***Official*** India Tour of South Africa, 2023/24

[OverratedSanity]

What's a decent score for India here?

650

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

Wind is picking up. Torrential downpour incoming.

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

Signs of the apocalypse.

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

200 is up

 

[Spark]

Could easily see India getting a first innings lead here. There's tons in this deck but the support bowling from SA has been baaaaad.

 

[Daemon]

200 is excellent considering where we were right after lunch when Rabada took 3 for nothing

 

[OverratedSanity]

This is excellent from Rahul

 

[Daemon]

Boooo

 

[HouHsiaoHsien]

Rain has stopped. Hopefully, play will restart quickly

 

[honestbharani]

Its mainly economics. JHB, Pretoria, and Cape Town get the biggest crowds. They get a disproportionate amount of tests. The big money countries always play these 3 (or at least 2 of them). The lower revenue countries get one of these 3 or one of the spinnier grounds.

They talked about not wanting play AUS on the pace friendly grounds, but they never stopped doing it, cos money and fans. They also talked about not wanting to play SC teams in Durban, but the main reason that one actually happened is cos Durban just gets fewer tests in general these days. Attendance there has fallen a lot, and CSA finances are a mess.

Yeah, but when we are playing only 2 tests, JHB is cut, coz we have a bit of a winning record there. I understand economics must be the primary drivers but these kind of things also factor in a bit when boards schedule.

 

[Bolo.]

Yeah, but when we are playing only 2 tests, JHB is cut, coz we have a bit of a winning record there. I understand economics must be the primary drivers but these kind of things also factor in a bit when boards schedule.

This is probably a bit of a reach. JHB and Pretoria are practically the same ground, just depends on the day. CSA are absolutely not above making this kind of scheduling call to gain advantage, but IDK If it happened here, especially after India played and lost at JHB last tour, while winning the Pretoria game.

They want the CPT game for new year. JHB gets comfortably more people watching LO and got an ODI. Last times I attended (a few years ago admittedly), Pretoria had higher test attendance. Just seems like sensible scheduling to maximise attendance across formats to me, while putting games in a bunch of cities.

India have played 6 at CPT and JHB and 5 at Durban and Pretoria BTW.

 

[silentstriker]

I think 200 is okay tbh. SA have only been good in patches, and only from two bowlers.

Yeah if they can get 30-40 more runs somehow, it’s something to bowl at for sure.

 

[Sunil1z]

The lowest first innings winning total here is 276 . IND will have to bowl extremely well to be in this match .

 

[capt_Luffy]

The lowest first innings winning total here is 276 . IND will have to bowl extremely well to be in this match .

I think you also have to take the pitch into consideration.... If it doesn't turns into a batting paradise like WC Final in the Second innings, I highly doubt South Africa would get a big score too.

 

[honestbharani]

This is probably a bit of a reach. JHB and Pretoria are practically the same ground, just depends on the day. CSA are absolutely not above making this kind of scheduling call to gain advantage, but IDK If it happened here, especially after India played and lost at JHB last tour, while winning the Pretoria game.

They want the CPT game for new year. JHB gets comfortably more people watching LO and got an ODI. Last times I attended (a few years ago admittedly), Pretoria had higher test attendance. Just seems like sensible scheduling to maximise attendance across formats to me, while putting games in a bunch of cities.

India have played 6 at CPT and JHB and 5 at Durban and Pretoria BTW.

Yeah, I am not saying CSA is the only board to do it or anything. My point is all boards do that. So while commercial considerations come first, if possible, they do try to maximize advantage as they know results are an important driver of the cricket economy, esp. test cricket economy.

 

[Sunil1z]

I think you also have to take the pitch into consideration.... If it doesn't turns into a batting paradise like WC Final in the Second innings, I highly doubt South Africa would get a big score too.

I think you have forgotten last 2 Tests of 2021/22 series in SA . Without magic spell by our fast bowlers we are 35-65 behind in this Test . SA are now favourites in the Test .

 

[capt_Luffy]

I think you have forgotten last 2 Tests of 2021/22 series in SA . Without magic spell by our fast bowlers we are 35-65 behind in this Test . SA are now favourites in the Test .

I agree that on the moment SA are ahead in the match. But I doubt that it's really by any significant margin. The way Coetze and Jansen bowled, I think a good spell from Bumrah and Siraj would place India on the front foot.

 

[Gob]

Good chance of South Africa producing a double digit score here although Shami is a big miss

 

[Prince EWS]

What was he doing trying to smash that?

Punish it.

 

[honestbharani]

Honestly feel runs yesterday were worth double on a regular track. The only worry now is if the height factor is important in getting this assistance from the wicket. If so, we are screwed. If not, we are very much in the game.