*Official* South Africa in India

[L Trumper]

There is marriage of minds here.

Not really. They had to play well on both spin and fast pitches. I never said otherwise. My only problem is with the pitches which may not long for 5 days. As i said before kanpur pitch on 4th day would've been unfit by the looks of how it behaved on 3rd day. But to their credit indians completed the job by 3rd day which more or less resembled 5th day crumbling mine field.

 

[Sir Alex]

Not really. They had to play well on both spin and fast pitches. I never said otherwise. My only problem is with the pitches which may not long for 5 days. As i said before kanpur pitch on 4th day would've been unfit by the looks of how it behaved on 3rd day. But to their credit indians completed the job by 3rd day which more or less resembled 5th day crumbling mine field.

Sorry sir but you are hypothesising there frankly... almost all traditional Indian pitches behave as if it is sitting on a hibernating-about-to-wake-up-monster but generally apart from a slight increase in the variable bounce they remain the same on Day 4 and 5 as they are on Day 3.

 

[L Trumper]

Sorry sir but you are hypothesising there frankly... almost all traditional Indian pitches behave as if it is sitting on a hibernating-about-to-wake-up-monster but generally apart from a slight increase in the variable bounce they remain the same on Day 4 and 5 as they are on Day 3.

I don't think match referee would have file a complaint if he think that pitch as same as other pitches in india. There is a reasonable amount of doubt.
India outplayed SA and won in 3days and it was a tremendous result. I am not saying they are benefited. Both teams played on the same pitch.

Edit: They may have benefited but thats not my point.

 

[Sir Alex]

I don't think match referee would have file a complaint if he think that pitch as same as other pitches in india. There is a reasonable amount of doubt.
India outplayed SA and won in 3days and it was a tremendous result. I am not saying they are benefited. Both teams played on the same pitch.

Edit: They may have benefited but thats not my point.

Lol, please don't tell me about the "efficiency" of our match referees, that's for another thread altogether.

 

[L Trumper]

Lol, please don't tell me about the "efficiency" of our match referees, that's for another thread altogether.

Okay fine.

My view is that

1. Indians were deserved winners.
2. Complaint should have filed if opposition team think its unfit not just referee.
3. I am not sure whether it can be test pitch by day 4 and 5.
4. To their credit indians finished the match by day 3, by that time pitch didn't have the demons that makes it unfit.

We are disagreeing on 3 rd point which never happened. (i.e day 4 and 5) ; So no point in discussing further.

 

[Furball]

As long as you don't get a deck like Mumbai 04, I don't see what possible criticism there is if you get a deck which takes spin in India.

It's called local conditions. When the Indian boys rolled up in New Zealand in 2002 and got ridiculous pitches, no-one questioned it then. Instead, the Indian batsmen's technique was called into question.

The same should apply if the pitch in Kolkatta is a turner and South Africa fold cheaply.

 

[Black_Warrior]

And this is relevant to the thread? I am glad India's bowlers don't pump their arses with steroids and bite the ball pretending to smell it. Nor do Indian bowlers have to use bottle caps like the great Imran Khan to tamper the ball. Oh I forgot - they aren't filthy match fixers like your Wasim Akram either.There are probably many LeT and Al Qaeda websites waiting for you....

Wow just wow :

This is not the first time you have stooped so low. You know this forum is usually a very good place for reasonable people to exchange their views..Its rubbish like these that pollute it at times!

 

[L Trumper]

As long as you don't get a deck like Mumbai 04, I don't see what possible criticism there is if you get a deck which takes spin in India.

It's called local conditions. When the Indian boys rolled up in New Zealand in 2002 and got ridiculous pitches, no-one questioned it then. Instead, the Indian batsmen's technique was called into question.

The same should apply if the pitch in Kolkatta is a turner and South Africa fold cheaply.

Hamilton pitch for second test was criticized for being too bowler friendly. Its not just mumbai 04 or kanpur 08, sabina 98 and perth 95/96 had to dealt with lot of flack too.

According to wisden pitch used for first test in basin reserve in that nz series "changed from green to brown during the game, yet never lost its spongy quality and offered seam movement and bounce throughout. The batsmen needed to graft rather than glitter but, with the exception of Dravid and Tendulkar, India did neither". Sounds about right for me.

 

[James]

And this is relevant to the thread? I am glad India's bowlers don't pump their arses with steroids and bite the ball pretending to smell it. Nor do Indian bowlers have to use bottle caps like the great Imran Khan to tamper the ball. Oh I forgot - they aren't filthy match fixers like your Wasim Akram either.There are probably many LeT and Al Qaeda websites waiting for you....

That sort of behaviour won't be tolerated on these forums.

7 day ban.

 

[Shri]

Hamilton pitch for second test was criticized for being too bowler friendly. Its not just mumbai 04 or kanpur 08, sabina 98 and perth 95/96 had to dealt with lot of flack too.

According to wisden pitch used for first test in basin reserve in that nz series "changed from green to brown during the game, yet never lost its spongy quality and offered seam movement and bounce throughout. The batsmen needed to graft rather than glitter but, with the exception of Dravid and Tendulkar, India did neither". Sounds about right for me.

Haha. Aright, can you tell me the difference between a pitch that is 'too bowler friendly' and an 'unfit' test pitch?

 

[social]

So consistently being better than another team on a specific type of wicket = cowards way out. I don't want any ball bouncing above knee height next time India tour SA. Obviously cowards way out for a pitch to help Morkel that much.

Very few things in cricket truly make my blood boil. The first being 'good pitch' being a synonym for a airport runway, and second, that fast bowling paradises test your manhood and spin bowling paradises are the cowards way out.

Learn2PlaySpin. Put as many * as you want.

Given that SA knocked up 5/550 last time out, India better prey that SA dont learn how to play spin

Anyway, judging by recent performances, India needs to Learn2Bowl rather than relying on a dustbowl or the toss of a coin

As I said earlier, that attitude is pathetic and actually devalues the team's achievements

 

[Xuhaib]

for a while I thought I was on ICF.

 

[honestbharani]

for a while I thought I was on ICF.

nah.. social's posts alone should have suggested you otherwise..

 

[silentstriker]

Given that SA knocked up 5/550 last time out, India better prey that SA dont learn how to play spin

I'd be fine with losing on a dustbowl - if India play to their strengths and lose, that's fair enough - that's simply losing to a superior opponent. I've no problems with that.

Anyway, judging by recent performances, India needs to Learn2Bowl rather than relying on a dustbowl or the toss of a coin

You know, the last "dustbowl", India won by 8 wickets despite losing the coin toss...

Unless someone switches out the pitch in between innings, why is it a different situation if one team is better at dustbowls compared to if one team is better at playing seaming wickets? What's with the double standard?

 

[Furball]

Haha. Aright, can you tell me the difference between a pitch that is 'too bowler friendly' and an 'unfit' test pitch?

The way I've interpreted the ICC rulings, a "bowler friendly" pitch offers good assistance to seam bowlers, an "unfit" pitch is one which aids spin bowling.

 

[ret]

I read somewhere that the curator at Kol has left grass on the pitch so SA would be more happy than Ind. But I expect Ind to put up a better show.

It's been a good journey for India to become #1 in tests. It all started in the 2000s with players like Ganguly, Srinath and Kumble playing a big role in shaping the Indian team. Players like Tendulkar and Dravid deserve to be part of #1 team. The biggest positive has been Sehwag development as an opener. After the retirement of Gavaskar, there was a big hole at the top order and Sehwag has done a terrific job. With the arival and success of Gambhir, the Indian opening pair is rated by many as the best in the world. That's been a huge factor

As for the areas we need to improve up on, may be we could do well with some better bowlers and a good all-rounder. But I wouldn't forget that the bowling attack has played its part too in making Ind #1 and helping Ind do well overseas be it Balaji in Pak, Agarkar in Aus, Ishant and Pathan in Aus, Sree at Jo'berg, Zak in Eng. It's good to see these bowlers step it up out of nowhere. Even the series that made Ind #1, it was our pacers that gave Ind the victory by bowling match winning spells when the game looked like heading for a draw

Very few teams are perfect and Ind is definately not one of them but it's good to see Ind doing so well over the last decade despite its short coming. Doing well despite the odds is what Ind's strength is. Whether its winning the ODI WC in 1983, The T20 WC in 2007 or becoming #1 in tests in 2009. The odds were against Ind and it some how managed to beat them.

It's the first team in the world to be ODI WC champ, T20 WC champ and #1 ranked test team!

 

[Jono]

Seriously not worth posting in here anymore.

 

[Uppercut]

Moving on, I backed South Africa for the series at 11/4 a week ago. India are 15/8 to win this one. Hedge or don't hedge?

 

[silentstriker]

Don't. SA have a good chance of at least drawing.

The game is so awesomely poised - India's first defense of their #1 ranking at arguably the very site that their ascendancy first began nine years ago.

Perfect setup. Let's get going!

 

[Uppercut]

I'll be astonished if the match is a draw tbh.