*Official* India in South Africa

[Uppercut]

Bet365 reckon the expected Indian total is 240.5. So South Africa would need about 310 to win.

They do have South Africa as ultra-thin favourites though so they're backing it to happen.

 

[Manee]

Sign of a beautifully poised match .

Have to say, I fancy South Africa. They're a second-innings team and if anything resembling a partnership gets going Sree and Ishant could prove a serious liability. Harris, Kallis and Tsotsobe combined went at under 2.5 an over this evening- Sree and Ishant just won't do that and I think that could be the difference between the teams.

Sree and Ishant are key. We bowled SA out cheaply with two Test standard bowlers and two part time quality bowlers - that will not happen again in this match - they need to up their game. I sincerely hope tomorrow morning is spent vigorously on working out the no ball problem - but the problem with their performance today stretches far more deeply than no balls.

 

[Uppercut]

In some ways, this is worse than the Centurion game. It's the hope that kills you. And the terrible wait for the next day's play to start. Can't stand the suspense.

Do you understand why we all like these pitches better now?

 

[Manee]

Bet365 reckon the expected Indian total is 240.5. So South Africa would need about 310 to win.

They do have South Africa as ultra-thin favourites though so they're backing it to happen.

India getting 240 and SA needing 310 would be about as evenly poised as you could expect.

 

[vcs]

Do you understand why we all like these pitches better now?

Well, so do I, except I love the pitches on the subcontinent equally (by and large), think they get a lot of unfair criticism and generalizations, when they mostly produce awesome Test cricket.

 

[Turbinator]

Cricinfo headlines to come

3rd day

1st session: Laxman and Pujara steady the ship
Lunch: Laxman-Pujara partnership provides headaches for South Africa
2nd session: Laxman's century drives India forward
Tea: Dhoni blitz puts India in a commanding position
3rd session: Harris five-fer sparks Indian collapse
Stumps: Advantage India

4th day

1st session: Zaheer grabs Smith once again
Lunch: Amla leads steady reply for South Africa
2nd session: Sreesanth hattrick lifts India
Tea: India on verge of victory
3rd session: Prince's century defies India's chances
Stumps: Ishant's remarkable 5-fer puts India back in the game

5th day

1st session: India finish off South Africa in great style
Post match: India truly the number 1 team in the world

 

[Manee]

Cricinfo headlines to come

3rd day

1st session: Laxman and Pujara steady the ship
Lunch: Laxman-Pujara partnership provides headaches for South Africa
2nd session: Laxman's century drives India forward
Tea: Dhoni blitz puts India in a commanding position
3rd session: Harris five-fer sparks Indian collapse
Stumps: Advantage India

4th day

1st session: Zaheer grabs Smith once again
Lunch: Amla leads steady reply for South Africa
2nd session: Sreesanth hattrick lifts India
Tea: India on verge of victory
3rd session: Prince's century defies India's chances
Stumps: Ishant's remarkable 5-fer puts India back in the game

5th day

1st session: India finish off South Africa in great style
Post match: India truly the number 1 team in the world

Haha, fantastic.

 

[Bun]

Jus thinking had this been an Indian pitch, what the responses would've been

 

[kingkallis]

lol

Everything looks fine but Sreesanth grabbing a hat-trick? haha!

 

[LJMJ]

Would feel confident with a lead of 250. This is a pitch where you're never in and with Zaheer back, I trust India's bowling enough to give them them a solid 65-35 advantage right now in this Test.

 

[Blaze 18]

Cricinfo headlines to come

3rd day

1st session: Laxman and Pujara steady the ship
Lunch: Laxman-Pujara partnership provides headaches for South Africa
2nd session: Laxman's century drives India forward
Tea: Dhoni blitz puts India in a commanding position
3rd session: Harris five-fer sparks Indian collapse
Stumps: Advantage India

4th day

1st session: Zaheer grabs Smith once again
Lunch: Amla leads steady reply for South Africa
2nd session: Sreesanth hattrick lifts India
Tea: India on verge of victory
3rd session: Prince's century defies India's chances
Stumps: Ishant's remarkable 5-fer puts India back in the game

5th day

1st session: India finish off South Africa in great style
Post match: India truly the number 1 team in the world

 

[Blaze 18]

Would feel confident with a lead of 250. This is a pitch where you're never in and with Zaheer back, I trust India's bowling enough to give them them a solid 65-35 advantage right now in this Test.

I would say it is the bare minimum. Considering the ineffectiveness of Ishant Sharma and Sreesanth, their no-ball problems et al, I would say they need at least 300. It is highly unlikely that South Africa will collapse twice in a home test.

 

[LJMJ]

It is highly unlikely that South Africa will collapse twice in a home test.

Except failure to chase down 250 isn't a 'collapse'. You can bat fairly decently and still not score 250. This is India's game to lose as of right now.

 

[vcs]

Except failure to chase down 250 isn't a 'collapse'. You can bat fairly decently and still not score 250. This is India's game to lose as of right now.

250 is a long way off right now...

 

[Blaze 18]

Except failure to chase down 250 isn't a 'collapse'. You can bat fairly decently and still not score 250. This is India's game to lose as of right now.

Considering how good their batsmen have been against India in recent times, they would be very disappointed if they failed to chase down 250. Look, as an Indian fan I hope and pray that you are right, but it is just hard to see the South African batsmen screwing up against this attack. We are basically a one-man attack, and that one man is, apparently, not fully fit even.

 

[Dissector]

Good grief, is there a fitness worry over Zaheer? If he gets injured I don't think even 500 would be enough.

 

[vcs]

PEWS has been spot on with his predictions this series.. predicted Dravid to get out LBW in the first innings of the first match, predicted that Harbhajan's bowling was a positive for India... now we just need him to predict an India win somehow...

 

[Blaze 18]

Good grief, is there a fitness worry over Zaheer? If he gets injured I don't think even 500 would be enough.

Well, not a fitness worry as such, but Shastri said that Zaheer isn't a hundred percent fit.

 

[Manee]

Well, not a fitness worry as such, but Shastri said that Zaheer isn't a hundred percent fit.

I wouldn't doubt that - he was hardly going full tilt out there, not that he needs to.

 

[Prince EWS]

PEWS has been spot on with his predictions this series.. predicted Dravid to get out LBW in the first innings of the first match, predicted that Harbhajan's bowling was a positive for India... now we just need him to predict an India win somehow...

I also predicted Pujara to hit a ton in the first innings, to be fair. That didn't work out so well.