**Official** West Indies in South Africa Thread

[Rich2001]

Lara is going to be on top form to stop this from being a monster loss now.

For that matter, the whole W.I. team is going to have to play a blinder.

Hope Hall goes for it like he did against England in the summer. He has 20 overs left to do some damage, with Pollock who isn't exactly a delicate batsman.

Nah mate South Africa will declare very soon, 5 overs at the max left IMO

Also WI are even more up agaist it as Chanderpual can't bat till 7 now, having been of the field for ages.

WI could well have been in this game if their fielding was better, as I speak the 6th dropped catch of the innings had just gone down and all but one has been strightforward.

 

[Adamc]

:O :!( SIX dropped catches today... Lara, Drakes x 2, Sarwan, Ganga and now Sanford. No team in the world can afford to drop that many. The saddest part of it is that the WI selectors can scarcely afford to drop anyone either.

 

[Craig]

West Indies fielding has been poor.

 

[Rik]

:O :!( SIX dropped catches today... Lara, Drakes x 2, Sarwan, Ganga and now Sanford. No team in the world can afford to drop that many.

England have got close to dropping that many...

 

[Rik]

West Indies fielding has been poor.

Stating the obvious, or a huge understatement?

 

[Adamc]

England have got close to dropping that many...

But probably not so many absolute sitters. Anyhow, all is well and good now as WI have finally held on to one, albeit by a sub fielder. Good to see Makhaya coming in ahead of Andre Nel after the latter was bowled for a golden by Hinds in the first test :P

Now Lara's caught one too... SA declare at a measly 658/9. Tough task for the Windies openers with 12-odd overs remaining today, especially if Nel gets a bowl - he will no doubt be fuming at not being allowed to bat :P
Prediction: WI openers will survive the initial onslaught tonight before falling early tomorrow, paving the way for BCL to score a match-saving triple century a la Hanif Mohammad... one can only hope :P

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

:O :!( SIX dropped catches today... Lara, Drakes x 2, Sarwan, Ganga and now Sanford. No team in the world can afford to drop that many. The saddest part of it is that the WI selectors can scarcely afford to drop anyone either.

Sanford must be dropped for the next game. Clearly substandard. A shame really because he has a very nice action. You wonder why he's so inneffective.

On the catches...

Lara - went very quickly, but you have to catch those, especially when you're Brian Lara.
Drakes no. 1 - simple chance but got into a horrible position.
Drakes no. 2 - flew quickly and he had to dive to his left. Tough chance but one wonders why Drakes was at gully...
Ganga - like Lara it went fast, but that's regulation. Ganga is a good fielder though and not a specialist slip. I can only think that Lara's finger must've been troubling him or else he should have been at slip.
Sanford - one of the simplest catches you could hope to see. I dare say Reon King would have caught it.

Not over yet though... pitch is extremely flat, but the bounce is inconsistent at times.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

WI could well have been in this game if their fielding was better

Understatement.

Kirsten was dropped on 23 (?) and 27 (?) and he scored 137. Kallis was dropped before he reached his hundred and he scored 177. South Africa should have had a 150 lead at best. The bowling was as bad as it was made to look.

Also, Kallis was caught behind on 48 yesterday and given not out.

Final note, Sarwan was very impressive with the ball.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

still waiting for Sarwan to come good though...

He's gotten some good deliveries so far. A bit unlucky I'd say because he's looked good on all 3 occasions. My advice is that he commits himself forward, but with Nitini's pace and the bounce in the pitch, that won't happen.

 

[Adamc]

He's gotten some good deliveries so far. A bit unlucky I'd say because he's looked good on all 3 occasions. My advice is that he commits himself forward, but with Nitini's pace and the bounce in the pitch, that won't happen.

Yep. SA bowlers definitely making it v. difficult for him: Ntini bowling as well as anyone in the world at the moment, and Pollock is... well... very... good. Unfortunately Wavell Hinds looks clueless; hopefully surviving the 10 overs today will give him some confidence. As for Lara, commentators suggested that he injured finger when he dropped then catch, hence he moved to midwicketish position (where he did some excellent fielding btw ).
Batting on day 4 should not be especially hard, though some signs of deterioration already. Nonetheless, two days is an awful long time...

 

[Langeveldt]

Jeez liam you must be foaming after the WI showing so far in Durbs.. Sheesh that ball when Sanford dropped Pollock of Sarwan was probably the worst load of play ive ever seen (that includes pub cricket)... I couldnt believe i was watching test cricket!

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Unfortunately Wavell Hinds looks clueless; hopefully surviving the 10 overs today will give him some confidence. As for Lara, commentators suggested that he injured finger when he dropped then catch, hence he moved to midwicketish position (where he did some excellent fielding btw ).

Re: Hinds. I actually thought he batted fairly well today. He looked to be leaving well with good judgement and he got behind the balls he played with goo defense. He need to get forward occasionally though. If it weren't Hinds, I'd say it's amazing how fast he's fallen out of form.

Lara came into the Test match with a bandage on one of his fingers and he seemed to be troubled by it when he fielded a hard hit ball yesterday. The slip miss may have only compounded it. I've always maintained that Lara is a very much under-rated fielder and he really would have taken that 9/10 times. However, it went very quickly, so those are never easy.

Someone once said (Cullinun I think) that no slip catch is regulation and I agree. Not everyone can field in the slips.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

probably the worst load of play ive ever seen (that includes pub cricket)... I couldnt believe i was watching test cricket!

I've been following West Indies cricket for some time now, so believe me - I've seen worse!

 

[Tom Halsey]

Including England bowling you out for 54 twice in 2000?

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

That was triggered by bad batting, but credit where credit is due and that was some superb bowling.

 

[marc71178]

Including England bowling you out for 54 twice in 2000?

Be fair, they got to 61 in one of them!

 

[Tom Halsey]

Ok, 61, 54, what's the difference?

 

[marc71178]

Ok, 61, 54, what's the difference?

7 runs, which in that low a score is a great deal! :duh:

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

7 runs, which in that low a score is a great deal! :duh:

Indeed, but it's not very relevant to his point.

 

[Craig]

Well Brian Lara can not become the leading runscoer in 2003.