South Africa v India, 3rd Test, Cape Town, 2-6 Jan, 2011

Only thing left in this match is whether GG can join the likes of Gordon Greenidge and Ricky Ponting in scoring a 90 and a ton in the same match.

JGK wrote:Only thing left in this match is whether GG can join the likes of Gordon Greenidge and Ricky Ponting in scoring a 90 and a ton in the same match.

Yep it's a stalemate - a fizzer! It's a pity given that it's meant to be the battle for one and two and India has a chance to win its first ever series in SA that it didn't show more purpose and intent in chasing these runs.

340 was always going to be pretty bloody tough and needed a Viru special to kick start it all.

I said earlier that you couldn't blame Smith but maybe having 5 overs at India last night might have made a difference.

It's a tough one. Hard to blame either of the captains really given the way the game flowed. A bold attempt at a win resulting in a loss would have had them smashed by their fans (esp Donut).

Red wrote:

taipan wrote:So it looks like one bad day in Durban is going to cost us the series win. Just like the past 2 years.

With only three tests and your recent record at Durban, why didn't they go for Durban, PE or one of the other venues?

You can scrub Durban off the itinerary.

I am going to assume you mean Johannesburg.

I would. As I have stated before their is no crowd support in Durban.

Unfortunately Wanderers is still being punished for the IPL fiasco.

Batman wrote:

taipan wrote:So it looks like one bad day in Durban is going to cost us the series win. Just like the past 2 years.

Same goes for us. One bad day on the first day of the first test [on a rain watered pitch without a practice game under the belt. Though for that I blame BCCI for not getting a practice game out there for an opener in the itinerary].

Um, lets make that 3 bad days in the first test.

taipan wrote:

Red wrote:

taipan wrote:So it looks like one bad day in Durban is going to cost us the series win. Just like the past 2 years.

With only three tests and your recent record at Durban, why didn't they go for Durban, PE or one of the other venues?

You can scrub Durban off the itinerary.

I am going to assume you mean Johannesburg.

I would. As I have stated before their is no crowd support in Durban.

Unfortunately Wanderers is still being punished for the IPL fiasco.

Yes, I meant Joburg which seems to have more atmosphere than Durban.

It also amuses me that Indian fans claim one bad day cost them at Centurion. They took four Saffer wickets and lost twenty themselves.

So if this finishes as a draw, MOS to Kallis. A bit harsh on Steyn though.

Red wrote:India has a chance to win its first ever series in SA that it didn't show more purpose and intent in chasing these runs.

Shows how much you actually know about cricket. Chasing that many on this pitch against those bowlers in one single day?

taipan wrote:So if this finishes as a draw, MOS to Kallis. A bit harsh on Steyn though.

Kallis was the best performed batsmen in both innings on what was touted to be a bowlers' pitch. Plus he batted under duress. Steyn's stellar spell in the first innings which could have netted four or five only claimed a couple of wickets. His figures in the end while good, probably didn't do justice to the quality of his bowling.

I'd give it to Steyn too.

SG wrote:

Red wrote:India has a chance to win its first ever series in SA that it didn't show more purpose and intent in chasing these runs.

Shows how much you actually know about cricket. Chasing that many on this pitch against those bowlers in one single day?

I never said they were a shoo-in to get them but it looked like from the outset the shutters were up. SA ended up making quite a few runs yesterday despite being in dire straits at one point. Had they put some pressure on SA, which is one bowler short, they might have reaped the rewards later when the bowlers were fatigued.

I'll say it for the umpteenth time. At least look at how Steyn and Morkel and Tsotsobe bowled in the first session. They were immense. Doubt any other batting unit would've done any differently. If anything they'd have lost some more wickets in the process.

They should have gone for it whilst they had Sehwag but even he crabbed. Pretty meek effort, you can understand it but there is no way in hell the great Australian team of the past decade would have played the way India played today.

England should be licking their lips...

Why isn't Smith having more close in fielders? Is he still afraid of India chasing it down? Just 2 slips and a silly point for even Steyn.

Current Indian team is nowhere near that Aus team. At least till the time we discover some bowlers.

SG wrote:Why isn't Smith having more close in fielders? Is he still afraid of India chasing it down? Just 2 slips and a silly point for even Steyn.

It's not as if they've exactly looked like taking a lot of wickets of late. You'd imagine the captains will end this early and put everyone out of their misery.

The other thing India might have been aware of is that SA has struggled to bowl teams out twice, especially when bowling last in the match. They dominated England last year yet only ended up with one win out of four tests.

SG wrote:Current Indian team is nowhere near that Aus team. At least till the time we discover some bowlers.

Batting lineup is close if not equal to them though. Mentality wise, clearly not though.

Last 10 ovs 11/0 RR 1.10

Maybe it's a good thing there aren't 2 more Tests!

vilkrang wrote:

SG wrote:Current Indian team is nowhere near that Aus team. At least till the time we discover some bowlers.

Batting lineup is close if not equal to them though. Mentality wise, clearly not though.

Thats the benefit of having such champion bowlers in your lineup. That mentality came from the fact that even if they lose once in a while while winning plenty of other tests, it won't make much of a difference.

But its entirely different for this Indian team. Because of their bowling lineup which sucks 9/10 times they don't get too many chances on away tours at least.

Thats why I'd anyday take McGrath over Tendulkar in Indian team.

Red wrote:

SG wrote:Why isn't Smith having more close in fielders? Is he still afraid of India chasing it down? Just 2 slips and a silly point for even Steyn.

It's not as if they've exactly looked like taking a lot of wickets of late. You'd imagine the captains will end this early and put everyone out of their misery.

The other thing India might have been aware of is that SA has struggled to bowl teams out twice, especially when bowling last in the match. They dominated England last year yet only ended up with one win out of four tests.

That might also be due to their safety first attitude.

And thats probably why they've won just 1 series in last 2 years and that was against WI.

And Gambhir goes.

GG out.

SG wrote:

Red wrote:

SG wrote:Why isn't Smith having more close in fielders? Is he still afraid of India chasing it down? Just 2 slips and a silly point for even Steyn.

It's not as if they've exactly looked like taking a lot of wickets of late. You'd imagine the captains will end this early and put everyone out of their misery.

The other thing India might have been aware of is that SA has struggled to bowl teams out twice, especially when bowling last in the match. They dominated England last year yet only ended up with one win out of four tests.

That might also be due to their safety first attitude.

And thats probably why they've won just 1 series in last 2 years and that was against WI.

Not only, they lack a spinner and depth after Steyn and Morkel. Last year in the corresponding test de Wet couldn't bowl on the last day. They do need a third seamer (Parnell might come on) and maybe to give Tahir a go, he's been selected for the one-dayers.

The batting here is funereal.

SG wrote:

Red wrote:

SG wrote:Why isn't Smith having more close in fielders? Is he still afraid of India chasing it down? Just 2 slips and a silly point for even Steyn.

It's not as if they've exactly looked like taking a lot of wickets of late. You'd imagine the captains will end this early and put everyone out of their misery.

The other thing India might have been aware of is that SA has struggled to bowl teams out twice, especially when bowling last in the match. They dominated England last year yet only ended up with one win out of four tests.

That might also be due to their safety first attitude.

And thats probably why they've won just 1 series in last 2 years and that was against WI.

Not so easy to bowl out a team where the batsmen are stonewalling. The scoring rates of all these batsmen today have hovered between 20 and 30. India certainly has a safety first attitude too which has made for dull cricket. Nobody minds the attritional nature of test cricket which lends itself to slow play but this has smacked of the shutters are up and we're gunning for a draw.

I can't watch this crap anymore. Wake me up when the proper cricket starts.