Round 7
txt, Game 23: South Africa vs New Zealand, Kingsmead, Durban, South Africa
A solid team performance from the South Africans lead them to a convincing 177 run victory over the Kiwis to keep themselves in contention for a semi-final birth with one test to play. Mike Procter won the toss and took to the risk to bat on a greenish wicket & the saffies battled againts some good New Zealand swing bowling to get up to 294 with star batsman Graeme Pollock continuing his brilliant form in the tournament with commanding 86 as he continued to press his claims amongst the games hierarchy along with West Indians Sir Gary Sobers & Brian Lara of who is the greatest left-handed batsman the game as ever seen, but at least who know who the South African public would pick.
When the kiwis took strike conditions became much easier for batting but a disciplined all-round bowling performance from the springbooks restricted them to a disappointing 328 as all the batsman got starts but none except new recruit John Wright & John Reid cashed in with 74 & 89 respectively, but even they would have been disappointed not to have gone on to make big hundreds.
The South Africans though did take advantage of the change in conditions with an effective 2nd innings batting performance by the entire side contributing to give the Kiwis 350 to win in the 4th innings, except for skipper Martin Crowe who for most of the tournament always seemed to be fighting a lone battle with the bat against most of the Kiwis opposition went after the South Africans in an enterprising cameo of 56 that contained 11 scorching boundaries, the Kiwis capitulated for 181 and can only hope to play for pride in their final home fixture vs the Pakistani's who will be coming hard at them since they will be looking to consolidate a semi-final birth.
Game 24: India vs West Indies, MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, India
The hype before this test match surrounded the battle of the greatest batsmen of the recent cricketening generation in Brian Lara & Sachin Tendulkar as thousands of Indian fans & a few West Indians packed the Chidambaram stadium to see the two legends bat. But it end it proved to be a devastating defeat for the Indians who lost the game on the final afternoons by 3 runs thanks to a fantastic last afternoon bowling performance from a second string but by no means unthreatening West Indian pace attack especially by Michael Holding whose 5 for 55 engineered an amazing collapse as Indian fell from 126 without loss to be bowled out for 225.
The test began with the West Indes semi-final place secured after another solid victory this time at home to the English, Haynes, Weekes, Walcott, Hall, Roberts were given a chance to show their skills while Gibbs recalled to bolster the spin options. The Indians coming of another feeble away performance this time to arch rivals Pakistan knew a draw or preferably wins in this the first of two crucial home fixtures were imperitive to their chances of reaching the semi-finals.
Things began very brightly as their spin quartet reduced the West Indies to 220 on day one with Brian Lara dashing 63 being the highlight of the windies innings while Bedi continued his brilliant home form with 4 for 59, the Indian then lead by Gavaskar's brilliant 145 who has really consolidated his positions in the eyes of many in this competition as the greatest opener of all-time & solid half- centuries by the called up Engineer & star all-round Kapil Dev got up to 376 and with a first innings lead of 156 & with the pitch really beginning to assit their spinners a great victory was on the cards.
But the West Indies had not won 5 straight test for nothing in the competition & lead by a true captains innings by Viv Richards the West Indies batsmen battled hard in tough conditons to set up an interesting 4th innings chase for the Indians, and so it proved to be.
Gavaskar & Mankad batting with great control and sense in a solid century opening partnershp along with Dravid's wall like qualities seemed destined to lead Indian to victory, but when Indian lost both openers in consecutive overs the wheels came of as Michael Holding & the windies pace trio woke up the dead Chennai with to leave the Indians flabbergasted knowing anything less than a win in Bangalore against the South Aficans & their semi-final hopes are gone.
