***Official*** India in South Africa 2017/18

[StephenZA]

Honestly, I am getting sick of the producing different types of pitches thing. Each venue just needs to have it's traditional characteristics and then play your opponent. The only thing to worry about is the competence of the curator's.

The 3 coastal venues will be better for our attack than too many shoot-outs on the highveld.

Agree 100%. We, the supporters, did not want the shoot outs; I can understand Faf`s unhappiness at the pitch at Centurion, but the rhetoric coming from him and the team management regarding wanting sporting wickets was not great. All he needed to ask for was a normal Wanderers and Centurion pitch. I understand the curators did not do their job well, but it was also quite clear they were trying to give Faf a very sporting wicket; which SA playing 5 bowlers does not need!.

I do think that the pitches against Aus will be better, more runs and turn a bit; tinges of green on the first day. I`m not sure if we will go 6/5 or 7/4 yet, so much is dependant on QDK`s form.

 

[harsh.ag]

Agree 100%. We, the supporters, did not want the shoot outs; I can understand Faf`s unhappiness at the pitch at Centurion, but the rhetoric coming from him and the team management regarding wanting sporting wickets was not great. All he needed to ask for was a normal Wanderers and Centurion pitch. I understand the curators did not do their job well, but it was also quite clear they were trying to give Faf a very sporting wicket; which SA playing 5 bowlers does not need!.

I do think that the pitches against Aus will be better, more runs and turn a bit; tinges of green on the first day. I`m not sure if we will go 6/5 or 7/4 yet, so much is dependant on QDK`s form.

It was in their hands to pick Bavuma over Ngidi though.

 

[Heboric]

It was in their hands to pick Bavuma over Ngidi though.

Bavuma was injured for third test

 

[harsh.ag]

Bavuma was injured for third test

Ah.

 

[StephenZA]

It was in their hands to pick Bavuma over Ngidi though.

You mean to pick him over Phehlukwayo, Ngidi was fine.... but as mentioned Bavuma was injured. Pity because I`m pretty sure he would have played. But even Maharaj would have been better.

 

[vcs]

Against Australia I would play:

Markram
Elgar
Amla
AB
Faf
Bavuma
QdK
Maharaj
Philander
Rabada
Steyn (if fit, otherwise Morkel)

The only concern is an increased workload for the pace bowlers if the pitch doesn't suit Maharaj, especially with Steyn coming back from injury.

 

[StephenZA]

Against Australia I would play:

Markram
Elgar
Amla
AB
Faf
Bavuma
QdK
Maharaj
Philander
Rabada
Steyn (if fit, otherwise Morkel)

The only concern is an increased workload for the pace bowlers if the pitch doesn't suit Maharaj, especially with Steyn coming back from injury.

This is what I thought we would play, because the coastal pitches tended to be a bit slower and dryer... Maharaj should do alright. But then if the pitches are slower and a touch flatter do SA need the extra batsmen or bowler?

It was strange, ask for fast bouncier pitches with lateral movement for the bowlers and play 5.... get slower flatter dryer pitches and play 4 bowlers! Bit backward?

 

[SeamUp]

Agree 100%. We, the supporters, did not want the shoot outs; I can understand Faf`s unhappiness at the pitch at Centurion, but the rhetoric coming from him and the team management regarding wanting sporting wickets was not great. All he needed to ask for was a normal Wanderers and Centurion pitch. I understand the curators did not do their job well, but it was also quite clear they were trying to give Faf a very sporting wicket; which SA playing 5 bowlers does not need!.

I do think that the pitches against Aus will be better, more runs and turn a bit; tinges of green on the first day. I`m not sure if we will go 6/5 or 7/4 yet, so much is dependant on QDK`s form.

A touch sporty is fine but skilled groundsman like Chris Scott (Wanderers for over 30 years) , Hilber Smit (Centurion for 15 years) would have been able to produce what is wanted.

Gibson said they just wanted pace and bounce for the Wanderers. Stock and trade. Atmospheric conditions will allow the ball to swing naturally there and normally late day 4 & day 5 cracks start.

Durban for years now has lost its characteristics. Since Phil Russell retired and Flint left to carry on in CT when Carter (St George's curator) rejected the offer from Newlands to stay at SGP.

There used to be a head of groundsman that CSA employed in the famous EL cricket family Robbie Muzzell but I bet you it is done more flipantly now when it is vitally important that pitch preparation is looked after in SA.

 

[Burgey]

What’s Morris like as an option as all rounder for SA at six?

 

[SeamUp]

This is what I thought we would play, because the coastal pitches tended to be a bit slower and dryer... Maharaj should do alright. But then if the pitches are slower and a touch flatter do SA need the extra batsmen or bowler?

It was strange, ask for fast bouncier pitches with lateral movement for the bowlers and play 5.... get slower flatter dryer pitches and play 4 bowlers! Bit backward?

That is why we take the series win and can be massively happy as discussed on SA selection thread.More impressive than just the numbers show on those first two games.

Take Markram. New on the scene but I bet you even he hasn't played many domestic games on pitches like those before.

 

[Prince EWS]

What’s Morris like as an option as all rounder for SA at six?

He's only a marginally better batsman than Philander really. He could definitely get away with batting #7 as long as the bloke at six was a genuine batsman (de Kock in non-dire form would be fine) and the bloke at #8 could hold the bat as well (Philander would be fine), but South Africa's selectors would have to be on drugs to bat him at #6 in a Test.

 

[SeamUp]

Good summation. Embarrassed is how we should feel. Dangerous when revenge was clear on SA players with newbie curators.

https://m.sport24.co.za/Columnists/...ng-wanderers-circus-cant-be-repeated-20180129

 

[StephenZA]

Good summation. Embarrassed is how we should feel. Dangerous when revenge was clear on SA players with newbie curators.

https://m.sport24.co.za/Columnists/...ng-wanderers-circus-cant-be-repeated-20180129

At the very least Wanderers needs to be given the same treatment that Nagpur was....

What is sad is the now new curator/groundsman Buthelezi had been working with the old curator, Chris Scott, for 20 odd years.... and Scott was still on as an advisor. So it is difficult to imagine what went wrong as all the knowledge/understanding should be there, except they did things differently for some or other reason?

 

[OverratedSanity]

It's all very dumb because at the end of the day greentops don't improve SA's chances of winning at home, nor do dustbowls improve India's chances in India.

 

[vcs]

Got to give Kohli some credit for deciding to bat first on that pitch after playing 4 seamers. I don't think there was a huge disadvantage to batting fourth (actually to my untrained eye, it seemed like the pitch was doing more on day 3 compared to day 4), but it was a courageous decision. Pressure of 4th innings chase made the difference in the end.

 

[SeamUp]

At the very least Wanderers needs to be given the same treatment that Nagpur was....

What is sad is the now new curator/groundsman Buthelezi had been working with the old curator, Chris Scott, for 20 odd years.... and Scott was still on as an advisor. So it is difficult to imagine what went wrong as all the knowledge/understanding should be there, except they did things differently for some or other reason?

It's all very dumb because at the end of the day greentops don't improve SA's chances of winning at home, nor do dustbowls improve India's chances in India.

Whatever happened, it has never happened before.

The great thing about a Wanderers test is runs and wickets are always flowing.

Just a bit disappointed because for entertainment value there aren't many better test venues in the world. The cricketing public deserved to see good cricket.

 

[Bijed]

It's all very dumb because at the end of the day greentops don't improve SA's chances of winning at home, nor do dustbowls improve India's chances in India.

Tbf they make teams do things like select Zafari Ansari and Gareth Batty so it has it's merits

 

[weldone]

Gareth Batty is arguably England's best spinner so no harm done there

 

[Heboric]

Dont forget this is still happening

At least they arent dragging out this series, 6 games in 2 weeks i think

Wanderers escapes banning, but it musnt transgress again

http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/22262239/wanderers-pitch-rated-poor-icc

 

[Heboric]

Ab ruled out of at least 3 ODI's (which includes Newlands )

https://www.sport24.co.za/Cricket/Proteas/injury-rules-ab-out-for-up-to-2-weeks-20180130