***Official*** South Africa v West Indies

[Pratters]

And yes, I do understand that they've already won the series. But whats wrong with going for another win??

When you declare at 588, if the West Indies score 389, they avoid the follow on and the match would trail for a draw.

If you score 750 and declare, you ask the opposition to score 551. Much more difficult and follow on more likely. Then after a follow on make the team bat in the last day or day and half on a pitch which is worst in the match and hope for a win.

If West Indies scores 551, credit to them and they desrve the draw.

On a flatter pitch I think making a bigger total is better in the first inning with the intention of batting only once in the test match. I didnt say it as a negative but a positive strategy.

 

[Scaly piscine]

I think we all saw what declaring at such a high total achieves at the SCG in 2003/04 in Steve Waugh's last test?? Especially on such a flat pitch.

And yes, I do understand that they've already won the series. But whats wrong with going for another win??

By going for 700+ you are going for another win, Boucher and Pollock are in with Boje to come - they're perfectly capable of scoring rapidly on a flat pitch so you're only gonna take out say 20 overs (at most) getting the extra 112 or whatever runs. Then when Gayle (or Lara) goes berserk you can still keep you catchers there instead of losing the initiative by trying to make sure WI don't make 389.

I just knew someone would post at exactly the same time... Annoying Sod's law.

 

[Pratters]

I think Pollock in his last few overs and now Kallis is bowling extremely well.

Too bad the catch went down. Such things can be a real dampener on such a pitch. But Gayle has batted very well. It has not been a case of South Africa bowling bad bowls which have been despatched as was in the South African batting. Also Ntini with his bouncers..

Gayle has played confidently a bowling attack which has tested as much as it can on such a batting pitch where batsmen can be so confident of playing easily across the line.

 

[Pratters]

How many times are ad breaks taken in telecasts?

We always have ad breaks after each over in other channels. Ten Sports for late night matches tends to do it once every 2-3 overs which is cool.

 

[aussie]

well... a typical agressive century by Gayle

 

[Pratters]

AGAIN an edge which should have ben caught not done cos of gap between slip and gulley. WTF

 

[biased indian]

C H Gayle 124(126 ) nice going

 

[marc71178]

If you score 750 and declare, you ask the opposition to score 551. Much more difficult and follow on more likely.

Also leave yourself about 7 sessions to take 20 wickets.

 

[marc71178]

At least it's not Lara plus 10 others this time!

 

[Jono]

I'm not sure whether its been asked and answered in this thread, and I can't be arsed looking through the above posts so I'm going to ask anyway:

Does anyone know the record for most centuries scored in a test match? Surely currently at 6, this has to be close to the record. Amazing and ridiculous at the same time.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

6 centuries inside 3 days. When's the last time that happened?

 

[Neil Pickup]

Thankyou Google. The record for most centuries in a Test match for both sides combined is seven.

Eng v Aus, Nottingham, 1938
Eng - CJ Barnett 126; L Hutton 100; E Paynter 216*; DCS Compton 102
Aus - SJ McCabe 232; WA Brown 133; DG Bradman 144*

WI v Aus, Kingston, 1954-55
WI - CL Walcott 155 & 110
Aus - CC McDonald 127; RN Harvey 204; KR Miller 109; RG Archer 128; R Benaud 121

SA v WI, Cape Town, 2003-04
SA - JA Rudolph 101; MV Boucher 122*; HH Gibbs 142; JH Kallis 130*
WI - CH Gayle 116; BC Lara 115; DR Smith 105*

We've got two whole days to play here... who's going to back against eight?

 

[Pratters]

Also leave yourself about 7 sessions to take 20 wickets.

I would say seven and half. EVEN if it was seven,it is as much as eight sessions in the current match as a lot of lost time will be made up be starting play early as it was on the 3rd day.

8 sessions worth - 240 overs.

ry and get the Windies all out in the first 140-150 overs setting very attacking fields (unlike what Smith had with one fielder absent between slip and gully). Then HOPE the pitch crumbles, Windies plays poor shots and they get the wickets in the last inning in around 90-100 overs.

It is indeed very difficult for a result on such a flat track.

 

[marc71178]

We've got two whole days to play here... who's going to back against eight?

Seeing as Lara and Chanderpaul are yet to bat - I think we may see the record going here.

 

[marc71178]

I would say seven and half. EVEN if it was seven,it is as much as eight sessions in the current match as a lot of lost time will be made up be starting play early as it was on the 3rd day.

You can only go by current situation though - that time has gone.

For SA to have 7 and a half or 7 left and still score 750, they's have needed 230 runs in 3 hours (bear in mind they added 230 or so in the last 70 overs of Day 2, so is that even a remote chance?)

 

[Adamc]

At least it's not Lara plus 10 others this time!

It may be Lara plus ten others who score centuries.

On a related note, Hinds must have spent the last 79 overs kicking himself.

 

[shaka]

Hinds feel pretty dumb at the moment on this flat track. Well done to Gayle and Sarwan for getting centuries. The team must be trying to negate the idea of Lara lowering the scores of other members of the West Indies team.

 

[Pratters]

You can only go by current situation though - that time has gone.

For SA to have 7 and a half or 7 left and still score 750, they's have needed 230 runs in 3 hours (bear in mind they added 230 or so in the last 70 overs of Day 2, so is that even a remote chance?)

Fair point. They went in at around 4 an over comfortably in the period they batted early on the 3rd day without stretching much.

A bit of stretching could get them a run rate of around 5 an over over all (atleast 5.5-6 per over in the last hour of the three) 5*45 overs (3 hours) would give them 225. Certainly possible.

Atleast 700 if not 750 could be achieved in the most pessimistic of scenarios if the team wasnt all out.

Certainly an early declaration imo.

 

[tooextracool]

seriously, what is it with WI and antigua? seems like they really enjoy the dead-flatness of the antigua wicket.

 

[marc71178]

A bit of stretching could get them a run rate of around 5 an over over all (atleast 5.5-6 per over in the last hour of the three) 5*45 overs (3 hours) would give them 225. Certainly possible.

They wouldn't have been given anywhere near 15 overs an hour if going at the rate!