*Official* - Road to India in South Africa - 2010-11

[SeamUp]

Hi Gaz, been posting Dean's stats on other forums.

I thonk you know the new one.

Can't wait for India to get here. The easiest series of all time.

I don't really like the new forum, its restricted in access as well...always good to get some new points of view.

But I haven't been on here for a while because its been football season.

I'm so glad Deans producing the goods at the moment. It might me too late for a WC call-up but who knows...he may play as an all-rounder.

Definitely in the shake-up for a test call-up to partner Smithy. Just depends on how Alviro does and if he can deal with test cricket.

Just watch some old footage....Alviro is very much like Andrew Hudson...they look so elegant and they get a start and then somehow get themselves out. If they get past the 30's then just watch out.

 

[SeamUp]

This guy sounds really exciting, have you seen him bowl at all? If so what further can you tell us about him, he doesn't have a description up on Cricinfo.

I haven't seen him yet, mate. But I have heard good things.

There was a recent fight for his services. His current team the Lions and their coach were so furious that he left and they held him in high regard.

He has left for the Dolphins in Durban where there is going to be a twin wrist-spin pair...himself and Imran Tahir...so he will get a few tips.

He also went to the recent Kumble spin-bowling cam and by all accounts impressed greatly.

He had a good breakthrough year last year so I'm hoping it continues.

 

[SeamUp]

Just another meaningless one day international

Love it Taips.

I see you're getting yourself quite settled over here already.

Do you reckon it will be 2 or 3 nil to the Green & Gold????

For once we won't be going into a major series cold as well. We have Zimbo then Pakistan in Dubai and then India.

 

[Cricket_God]

Exactly great fast bowlers are great on any tracks which is why I don't rate Sharma. He has been burnt out with ODI's and TT's.

Not so sure about your last comment.

Bro,
He does not play t20s and odis,also his greatest achievement is not the wickets in australia but MOS in India against australia in 2008 on flat decks,You talk about steyn His stats in india are good in tests won,but he was as ineffective in chennai,kanpur in 2008 and same in kolkatta in 2010 ,Its very hard to maintain consistency on such tracks.

 

[Cricket_God]

Sree cannot stay fit. Sharma has gone far backwards since he was in Aus. And anyway none of those 3 match up to Steyn or Morkel and maybe even Parnell.

Or you lost because the SA bowlers were too good.

we will see who is better at the end of the series .

 

[Cricket_God]

lol... if they can take 20 South African wickets on those Highways in India... I'm sure it won't be such a big deal taking 20 wickets in South Africa.


Steyn and Morkel higher than Donald and Pollock...... I'd think the latter is better attack.

I would take donald,Pollock anyday over steyn,morkel in southafrica,You cannot judge morkel against westindies.he is too inconsistant still.

 

[SeamUp]

I would take donald,Pollock anyday over steyn,morkel in southafrica,You cannot judge morkel against westindies.he is too inconsistant still.

Mate, you obviously didn't see him against England then. Obviously England, Australia and ourselves play quick bowling on bouncy, fast wickets as well as any and if England struggled with him...no disrespects to India who has a great batting line-up but I can't see them handling it.

One advantage of Mickey leaving (great coach) is that we now have a top ex-bowler in Corrie Van Zyl as our coach and its starting to show in Morne's improvements and consistency if you like.

Most seem to forget we have that man Jacques Kallis who loves to bowl to sub-continent batsman on our tracks as well.

Parnell is raw but he brings that variety in left-arm to our attack. He is young and I don't care if he goes for 5 an over but one thing he has to counteract that and that is...he is a wicket-taker.

 

[honestbharani]

Mate, you obviously didn't see him against England then. Obviously England, Australia and ourselves play quick bowling on bouncy, fast wickets as well as any and if England struggled with him...no disrespects to India who has a great batting line-up but I can't see them handling it.

One advantage of Mickey leaving (great coach) is that we now have a top ex-bowler in Corrie Van Zyl as our coach and its starting to show in Morne's improvements and consistency if you like.

Most seem to forget we have that man Jacques Kallis who loves to bowl to sub-continent batsman on our tracks as well.

Parnell is raw but he brings that variety in left-arm to our attack. He is young and I don't care if he goes for 5 an over but one thing he has to counteract that and that is...he is a wicket-taker.

Since when are English wickets hard and bouncy??????

 

[vcs]

Mate, you obviously didn't see him against England then. Obviously England, Australia and ourselves play quick bowling on bouncy, fast wickets as well as any and if England struggled with him...no disrespects to India who has a great batting line-up but I can't see them handling it.

One advantage of Mickey leaving (great coach) is that we now have a top ex-bowler in Corrie Van Zyl as our coach and its starting to show in Morne's improvements and consistency if you like.

Most seem to forget we have that man Jacques Kallis who loves to bowl to sub-continent batsman on our tracks as well.

Parnell is raw but he brings that variety in left-arm to our attack. He is young and I don't care if he goes for 5 an over but one thing he has to counteract that and that is...he is a wicket-taker.

Indian batsmen have historically struggled in SA, but I don't see why English batsmen are so much better than Indians against pace and bounce. England's wickets aren't quick and bouncy, it's mainly the overhead conditions which produce a lot of lateral movement. England have usually batted very poorly in Australia compared to India, atleast over the last decade or so.

I'm not expecting any miracles from Gary Kirsten (he's not going to magically turn our younger generation of batsmen into great pullers and hookers, for example), but if he gives our experienced players like Sehwag, Dravid, Tendulkar and Laxman the right inputs from his vast experience, I have no doubt they can incorporate that and do well on those tracks.

 

[SeamUp]

Since when are English wickets hard and bouncy??????

Well there is The Oval and Old Trafford...so its not like they are totally foreign to harder wickets that can extract bounce just like our wickets and out in Oz.

But probably the main reason why English batsman can deal with SA conditions better is due to the lateral movement.

But also not many of the Indians can play short pitch bowling as well Cook, Strauss, Trott (Capetonian), KP (Durbanite) and Collingwood.

I'm a big fan of the Indian batting line-up in particular but Gambhir and Sehwag are key for you boys to me and they don't really have success in either SA or against quality quicks on sporty pitches.

Sachin is Sachin...world class and I'm sure he will have a good series.

But even though Dravid and Laxman ahave been top players I can't see them improving on their past records. VVS has the best record of the lot but I can't see him improving on that.

Then theres the 6th batsman issue...Yuvraj??? Raina???

 

[Jono]

One feels the outcome of this series will depend on who gets on top of this battle:

vs.

 

[vcs]

So basically we need to start importing S. African batsmen like England.

BTW, I read someone saying in the Ashes leadup thread that Trott does not have too many scoring options against the short ball and will be found out if you keep bowling short of a length to him on Australian wickets. Don't know how much truth there is to that.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Since when are English wickets hard and bouncy??????

Seen Flintoff, Harmison, Broad bowl on English wickets? They certainly have a lot more bounce than Indian wickets, although it can tend to be a bit spongy, tennis-ball bounce.

 

[taipan1]

Bro,
He does not play t20s and odis,also his greatest achievement is not the wickets in australia but MOS in India against australia in 2008 on flat decks,.

So the 45 ODI's and 11 TT's on his player page are incorrect.

 

[taipan1]

I don't really like the new forum, its restricted in access as well...always good to get some new points of view.

I haven't had an access problem there.

 

[SeamUp]

So basically we need to start importing S. African batsmen like England.

BTW, I read someone saying in the Ashes leadup thread that Trott does not have too many scoring options against the short ball and will be found out if you keep bowling short of a length to him on Australian wickets. Don't know how much truth there is to that.

You're right mate...but the again Trott doesn't get out to the short ball. He can nudge his singles and 2's and the odd boundary comes in. As we all know...test cricket is a game of patience and Trott knows how to play that game. If he survives that, he will get plenty of balls in his favoured scoring zones.

For instance look at Amla...he was never good against the short ball but adapted his game to not get out to it by ducking and weaving and has gradually improved his game there but thats due to his commitment and being able to play on SA pitches consistently at our domestic level.

On the other hand we have a JP Duminy who keeps getting out to the short-ball and thats the problem with many of the Indian batsman.

Sometimes its not even the short ball that can get the Indian batsman out...as we have a fair amount of lateral movement...pitching the ball up after a few short one's often get rewards as well.

 

[vcs]

You're right mate...but the again Trott doesn't get out to the short ball. He can nudge his singles and 2's and the odd boundary comes in. As we all know...test cricket is a game of patience and Trott knows how to play that game. If he survives that, he will get plenty of balls in his favoured scoring zones.

For instance look at Amla...he was never good against the short ball but adapted his game to not get out to it by ducking and weaving and has gradually improved his game there but thats due to his commitment and being able to play on SA pitches consistently at our domestic level.

On the other hand we have a JP Duminy who keeps getting out to the short-ball and thats the problem with many of the Indian batsman.

Sometimes its not even the short ball that can get the Indian batsman out...as we have a fair amount of lateral movement...pitching the ball up after a few short one's often get rewards as well.

Yeah, all that's true. It's the uncertain prods outside off-stump following a couple of short balls that often gets our batsmen out (hello Yuvraj, Gambhir, Raina!).

Having said that, it's mostly a mental thing. Ganguly always had dodgy technique against the short ball but scored a great century on a bouncy Brisbane track against Lee/Gillespie and did OK last time we toured SA.

 

[honestbharani]

Seen Flintoff, Harmison, Broad bowl on English wickets? They certainly have a lot more bounce than Indian wickets, although it can tend to be a bit spongy, tennis-ball bounce.

didn't I mention hard and bouncy in the same sentence?

 

[SeamUp]

I haven't had an access problem there.

Sometimes I was sticking there.

But thats not what I meant. There aren't many cricketing brains there besides yourself and Dennis and since the movement from SuperSport its not like any new members will know about SuperSupporter. Always good to get some new opinions but us 3 wouldn't get any new members there really.

 

[SeamUp]

didn't I mention hard and bouncy in the same sentence?

Well The Oval and Old Trafford are as hard as highways and get good bounce and carry.

All he said was that the bounce is different to what you get in SA and AUS.

In England its more tannis ball bounce. Probably the closest pitch to that in SA is at Port Elizabeth.

In SA and AUS...the bounce is more skiddy off the surface and hence quicker because it doesn't bounce as steep off the pitch.