***Official*** South Africa in India

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5 weeks (me + pratyush)

Excellent, dont mind Dhoni at all

Now if you'd have given me that prat Harbanobnoxious weed, I would not have been happy

Anyway, tooooooooo late

Now I just need to find out how to get it into my avatar

 

[biased indian]

The aging lineup is a worry because it simply looks as though the selectors are unwilling to phase people out (as Australia has done over the years) and it's likely to be a mass exodus.

Hope you saw the CB series !!!!

and its not that they all are going to go in 1 year i see all of the playing another 2-3 year, at least sachin and dravid

 

[Jono]

LOL @ that glittery ****.

 

[biased indian]

Excellent, dont mind Dhoni at all

Now if you'd have given me that prat Harbanobnoxious weed, I would not have been happy

Anyway, tooooooooo late

Now I just need to find out how to get it into my avatar

Bhajji and sree are out of fashion too many had them....

and was not in a good mood to create a good GIF

 

[honestbharani]

India's seam attack was largely impotent and Zaheer is rated purely on the basis of a couple of tests in seam friendly conditions - that's not enough to suddenly class him as test class

The aging lineup is a worry because it simply looks as though the selectors are unwilling to phase people out (as Australia has done over the years) and it's likely to be a mass exodus.

Fielding was absolutely woeful and well short of international standards. SA were in a different class for virtually the entire series.

I agree that Zaheer is not exactly a match winner but the thing is, he leads the attack well and can probably keep things in some kind of control. He wont spray the ball around, not as much as he used to and these guys do now and that itself can sometimes get wickets. Also, while he may not be able to run through sides like great fast bowlers, I do think he can get the 1 or 2 wickets up front that can make a difference like other good bowlers. I think it was Ian Bishop who remarked during the India-Pak series in India that Zaheer is now at a stage where, as a bowler, he seems to be able to work out the exact best way to bowl (like what line, what length) no matter how the pitch is... I do think he will make a difference, although I don't think he will be a match winner or anything...


Agree abt the fielding. The age thing is something we will have to wait and see. The youngsters are playing ODIs and T20s, so they are getting SOME international exposure. But I do have my doubts abt some of those young guys in TEST cricket. I think some other FC regulars will be better bets in test matches. But we just have to wait and see.

 

[silentstriker]

Do I get a discount because SA won most sessions and India had to produce a dodgy track to get themselves out of the crap?

Nah, they lost on the dodgy track in Ahemdabad. You can't complain when you win a toss and the other team has to bat last on a 'dodgy' track. So either you blew it, or the track wasn't dodgy. And to SA's credit, they didn't complain. Why should they? They did exceptionally well in the series. If you're going to say spinning conditions are dodgy, then we should discount the second test as well - that was a lot more abnormal wicket than this one for the subcontinent.

 

[harbajan]

Match Fixing

Am I the only one who watched the start of Day 3, and checked the results at the end of the day, and had a certain thought pop into my head?

Surely I can't be. Unless we all think the blight of matchfixing disappeared while we weren't looking.

I had been following South Africa's tour quite closely, watched them bat and bowl in the subcontinent many times in the last 3 or 4 months. And I have not seen them play like that, not even remotely.

Fielding was terrible, the batting can be summed up with Amla walking off, after facing less than 10 balls, and the bowling to get rid of the tailenders, completely and totally unbelievably poor.

Really, the slip catch that McKenzie missed, and Amla walking, are two things that really made me think, in retrospect. The fact that South Africa has not complained, well, if you were taking part in fixing a match... I would just want people to forget it, and move on, as quickly as possible!!!

 

[popepouri]

Am I the only one who watched the start of Day 3, and checked the results at the end of the day, and had a certain thought pop into my head?

Surely I can't be. Unless we all think the blight of matchfixing disappeared while we weren't looking.

I had been following South Africa's tour quite closely, watched them bat and bowl in the subcontinent many times in the last 3 or 4 months. And I have not seen them play like that, not even remotely.

Fielding was terrible, the batting can be summed up with Amla walking off, after facing less than 10 balls, and the bowling to get rid of the tailenders, completely and totally unbelievably poor.

Really, the slip catch that McKenzie missed, and Amla walking, are two things that really made me think, in retrospect. The fact that South Africa has not complained, well, if you were taking part in fixing a match... I would just want people to forget it, and move on, as quickly as possible!!!

I think we can add being bowled out for 76 then. I think match fixing has come and gone.

 

[silentstriker]

No. This was not the type of pitch they had previously encountered in India. Never attribute to malevolence what is simply due to incompetence.

 

[harbajan]

No. This was not the type of pitch they had previously encountered in India. Never attribute to malevolence what is simply due to incompetence.

Which does nothing to explain terrible fielding, or inconsistent bowling to tailenders, playing flat from the very start of a day.

Listen, I am as reluctant to consider the possibility as anyone else.

 

[Prince EWS]

I hate this kind of crap. The way a team played should never be the basis for match fixing suspicions unless it's ridiculous, which it wasn't. They played poorly in alien conditions - it happens. Credit to India.

 

[ret]

Which does nothing to explain terrible fielding, or inconsistent bowling to tailenders, playing flat from the very start of a day.

Listen, I am as reluctant to consider the possibility as anyone else.

Yeah dude, it was fixed .... and SA players would not want to create ill-feelings in IPL's dressing room so they were like rather than get bullied during IPL, let Ind level the series, at least we have not lost the series

 

[harbajan]

I hate this kind of crap. The way a team played should never be the basis for match fixing suspicions unless it's ridiculous, which it wasn't. They played poorly in alien conditions - it happens. Credit to India.

I know, no one wants to have to even consider this kind of BS.

But have we forgotten about Woolmer's murder so soon? Oh sorry, he choked on a piece of pie, had a heart attack...

There was also a plumb LBW that would have seen India's first innings end, with their lead still about 35. Not given.

My main idea here is that South Africa was playing FLAT, not poorly, but totally flat. No energy, no self-respect, no gusto, the exact opposite of every other session I have watched in the last 4 months.

And all of this, at the beginning of their most critical day of play! They somehow couldn't get fired up for it! Unbelievable, playing for 2nd place Ranking, in the world, and they couldn't muster 50% of their usual energy.

 

[silentstriker]

I know, no one wants to have to even consider this kind of BS.

But have we forgotten about Woolmer's murder so soon? Oh sorry, he choked on a piece of pie, had a heart attack...

There was also a plumb LBW that would have seen India's first innings end, with their lead still about 35. Not given.

My main idea here is that South Africa was playing FLAT, not poorly, but totally flat. No energy, no self-respect, no gusto, the exact opposite of every other session I have watched in the last 4 months.

And all of this, at the beginning of their most critical day of play! They somehow couldn't get fired up for it! Unbelievable, playing for 2nd place Ranking, in the world, and they couldn't muster 50% of their usual energy.

So that would mean all 11 of them were in on it?

 

[harbajan]

So that would mean all 11 of them were in on it?

I just want to know if we watched the same game.

So for you, South Africa looked and played like the normal South Africa?

 

[silentstriker]

I just want to know if we watched the same game.

So for you, South Africa looked and played like the normal South Africa?

Believe it or not, cricketers and cricket teams can have bad days. Otherwise, India's 76 was match fixing too. Oh, and every crap shot played by Tendulkar is match fixing. And McGrath couldn't possibly bowl a wide delivery, that must be match fixing too. Kallis bowled through his defenses? Impossible. Match fixing.

And all the above situations above are far more likely than all eleven players in a side being in on a match fixing scandal.

 

[harbajan]

Believe it or not, cricketers and cricket teams can have bad days. Otherwise, India's 76 was match fixing too. Oh, and every crap shot played by Tendulkar is match fixing. And McGrath couldn't possibly bowl a wide delivery, that must be match fixing too. Kallis bowled through his defenses? Impossible. Match fixing.

And all the above situations above are far more likely than all eleven players in a side being in on a match fixing scandal.

Look, I didn't see India get bowled out for 76, so I can't comment on that. If you thought that was match fixing, tell me more.

Bad day is one thing, everything going wrong, including the umpire's decisions, puts it into "Potential Match Fixing" territory.

Maybe i should pose it this way: Have you seen a better potential example of Match fixing in your life? I for one remember Ireland beating Pakistan, but other than that...

 

[silentstriker]

Look, I didn't see India get bowled out for 76, so I can't comment on that. If you thought that was match fixing, tell me more.

Bad day is one thing, everything going wrong, including the umpire's decisions, puts it into "Potential Match Fixing" territory.

So wait, 11 south africans and the umpires were in on it?

 

[harbajan]

So wait, 11 south africans and the umpires were in on it?

Hell, the Indians would have known as well, right?

Everyone on the field is a "suspect", that is how investigations generally go, you know. Innocent until proven guilty.

Except in your case, where people are above suspicion, because they have attained International Cricketer status! They are veritable Gods, how could they possibly be tempted in the same fashion as mere mortals.

More players involved only means one thing, it would cost more.

 

[DaRick]

Hope you saw the CB series !!!!
and its not that they all are going to go in 1 year i see all of the playing another 2-3 year, at least sachin and dravid

If you're trying, like Ian Healy has, to suggest that Rohit Sharma, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh (!) and co. are ready replacements for proven batsmen like Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Sachin Tendulkar and even Sourav Ganguly, then I will laugh at you. They may be good replacements eventually, but they're not "ready to go", as Healy put it.

If not, then what did you mean?