for Jaffer, doesn't he have a technical flaw outside offstump (to outswingers, obviously) that can be exploited by a decent attack? Then again, I guess, we are not playing in Australia.

 

[Protean]

150 up for Amla, hope he pushes on and makes a double, he deserves it, batted beautifully.

 

[duffer]

Congrats to Hashim, he's looked superb out there.

India on the other hand have been terrible. All the intensity that we saw against Australia is gone. No spark, no inspiration. Zaheer can't come back soon enough. We're looking terrible right now.

 

[Raghav]

Good Innings from Hashim. Indians feeling the heat. Predict SAF will score 620+ and declare

 

[Manee]

Amla run out - how ironic after India's comical fielding.

 

[Protean]

Oh my word that was stupid. Poor Amla. Great effort anyway.

 

[duffer]

Caught a break, now can we polish the last few off please?

 

[Manee]

And I can't understand, why can't Indian curators prepare seamer-friendly pitches? The Indian seamers desperately need helpful pitches to be of any use, while the batsmen, especially in this match, man to man, are capable of scoring even when the pitches help the seamers. This flat pitch is doing more damage than good to the Indian team.

I think that there are three reasons for the pitch:
1. The curators did not have much time to prepare the pitch due to a recent(ish) Ranji fixture and heavy rain since then.
2. When India attempt seamer friendly wickets in domestic cricket, both teams are skittled out with average medium pacers raining supreme. Dale Steyn on such a track could be unstoppable.
3. India still think that Harbhajan and Kumble can bowl entire teams out on flat pitches.

 

[duffer]

I know we finished the Australia tour strongly, but having Zaheer with the new ball is so much more reassuring if you're an India fan. Even if we do bat well and get back into this we're going to struggle taking another 10 wickets the next time around.

South Africa's game to lose from here.

 

[Arjun]

1. The curators did not have much time to prepare the pitch due to a recent(ish) Ranji fixture and heavy rain since then.

Possible. Maybe a more seaming wicket for that match would help- besides, that was a limited-overs match.

2. When India attempt seamer friendly wickets in domestic cricket, both teams are skittled out with average medium pacers raining supreme. Dale Steyn on such a track could be unstoppable.

This Indian team, as I have said, has Tendulkar, Dravid, Ganguly, Laxman and Sehwag. Hardly that kind of team you're imagining. They'd handle Dale Steyn decently. On the other hand, that Smith-and Kallis-dependent South African team would struggle against Sreesanth, Singh and Irfan.

3. India still think that Harbhajan and Kumble can bowl entire teams out on flat pitches.

They've been proven wrong more than a few times, particularly by a weak Pakistan team.

having Zaheer with the new ball is so much more reassuring if you're an India fan.

No please! Zaheer himself has been found wanting more times than all the current Indian seamers put together. Despite having played so much, he's done little of note, bar that England series. The team would be burdened with another weak link on the field. Not quite what you want to skittle teams out.

The Indian team would be served better with Ganguly playing as a stock seamer or Sehwag as a support spinner.

 

[DaRick]

Well done to Hashim Amla. By the account of Cricinfo's commentary team, his 159 was su-poib, utterly flawless. Now its tea and SA are 6/501. I s'pose they'll declare soon. Given that the pitch is as flat as last century's beer, along with the continuing inspidity of the Indian bowlers and fielding, one suspects that 550 or 600 would be a nice round total - provided that they get that far. If they could get to 600, it could provide a real psychological advantage. Then again, so could a clever declaration half and hour before the close of play (shouldn't lose from there unless SA does an England ) . Has anyone got any other thoughts?

The Indian team would be served better with Ganguly playing as a stock seamer or Sehwag as a support spinner.

Sehwag is understandable (he's accurate and has a nice action), but Ganguly? I know he can seam the odd ball, but isn't he just a little erratic and lacking in the fitness department (if this is the Ganguly I know)? He is also a part-timer - not that I'm averse to using them, but I suspect that he's more of a partnership breaker than anything else, as his Test bowling average (50+) and number of wickets indicates.

EDIT: I agree that Zaheer Khan was terribly mediocre before 2006/07 and that his purple patch isn't all that purple, but he'd still be a better bet as a seamer than Ganguly.

 

[duffer]

Has anyone got any other thoughts?

Time for Dravid to put up a big score. If he can't do it on this deck I'm not sure when he will again.

 

[DaRick]

Time for Dravid to put up a big score. If he can't do it on this deck I'm not sure when he will again.

Yeah, this is a good opportunity for 'im. Not the best opportunity, but a good one nonetheless.

 

[Manee]

ITSTL how badly RP Singh has bowled. With this being a quite important series in terms of the rankings, RP Singh may be (prematurely, if I say so myself) dropped in favour of Irfan Pathan. However, Irfan Pathan is hardly spectacular on flat pitches either - with his poor home record and poor performance for India A in Africa. India should have to look to those who have succeeded at domestic level on flat pitches, bowling many overs in an innings - Pankaj Singh or VRV Singh are two examples.

 

[duffer]

How's Munaf fitness wise? VRV looked a bit of a donkey when I saw him bowl in South Africa, would prefer Munaf over him by a distance.

 

[Manee]

How's Munaf fitness wise? VRV looked a bit of a donkey when I saw him bowl in South Africa, would prefer Munaf over him by a distance.

Your guess is as good as mine with his fitness. He is 'officially' fit though, having played and bowled with good figures in the Deodhar Trophy. I would like him to play, he is a good bowler to watch when he is on song and he is a wicket taker.

 

[Protean]

Boucher gone! Close to the end now I'd imagine.

 

[DaRick]

ITSTL how badly RP Singh has bowled. With this being a quite important series in terms of the rankings, RP Singh may be (prematurely, if I say so myself) dropped in favour of Irfan Pathan. However, Irfan Pathan is hardly spectacular on flat pitches either - with his poor home record and poor performance for India A in Africa. India should have to look to those who have succeeded at domestic level on flat pitches, bowling many overs in an innings - Pankaj Singh or VRV Singh are two examples.

In all fairness, he is usually expensive. I tend to think of him as a left-arm equivalent of James Anderson, FWIW (in terms of economy rate, swing, inaccuracy, back and full length, lack of answers when ball isn't swinging, hype etc.). That may be a little simplistic though. Pathan, while not having much other than his swing, isn't quite as bad under the same conditions as RP Singh, because he often goes for less (I'm not saying we should draft him in, though). Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[duffer]

Boucher finally gone. Really need to clean them up soon if we're harbouring any thoughts of a win.

 

[Manee]

In all fairness, he is usually expensive. I tend to think of him as a left-arm equivalent of James Anderson, FWIW (in terms of economy rate, swing, inaccuracy, back and full length, lack of answers when ball isn't swinging, hype etc.). That may be a little simplistic though.

I, myself actually said that earlier in this thread. But watching him bowl, he has bowled with less consistency than usually. Usually, he leaks his runs through full balls he is trying to get to swing, but in this game, it has been full balls, short balls, very short balls and wide balls. The pace has also been down for him, bowling for a period in the 125kph region due to fatigue.

Pathan, while not having much other than his swing, isn't quite as bad under the same conditions as RP Singh, because he often goes for less (I'm not saying we should draft him in, though). Correct me if I'm wrong.

Pathan, especially with his new action, is an accurate bowler, but I feel that accuracy alone can not work on a pitch that is this ridiculously flat (as I am presuming the next two pitches will be). Furthermore, when Pathan bowls anything shorter than a good length, it sits up and will be cannon fodder for a cut, pull or backfoot drive.