South Africa v India, 1st Test, Centurion, Dec 16-20, 2010

How will South Africa go without Graeme Smith?
Will Amla Kallis De Villiers carry on their form?

Will Dravid perform to get him a place in the WC side?
How will Raina handle the fiery bouncers of Steyn and Morkel?
How will Indian bowlers adapt to South African conditions?

Smith will be fit.

Well if he is - it will be a bonus for SA.

taipan wrote:

Note to Steyn and Co. Don't bounce SRT on a 5th day pitch

Agreed bru. Looking at how they bounced the Paksters all over in Dubai.

The forum has a new Saffie?

Henry wrote:The forum has a new Saffie?

No. Another sooking Indian.

Aditya wrote:

taipan wrote:

Note to Steyn and Co. Don't bounce SRT on a 5th day pitch

Agreed bru. Looking at how they bounced the Paksters all over in Dubai.

Welcome aboard, man.

This is another tour when swapping Dravid and Laxman in the order would probably be better for both of them.

actually this is one tour i would prefer laxman comes down the order. dravid is better equipped to play the moving ball early on, esp since i dont have great hopes for the openers (hope they prove me massively wrong)

@the one
U dont trust sehwag? He has scored at abt 80 runs per innings this year. And perfect tym for gambhir to get in form.

yeah, but thats mostly in the subcon. i am sure he would kill the saffies in india. not so sure at durban

Centurion pitch will have a 'bit of bounce'

So curators have been told to prepare track that 'that will favour their pace attack' and 'Smit has also been told to leave no room for turn'.

That in my books is playing to your strengths. I don't have any problems with that. Its every country's prerogative to prepare pitches as per their strength. Thats why its so wonderful to see your team doing well on away tours.

Should make for an entertaining series. 300 v 350 in the first innings is what makes for an exciting test.

I hope the pitches have pace, bounce and swing. Will actually help our team tbh. And will also lay to rest stupid excuses if we win.

Also I hope Bhajji gets sent back to India and Ojha played through the rest of the series if he continues to be toothless in the first test. Too important a series to afford a liability like that.

Isn't Harbhajan picked for his batting these days?

That will help when we are in survival mode (inevitably) in the 1st test.

The One wrote:yeah, but thats mostly in the subcon. i am sure he would kill the saffies in india. not so sure at durban

....spot on TO...the key questions in this series are whether the bannie bats and bowlers can adapt to non subicon conditions and particularly whether donut's captaincy has grown

South Africa squad for first Test:

Graeme Smith (capt), AB de Villiers, Jacques Kallis, Ashwell Prince, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Mark Boucher (wk), Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Ryan McLaren, Paul Harris, Hashim Amla, Alviro Petersen

Botha, Parnell and Duminy out.

I'd have played Duminy ahead of Prince.

Zaheer has a hamstring injury and is 50-50 for Thursday.

ham or heart?

It was absolutely silly to play him in 2 ODIs against NZ. Thats where he got injured.