***Official*** India in South Africa

[Dravid]

Good all around solid bowling performance - the type of performance that they've always lacked. Usually one or two bowlers perform while the rest just slag off. This was great because they bowled in partnership, and attacked from both sides.

Fantastic performance.

Good to see you saying something good about Indian bowling.

 

[silentstriker]

We're 164/0. We need to get a lead of 350+. Another 200 runs would be absolutely idea. There is absolutely no hurry, and its important not to get bundled out like SA just did. Take your time, work yourself in, and score off the bad balls.

 

[Nate]

Haha, smashed it. Would like to join the "I backed Sreesanth club" because I did. Dhoni`s wicket-keeping a highlight for mine.

 

[Dravid]

We're 164/0. We need to get a lead of 350+. Another 200 runs would be absolutely idea. There is absolutely no hurry, and its important not to get bundled out like SA just did. Take your time, work yourself in, and score off the bad balls.

BTW, SS remember I told you SAF will be all out today if you stop saying mate??? Never say mate in your life again.

 

[Dasa]

Dhoni`s wicket-keeping a highlight for mine.

Good point actually. The catch to get Prince was excellent.

 

[Jono]

Point blank greatest test bowling performance from India I've ever witnessed. IMO slightly better than their performances against Australia in 2001 and against Australia in Adelaide in 2003.

 

[silentstriker]

BTW, SS remember I told you SAF will be all out today if you stop saying mate??? Never say mate in your life again.

Mate, but I kept saying it. Therefore you were wrong, and saying mate is what made them get out cheaply.

Tough luck mate.

 

[silentstriker]

Point blank greatest test bowling performance from India I've ever witnessed. IMO slightly better than their performances against Australia in 2001 and against Australia in Adelaide in 2003.

I don't think you can say that until the match is over IMO. Certainly a good start though.

 

[Jono]

I don't think you can say that until the match is over IMO. Certainly a good start though.

How on Earth does the rest of the match effect this specific bowling performance? If SA go on to win this, they would have played some magnificent cricket, but it wouldn't take away from the fact that India just bowled SA out in 2 hours. Today's effort was simply superb. They lost wickets all the way throughout, and whilst Ganguly and VRV's partnership would have pissed off SA, SA were still in the box seat. What they've done is not only get SA out for 84, but take all the momentum away from SA that they had when they killed India in the ODI series and had India 15-2.

 

[Craig]

Never thought I would see the day to see India rout South Africa for 84 in South Africa and at Jo'burg.

This is some incredible cricket going on ATM - New Zealand bowling out Sri Lanka on day 1 and then Sri Lanka courtesy of Malinga and Murlali bowling New Zealand out before lunch on day 2 and now we still have three days left with Sri Lanka leading by over 360 runs; Gilchrist going mental at the WACA ( = English bowlers) and now this

And Pakistan were coasting along against the West Indies around about now.

Madness!

 

[TT Boy]

Wow what fantastic bowling by the Indians, Silentstriker bow your head in shame son, your boys were simply fantastic today. Whereas the South Africans were preoccupied of bowling short the Indians bowled the correct lengths today, they pitched it up and looked for the ball to swing, and as said before the test match expose the technical weaknesses so visibly apparent in the side. Refreshing to see the discipline they had, not once in the first hour did they get carried away and start chucking it down short, kept to the plans beautifully.

What’s more having such a lead gives license to the likes of Sehwag to try and get some form, game’s pretty much over for South Africa but India have fully deserved to roll out SA so cheaply, top draw bowling.

 

[Jono]

Wow what fantastic bowling by the Indians, Silentstriker bow your head in shame son, your boys were simply fantastic today. Whereas the South Africans were preoccupied of bowling short the Indians bowled the correct lengths today, they pitched it up and looked for the ball to swing, and as said before the test match expose the technical weaknesses so visibly apparent in the side. Refreshing to see the discipline they had, not once in the first hour did they get carried away and start chucking it down short, kept to the plans beautifully.

What’s more having such a lead gives license to the likes of Sehwag to try and get some form, game’s pretty much over for South Africa but India have fully deserved to roll out SA so cheaply, top draw bowling.

Yeah spot on. Whilst I highly rate SA's pace attack, their batting attack has looked from weak to woeful over the last two years, with the odd exception. They've managed to hide it a little bit with Ntini and Pollock bailing them out with the ball, or using the "We lost to Australia, so what?" excuse, but if they go on to lose this, they'll have nowhere to hide.

Its all well and dandy bagging the Indian batsman about how they can't play the bounce etc., but at the end of the day a lot of SA batsmen haven't been able to play good seam bowling for a while now.

 

[TT Boy]

Standard of test cricket opening is pretty poor at the moment, you fully expect when watching the likes of South Africa, Pakistan, New Zealand, India that they will be at least two down in the first half hour regardless of the wicket. So much pressure for the middle order its unreal.

 

[silentstriker]

How on Earth does the rest of the match effect this specific bowling performance? If SA go on to win this, they would have played some magnificent cricket, but it wouldn't take away from the fact that India just bowled SA out in 2 hours. Today's effort was simply superb. They lost wickets all the way throughout, and whilst Ganguly and VRV's partnership would have pissed off SA, SA were still in the box seat. What they've done is not only get SA out for 84, but take all the momentum away from SA that they had when they killed India in the ODI series and had India 15-2.

I don't disagree with any of that, but in Test match cricket I always look at the overall performance (i.e England did well in the first two days but their second innings batting just killed them last test so overall they didn't perform well).


I already said they bowled fantastic, and they did, no doubt about it. But its not over yet.

 

[TT Boy]

Yeah spot on. Whilst I highly rate SA's pace attack, their batting attack has looked from weak to woeful over the last two years, with the odd exception. They've managed to hide it a little bit with Ntini and Pollock bailing them out with the ball, or using the "We lost to Australia, so what?" excuse, but if they go on to lose this, they'll have nowhere to hide.

Its all well and dandy bagging the Indian batsman about how they can't play the bounce etc., but at the end of the day a lot of SA batsmen haven't been able to play good seam bowling for a while now.

Yeah.

The seam of Stuart Clark did them last summer, now it’s the swing, South Africa like making bones about other teams and the old pace and bounce rhetoric but when it comes to wickets with seam, swing or subcontinent pitches with no pace or bounce there pretty much hopelessness. At least India are bankers at home, South African batsman can't even score on wickets they should be at home on.

Asif and Shoaib are coming next year, that could be fun…

 

[Craig]

Yeah.

The seam of Stuart Clark did them last summer, now it’s the swing, South Africa like making bones about other teams and the old pace and bounce rhetoric but when it comes to wickets with seam, swing or subcontinent pitches with no pace or bounce there pretty much hopelessness. At least India are bankers at home, South African batsman can't even score on wickets they should be at home on.

Asif and Shoaib are coming next year, that could be fun…

Not if WADA say anything...

 

[TT Boy]

Rank bowling here, Ntini pitch it up son, you just saw what happened to your lot yet you still want to bowl short (and wide)...

 

[silentstriker]

1 down. Jaffer gone.

 

[Dravid]

Yeah so bench Jaffer for next test?

 

[adharcric]

Crap. Jaffer gone.

I don't see why they're in such a rush. Three days left in the test still, take your time boys.