***Official*** South Africa in India

[Prince EWS]

I'm sorry but anyone who rates Paul Harris as a good spin bowler needs to have a re-think. He may be able to fill the "tight bowler" role on flat tracks, but he was piss poor this match. Similar to Hauritz ala 2004.

Termanati was right mate. Not a ridiculous post at all, and turned out to be spot on.

Oh it looks fine now, but the way he was carrying on after what was about four overs was ridiculous. It would have been fine to say "It doesn't look like Harris is getting much turn yet; this could worry South Africa if it continues" but he started proclaiming his demise like the match was over after he'd bowled just a handful of overs. It was an over-reaction, regardless of how the match turned out.

I also think your comment takes it a bit far. The jury is very much still out on Harris, but I don't think his entire rating should come down to one match, even if he did bowl poorly. He's bowled much better in other games, and while I'm not saying Harris is great or anything, I think you're exaggerating. Saying he had a poor game is one thing, but comparing him to Hauritz and saying Razzak would have been a better option is folly.

 

[adharcric]

Oh it looks fine now, but the way he was carrying on after what was about four overs was ridiculous. It would have been fine to say "It doesn't look like Harris is getting much turn yet; this could worry South Africa if it continues" but he started proclaiming his demise like the match was over after he'd bowled just a handful of overs. It was an over-reaction, regardless of how the match turned out.

I also think your comment takes it a bit far. The jury is very much still out on Harris, but I don't think his entire rating should come down to one match, even if he did bowl poorly. He's bowled much better in other games, and while I'm not saying Harris is great or anything, I think you're exaggerating. Saying he had a poor game is one thing, but comparing him to Hauritz and saying Razzak would have been a better option is folly.

I agree with this. Jono, your reaction was slightly knee-jerk IMO. Sure, he had a poor match - terrible in fact, considering he was useless on a pitch that helped India's spinners so much. That doesn't mean he's a useless spinner though. He's had a few good games for SA so far and has shown some promise. Yeah, if he continues bowling the way he did in this test he won't get too far. Not that this played a major role, but the Indian batsmen (especially Laxman and Ganguly) played him pretty well too.

 

[Jono]

To be fair, I never once said he was useless. Just that he wasn't a match-winner.

I specifically stated he plays a certain role well, but when he needs to attack and win a match for his team he was found wanting.

 

[Jono]

Oh it looks fine now, but the way he was carrying on after what was about four overs was ridiculous. It would have been fine to say "It doesn't look like Harris is getting much turn yet; this could worry South Africa if it continues" but he started proclaiming his demise like the match was over after he'd bowled just a handful of overs. It was an over-reaction, regardless of how the match turned out.

I also think your comment takes it a bit far. The jury is very much still out on Harris, but I don't think his entire rating should come down to one match, even if he did bowl poorly. He's bowled much better in other games, and while I'm not saying Harris is great or anything, I think you're exaggerating. Saying he had a poor game is one thing, but comparing him to Hauritz and saying Razzak would have been a better option is folly.

I honestly believe Rafique on a turner is a better bowler than Harris.

Hauritz and Razzak (with 2 whole test wickets) was obviously tongue in cheek though it may not have came out that way.

 

[DaRick]

Hauritz...obviously tongue in cheek though it may not have came out that way.

Perhaps I'm thinking of the wrong post, but a smiley would've helped.

BTW, you're right about Virender Sehwag being a part-timer (although he is better than Michael Clarke), so it was a mistake on my part to suggest that Paul Harris didn't get outbowled by any part-timer. On a somewhat unrelated note, if Nathan Hauritz gets anywhere near the Australian test team again, then God help us all (figuratively, of course).

 

[duffer]

Great series, but a bit lost with the IPL looming. Hopefully with Zaheer, Sachin and Kumble back we can avoid debacles like Ahmedebad next time out.

Jaffer might be looking over his shoulder at the likes of Gambhir and Chopra right now.

 

[ret]

Hopefully with Zaheer, Sachin and Kumble back we can avoid debacles like Ahmedebad next time out.

Kumble played at A'bad

 

[ret]

more praise for Dhoni

KOLKATA- Former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja has hailed Mahendra Singh Dhoni's leadership skills and reckons the India wicketkeeper-batsman is ready to take over the skipper's role permanently in Tests.

Dhoni's thoughtful bowling changes and fielding plans worked brilliantly against South Africa on the third day of the third Test, eventually handing the hosts an eight-wicket win to level the series 1-1 after their humiliating loss at Ahmedabad.

The result was a remarkable achievement for Dhoni, who was leading the Test team for the first time after 37-year-old Anil Kumble was ruled out due to a groin injury.

And Ramiz believes the 26-year-old, who has guided India to World Twenty20 and Commonwealth Bank Series triumphs, would have no trouble stepping up to the job on a full-time basis.

"You've got such a good leader who can, at any time, step into Kumble's shoes full-time," he told the Telegraph.

"Dhoni's lucky as well, but then I guess successful captains have to be so. Dhoni is a natural leader. There's nothing cosmetic about him.

"He was thrust into a tough situation, with India having to win the Test to level the series, and he handled situations very well.

"I liked Dhoni's calmness and the manner in which he took decisions rather simply and quickly. Then, he didn't fret if somebody gave away an extra run. He didn't allow such things to fluster him."

 

[biased indian]

One of the reasons why I think SA will win series

if u dnt take prathyush ...one with me for one week atleast ???

Yep

social hope you are around...will post your Avatar soon

 

[biased indian]

Congrats to India - they got the pitch they wanted and executed perfectly

BUT with an unsettled opening combination, dodgy seam attack, aging lineup and woeful fielding, it should be seen for what it is

unsettled opening combination --> agree

dodgy seam attack --> whats your problem there if zaheer was fir he would have played in place of sreeshanth...who didn't ball badly at all

aging lineup --> its ok for Australia and not for india ???

woeful fielding --> agree but.still we were good enough to take almost all the catches that came our way when SA which is considered as one of the best fielding unit was dropping catches and mis fielding

 

[silentstriker]

It's way too early, but I just noticed there are no Tests in Mumbai for the series against Australia in October!

We need to lobby for a Mumbai Test!

 

[biased indian]

It's way too early, but I just noticed there are no Tests in Mumbai for the series against Australia in October!

We need to lobby for a Mumbai Test!

and have one at mohali....atleast it dont assist spin that much..and bangalore wher we dont have a great record....

would have liked to have game at Ahmedabad,Mumbai,Delhi,Kolkata in that order

 

[Jono]

As long as they're playing in Kolkata its fine.

Can't believe they didn't have a test there in 2004 vs. Aus, and had it vs. SA instead.

 

[Pratters]

One of the reasons why I think SA will win series

South Africa - India test series which is coming up in India? Want to have an avatar bet of 1 month on it?

Yep

social hope you are around...will post your Avatar soon

and BI, you can keep that avatar on social for 5 weeks...

 

[biased indian]

and HB, you can keep that avatar on social for 5 weeks...

it was me not HB

 

[biased indian]

As long as they're playing in Kolkata its fine.

Can't believe they didn't have a test there in 2004 vs. Aus, and had it vs. SA instead.

Nothing this time around also

Fixtures
October 2-5 - Tour match
October 9-13 - 1st Test, Bangalore
October 17-21 - 2nd Test, Mohali
October 28-Novermber 1 - 3rd Test, Delhi
November 5-9 - 4th Test, Nagpur

 

[social]

social hope you are around...will post your Avatar soon

Do I get a discount because SA won most sessions and India had to produce a dodgy track to get themselves out of the crap?

 

[Jono]

No because if you had won the avatar bet, you wouldn't have let anyone off for India not having Kumble, Sachin and Zaheer in a test.

 

[social]

unsettled opening combination --> agree

dodgy seam attack --> whats your problem there if zaheer was fir he would have played in place of sreeshanth...who didn't ball badly at all

aging lineup --> its ok for Australia and not for india ???

woeful fielding --> agree but.still we were good enough to take almost all the catches that came our way when SA which is considered as one of the best fielding unit was dropping catches and mis fielding

India's seam attack was largely impotent and Zaheer is rated purely on the basis of a couple of tests in seam friendly conditions - that's not enough to suddenly class him as test class

The aging lineup is a worry because it simply looks as though the selectors are unwilling to phase people out (as Australia has done over the years) and it's likely to be a mass exodus.

Fielding was absolutely woeful and well short of international standards. SA were in a different class for virtually the entire series.

 

[biased indian]

Do I get a discount because SA won most sessions and India had to produce a dodgy track to get themselves out of the crap?

5 weeks (me + pratyush)