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

[Spark]

The comms saying "that's his second 50 there" is exactly the sort of thing which makes me feel OS is right about his crusade

 

[SeamUp]

What a young batsman Markram is.

Just showed you shots of his mother there when on 49.

 

[StephenZA]

Nice session... great for SA to have a consistent decent opening pair again.

 

[Stefan9]

India has been short and not consistent enough imho. There has been a little there if you bowl the right line and lengthy.

Ashwin is getting some turn as expected from the dry grass.

 

[SeamUp]

Nice session... great for SA to have a consistent decent opening pair again.

Compliment each other so well.

 

[Woodster]

Good session from SA, more than a hint of beauty and the beast about this opening pair. Elgar is still in there though, he's been scratchy to say the least but he's determined to not give it away.

Markram continues to impress. His driving, pulling, back foot punches through the offside have all been on show in that opening exchange.

Ashwin looks the biggest threat for India, Ishant has been tidy aswell.

 

[Rasimione]

This pitch is dissapointing. You don't want Ashwin getting a sniff here. All in all great session from the Proteas. Makram justifying the hype with a solid performance, now he must kick on and get a big one.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Hope Kohli flops with the bat too. But he'll probably ton up on a flat track as usual.

 

[Tom Flint]

Nice session... great for SA to have a consistent decent opening pair again.

When was the last time you would say s.a had a decent opening pair?
Im not having a dig, just a genuine question

 

[harsh.ag]

What would make this test perfect is an ABdV century and then Rohit running out Kohli.

 

[SeamUp]

When was the last time you would say s.a had a decent opening pair?
Im not having a dig, just a genuine question

Biff and Neil Mac I guess.

Biff and Gibbs before that.

Gibbs & Gaz before that.

Even then Neil Mac & Gibbs weren't originally openers.

Definitely was a bit of a gap for a while.

This plays its part : No place for top-order batsmen Numbers Game: No place for top-order batsmen - ESPN
via ESPNCricinfo app

 

[Heboric]

Man the universe is going to explode, Morne Morkel and Ishant Sharma in the same match. Two 'Unluckies' in the same game

Ashwin looking dangerous

 

[Black_Warrior]

So after Kohli clearly mentioned that form was the factor behind Rahane's dropping, I just checked Rahane in 2017.
He just had one poor series - the home series against Sri Lanka in December - that's 3 ****ing test matches. You dropped a guy who averages 53 overseas because he had 3 bad test matches. If that's the criteria, Kohli should have dropped himself after the Australia series where he couldn't hold a bat and Rahane made some crucial knocks.

Prior to the home SL series, Rahane was averaging 48 in 2017.

 

[SeamUp]

Thinking of the other openers since re-admission.

Jimmy Cook (obviously best years gone)
Kepler Wessels (late in career & better 3/4)
Andrew Hudson
Rudi Steyn
Gehardus Liebenberg
Adam Bacher
Boeta Dippenaar (better middle order)
Jacques Rudolph (better 3)
Ashwell Prince (make shift)
Imraan Khan
Alviro Petersen
Stiaan van Zyl (makeshift)
Stephen Cook
Heino Kuhn

 

[StephenZA]

When was the last time you would say s.a had a decent opening pair?
Im not having a dig, just a genuine question

Biff and Neil Mac I guess.

Biff and Gibbs before that.

Gibbs & Gaz before that.

Even then Neil Mac & Gibbs weren't originally openers.

Definitely was a bit of a gap for a while.

This plays its part : No place for top-order batsmen Numbers Game: No place for top-order batsmen - ESPN
via ESPNCricinfo app

That is pretty much it... we have tended to have one good/great opener with some decent players helping out. What made us strong for awhile was Amla at 3... one of the reasons SA struggled so much last 5 years was Smiths unexpected retirement (Kallis we all knew was coming) so Elgar had not established himself yet and we had no obvious other opening option. Hence the middle order players suddenly opening. We have been discussing Markram's inclusion for the last 18 months the question was when not if!

 

[StephenZA]

Thinking of the other openers since re-admission.

Jimmy Cook (obviously best years gone)
Kepler Wessels (late in career & better 3/4)
Andrew Hudson
Rudi Steyn
Gehardus Liebenberg
Adam Bacher
Boeta Dippenaar (better middle order)
Jacques Rudolph (better 3)
Ashwell Prince (make shift)
Imraan Khan
Alviro Petersen
Stiaan van Zyl (makeshift)
Stephen Cook
Heino Kuhn

Khan and Petersen where really makeshift/middle order as well.... if you look at those names it is pretty much the 2 Cooks (both late in career), Hudson, Liebenberg and Bacher as true openers.

 

[Spark]

So after Kohli clearly mentioned that form was the factor behind Rahane's dropping, I just checked Rahane in 2017.
He just had one poor series - the home series against Sri Lanka in December - that's 3 ****ing test matches. You dropped a guy who averages 53 overseas because he had 3 bad test matches. If that's the criteria, Kohli should have dropped himself after the Australia series where he couldn't hold a bat and Rahane made some crucial knocks.

Prior to the home SL series, Rahane was averaging 48 in 2017.

Eh, he was on thin ice leading into the Aus series IIRC, it isn't a huge surprise. He really didn't have a good 2016, so it's more the extended period that counts against him.

 

[StephenZA]

Another disappointing, give away shot by Elgar... has not started 2018 well after such a fantastic 2017.

 

[Boris_Dog]

With respect to this pitch it does seem sporting to the visitors but we will see. The groundsmen cant blame too much sun though. You could creat a makeshift shade cloth tent in sbout 20 minutes.

 

[SeamUp]

Wasn't great from Dean but he is looking to transfer pressure on a pitch spinning with Ashwin at the other end and it was an awesome catch.

Amla almost gone bat-pad too.