South Africa v India, 2nd Test, Centurion, 13-17 January, 2018

skully wrote:Pretty even stuff atm. Great knock by Kohli and great start to I2 by Bumrub.

taipan wrote:Aye, this is going to be a tight one.

A tight bumrub?

I'm actually not sure why Parthiv Patel took up playing cricket.

About all square. The usual session before lunch might decide the game.

Faf a bit dismayed at not getting the pitch he wanted. Morkel compares it to Indian conditions.

Morne Morkel was the pick of the Proteas bowlers in India's first innings, finishing with 4/60, but he said after the day's play that it was one of the toughest spells he had ever bowled in his Test career.

More than that, Morkel likened this Centurion strip to a wicket he would expect to find in India ... and we all know what happened the last time the Proteas were in India.

"It's unheard of that a spinner bowls that many overs in the first day," Morkel said.

"We even had the option of opening with a spinner in that over before lunch.

"It has a very sub-continent feel to it: tough scoring, tough to get people out. It’s definitely not the sort of conditions we want here in South Africa this week."

Guess the local aren't happy that it has nullified their quicks.

Game evenly balanced. SA would be happy with their runs on the board though. If they can get through most of the first session unscathed, they're in the driver's seat. If Indian can break through early, the SA tail is long and vulnerable.

SA have been the better team, but Kohli/ Shastri's team selections have cost us.  

Dhawan, Rohit, Ishant and Parthiv over Rahul, Rahane, Bhuvi and Saha are the worst selection decisions I have seen the Indian team make in a long time.  I won't say it cost us a win, but certainly we could have been far more competitive.

It hurts even more because for once I believed that this team had the ammo to compete abroad. Instead, those tools in management loaded up on blanks.

furriner wrote:SA have been the better team, but Kohli/ Shastri's team selections have cost us.  

Dhawan, Rohit, Ishant and Parthiv over Rahul, Rahane, Bhuvi and Saha are the worst selection decisions I have seen the Indian team make in a long time.  I won't say it cost us a win, but certainly we could have been far more competitive.  

It hurts even more because for once I believed that this team had the ammo to compete abroad.  Instead, those tools in management loaded up on blanks.

Well you're not out of this test.

Apparently Dinesh Karthik has flown out to SA to replace Saha.

Instant bowled well in the first Yarp innings

India right in this.  Half the team is out and the lead is surely well short of enough.

AB perhaps played an indiscreet shot. De Kock has lost the plot.

Faf will need to dig in.

Starring role for Shami this morning.

De Kock was going to be the next Gilly, but the latter would come in and smash the opposition for a devastating ton, no look so scratchy as this. He doesn't move his feet.

Agree with all of that, R.

Great 2nd hour by India, lead by Shami.

skully wrote:Agree with all of that, R.

Great 2nd hour by India, lead by Shami.

With so much time left in the test, SA do need to post a decent score otherwise they will have to bowl aggressively without the luxury of runs to play with.

Red wrote:
More than that, Morkel likened this Centurion strip to a wicket he would expect to find in India ... and we all know what happened the last time the Proteas were in India.

I think it's a bit of a stretch to compare this track to the pitches SA played on last time they were in India. Spinners have taken 5-249 so far in this match.

I have SA a fair way ahead at the moment. It'll need another Kohli special in the 4th innings for India to win this.

Faf and Vern have done it easily since lunch.

Another 50 runs and I reckon it'll be out of reach for the Bannies.

Saffies collapsing, India in with a strong show.

Approaching tea and SA's lead is 251 with three wickets remaining.

Faf playing another marathon innings. There is stuff all to come once this pair goes so they will want to bat out time as well in order to frustrate India. There is still a lot of time left in the match.

Tea and SA leads by 258 with Faf and the tail still hanging around.

Biggest surprise perhaps is that Ashwin hasn't taken a wicket to this juncture.

Meanwhile Indian skipper Virat Kohli has been fined 25% of his match fee for unsporting behaviour during Day 3 of the second Test against the Proteas.

He has also been received one demerit point.

Red wrote:Approaching tea and SA's lead is 251 with three wickets remaining.

Faf playing another marathon innings. There is stuff all to come once this pair goes so they will want to bat out time as well in order to frustrate India. There is still a lot of time left in the match.

They need runs. Fifty runs.

lardbucket wrote:

Red wrote:Approaching tea and SA's lead is 251 with three wickets remaining.

Faf playing another marathon innings. There is stuff all to come once this pair goes so they will want to bat out time as well in order to frustrate India. There is still a lot of time left in the match.

They need runs. Fifty runs.

Currently 270 ahead. There are still north of forty overs remaining today.

Agree that another fifty runs would probably be a bridge too far for India.

Rabada and Faf fall in quick succession. India will be chasing 270 odd with plenty of time to make the runs.

Edit: lead has crept into the mid 280s. Will not be easy for the tourists to overhaul this.

287.

287 is the target. I think they will get it.

JGK wrote:287 is the target.   I think they will get it.

Put money on it.

They certainly have the time. SA probably would have liked the lead to creep over 300.

JGK wrote:287 is the target.   I think they will get it.

That does it.

What a guy,

MrK farks the Bannies!!!!

Lungi wins it for the SAffers by removing E-Coli.

Bannies really stunk it up.

JGK wrote:287 is the target. I think they will get it.

You are a good man, JGK. Always I see this wise use of your superpower.

Still, I guess Rohit could win this for India on his own, or maybe (less likely) help Pujara to save it.