**Official** South Africa in India Thread

[tooextracool]

When confronted with the truth do you always get angry ?

no when confronted by ignorance i always get angry.
regardless im not angry right now, just have no clue what you said...

 

[JustTool]

Damn. I thought the cricketweb members had turned a corner and were going to ignore JustTool. ohwell.

And make the Board a mundane, boring and can't-we-all-just-get-along place.....

 

[Jono]

LMAO @ Harbhajan's reverse sweet off Ontong. What a gift to Ontong for his first test wicket.

Lead of 106. Advantage India. The result of this test match lies on Smith's shoulders I feel. If he can get South Africa off to a solid start, cutting down the deficit with no (or at the least 1) wicket down, South Africa could save (or who knows, maybe win) the game. But if India strike early it could be curtains.

 

[shaka]

so far it has been a decent start: 23-0 after about 6 overs.

 

[DocHead]

Okay, I'm bloody biased, but I'm pleased the Indians got screwed on that Kallis decision! They're going up for every single delivery, regardless of whether it's even close to being out!

Hmf!

 

[shaka]

Umpiring seems to be dropping in standard by test umpires as of late, I cannot believe they didnt give the decision. current score 94/2

 

[Jono]

India have romped South Africa. WHAT A CATCH BY LAXMAN! I almost spat all my food out when he took it. Smith was the huge wicket, and if he wasn't gone by the end of the day I was pretty sure we'd be stuffed.

Kallis should have been out, but India have moved on and run through the top and middle order. Amla was a bit hard done by, but that's how the game goes. Just like Kallis got a life, he was unlucky. Harbhajan has done brilliantly to bring us back into the game. South Africa are basically 5/66 with a day's play remaining. If India don't win from here I'd be incredibly disappointed.

 

[Arjun]

India have romped South Africa. WHAT A CATCH BY LAXMAN! I almost spat all my food out when he took it. Smith was the huge wicket, and if he wasn't gone by the end of the day I was pretty sure we'd be stuffed.

Kallis should have been out, but India have moved on and run through the top and middle order. Amla was a bit hard done by, but that's how the game goes. Just like Kallis got a life, he was unlucky. Harbhajan has done brilliantly to bring us back into the game. South Africa are basically 5/66 with a day's play remaining. If India don't win from here I'd be incredibly disappointed.

It's not yet secured for the Indians. They should have rolled over the Saffies for less than 150, to have a chance of winning the match. When they do get them out, they have to bat sensibly to reach the target, and if it's a big one, they have to play aggressively, and look for as many big shots as they can. Sehwag will have a VERY important role here, not just with the bat but also with the ball.

And what did you have for dinner?

 

[Anil]

If India don't win from here I'd be incredibly disappointed.

if kallis and the tail can stick it out and build up a lead of over 175, there are no guarantees of an indian win....indians are not exactly the best 4th innings chasers in the world, it is a wearing pitch....could even see an upset....with the attitude of the indian batting in this match, they deserve a shock or two....

 

[Slow Love™]

If India don't win from here I'd be incredibly disappointed.

Same here. How painful might the Kallis let-off by Harper be though? I agree completely with Neil Manthorp at cricinfo on this:

It will all be forgotten if Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble wrap up the tail quickly to conclude what would be a well-deserved series victory, but if Kallis emulates Gary Kirsten's feat of scoring a pair of centuries at Eden Gardens, that moment will constitute the turning point of the series, not just the match.

Which brings us back - for the umpteenth time - to the absurdity of this game that we all love so much. A hundred journalists in the press box, and a worldwide audience of millions, knew within seven seconds of the verdict that it was wrong. All the players involved knew it was wrong, too. The only man in the dark was the umpire.

And yet we cling to the notion that umpires' decisions, right and wrong, are part of the charm of the game. It is not charming. It is embarrassing.

A bunch of us have been saying this for some time now - the technology is already more accurate than the umpires when it comes to edges and bat-pad catches. Let's use it.

 

[Jono]

Exactly Slow Love. That was a very good article.

 

[Slow Love™]

And Harbhajan gets Kallis nice and early... It's all India's to win now - pretty hard to see South Africa getting out of this one.

 

[JustTool]

And the Saffie commentators going on and on about Pollock's decision. Bad decision, no doubt. But where was the hue and cry when Kallis was given not-out. I think this is better than an even trade for SAF.

Ok, everyone can now descend on me....

 

[JustTool]

Robin Jackman just complained that India appealed on a Kumble delivery unnecessarily. And the replay showed it was plumb LBW - and when Slater pointed that out - not a word from Robin Jackman. And then, Slater goes on about how much India appeals - so, what's wrong with appealing? Is it bad to do that just because the Aussie and Saffies complain - never heard Gavaskar point that out ?

And I get killed because I point that out...

 

[JustTool]

Well said mate. Toolyboy is forgetting all the glorious times Tendulkar has saved India's backside from defeat.

Or perhaps he was born after 1998 and when Tendulkar was in GOD LIKE form throughout 2000-2002, Toolyboy was just in his infant years.

It's pretty ridiculous of Toolyboy to say that Tendulkar is all about money, infact I'd be pretty damn p*ssed off if I were Sachin if someone (who has NO RIGHT to by the way) questioned my integrity like that.

You don't know Sachin personally you Tool, so you don't have any reason to be making these comments about him.

Do not question a champion's integrity, you will be made to look like a monkey in the near future.

Extremely P*ssed Off,

MB

It is exactly this idle idol worship that is the bane of Indian cricket. When someone has become one of the richest men in India playing cricket - primarily, I might remind you through the support of the public - is it too harsh to expect him to perform ?

A good example of an under-appreciated and more professional cricketer may be Dravid. His slow batting is sometime a pain but he has performed UNDER PRESSURE far more than your idol. This debate was started by Wisden through their analysis, if I recall correctly, around 2000. So, why hasn't India won a world cup with Sachin ? Does that mean the rest of the team is hopeless or is Sachin over-rated and over-adulated ?

 

[Sehwag309]

Robin Jackman just complained that India appealed on a Kumble delivery unnecessarily. And the replay showed it was plumb LBW - and when Slater pointed that out - not a word from Robin Jackman. And then, Slater goes on about how much India appeals - so, what's wrong with appealing? Is it bad to do that just because the Aussie and Saffies complain - never heard Gavaskar point that out ?

And I get killed because I point that out...

Actually that one was clearly out...

Robin was probably sipping on some Garam Chai (Hot Tea) that time

 

[Jono]

JustTool, Robin Jackman and Mike Haysman are FAR from biased commentators. In fact it was either Jackman or Haysman that pointed out that though Daryl Harper's decisions have hurt South Africa (as Slater was saying), Kallis' decision yesterday was obviously in South Africa's favour rather than India's.

Big congratulations for Anil Kumble, equalling Kapil Dev's record as leading test wicket taker for India.

 

[Sehwag309]

Slats was real straight-forward abt Harper on AIR

Congrats to Kumble..what a player

 

[masterblaster]

It is exactly this idle idol worship that is the bane of Indian cricket. When someone has become one of the richest men in India playing cricket - primarily, I might remind you through the support of the public - is it too harsh to expect him to perform ?

A good example of an under-appreciated and more professional cricketer may be Dravid. His slow batting is sometime a pain but he has performed UNDER PRESSURE far more than your idol. This debate was started by Wisden through their analysis, if I recall correctly, around 2000. So, why hasn't India won a world cup with Sachin ? Does that mean the rest of the team is hopeless or is Sachin over-rated and over-adulated ?

It just means your a cynic with absolutely no right to question a champion's integrity like this. Where were you those 33 times Sachin made a century and Sachin saved India from certain defeat?

In case you haven't noticed Team India is just that, a TEAM. One person cannot win a World Cup alone. It was India's pathetic bowling that lost them the final of the World Cup in 2003, but it was Sachin's brilliant efforts that ensured India of their place in the final.

Dravid's slower batting is sometimes a pain?

He's probably the most enjoyable batsman to watch even when he's going slow. His batsmanship and technique is absolutely sublime, his dedication to Team India is second to none and his commitment is admirable.

Have some respect please, and get your head out of the place it shouldn't be in.

 

[masterblaster]

JustTool, Robin Jackman and Mike Haysman are FAR from biased commentators. In fact it was either Jackman of Haysman that pointed out that though Daryl Harper's decisions have hurt South Africa (as Slater was saying), Kallis' decision yesterday was obviously in South Africa's favour rather than India's.

Big congratulations for Anil Kumble, equalling Kapil Dev's record as leading test wicket taker for India.

Agreed all round there mate. Haysman and Jackman are enjoyable commentators.

Congrats to Kumble though! What a champion he's been throughout the years, and like a fine wine, his bowling and cricket keeps getting better with age.