What a great fightback by Team India. I had opined after Test 1 that the gaps between the two sides wasn't as large as the margin of defeat in T1 would seem to indicate. And that if India got the better of the conditions, and got some luck that they could win. India actually got the worst of the conditions, and they still won! Wow.
Before we get carried away, lets also remember that India got more than its fair share of luck. Not just the freak Kallis runout, nor the Zaheer lbw (not given) and the deVilliers and Boucher lbws (given). The Indian batsmen seemed to have an inordinate number of play and misses, and when they did edge or play a false shot, the ball went to ground or in the gaps. But thats the rub of the green and all part of the game, and fair payback for the reverse happening at Centurion.
But above all, this Test reiterates that Zaheer Khan is the single most valuable player in the Indian lineup. The batting has many contributors, each of whom has stepped up at different time; but without Zak, we would struggle to bowl out county second XI's, let alone a murderer's row like South Africa's lineup.
And a nod to the much-maligned (TM) Harbhajan Singh. He needed to bowl tightly, hold one end up, and let Dhoni rotate the pacers from the other end as the pressure built up. Keeping it tight was essential, and starting with the first over of the day Bhajji's analysis was 13-1-25-1 -- outstanding pressure at one end, and with that kind of bowling, it is no wonder that wickets will fall somewhere. And they did, with Sreesanth producing a brute to remove Kallis, and Zaheer prying out Boucher, Steyn & Harris.
All that remained was the formality of naming VVSL the Man of the match, for his brilliant 96, which was by some distance the highest score on this bowler's paradise (no one else crossed 40). This is his third straight clutch second innings knock to set up a win in the last few months, after his match-winning ton against Sri Lanka and his famous stand with Ishant against the Aussies.
Moreover, Team India continues to play as a team -- all credit to Dhoni for welding together a wonderful unit, where parochial pressures and selfish desires are set aside, and the team pulls together for a win.
All square, and everything to play for in picturesque Newlands. January 2nd can't come soon enough for me. I will post a preview in a few days.
Until then Happy New Year to you and yours, and may 2011 be the year for you.
Bharat
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
RFP: Predict Test Result Ind vs RSA T2
South Africa 111/3 chasing 302. Rain forecast for tonight but a bright sunny day tomorrow.
Whats the result you predict? Ind by x runs, RSA by y wickets.
Tie-breaker: How many wickets will Harbhajan get (he has 1 already)?
Bharat
Whats the result you predict? Ind by x runs, RSA by y wickets.
Tie-breaker: How many wickets will Harbhajan get (he has 1 already)?
Bharat
India pull slightly ahead after a roller-coaster day (IvSA T2D3)
The morning dawned bright and sunny day, but it quickly brought gloom and doom to fill Indian hearts. Pujara played on against Morkel -- a couple of times yesterday defending on the back foot, he played the ball straight down and spun back, once coming close to the stumps. This time he defended a bouncing Morkel delivery with an angled bat and it crashed into the stumps. The lead was still only 166, and Indian hopes sank lower than the Titanic.
But hang on folks, the roller coaster ride was just beginning.
Dhoni came in, and straight away Steyn was steaming from the other end into Laxman. India decided to attack, as pure survival would eventually lead to a wicket. Dhoni has his dancing shoes on. He straight drrove Morkel for 4, then hooked Steyn over a leaping Amla for 4, and carved the next ball in the air over point for 4. Later he edged Morkel through slips for 4.
Interestingly, Smith elected not to have a third man -- a curious decision as most early runs would come from there -- and the batsmen made him pay. Laxman steered a Steyn away swinger through slips deliberately with soft hands, and then deliberately swatted a wide Morkel delivery over slips. He edged Tsosobe -- a rare loose shot -- over slips as he tried to pull from outside off. Smith finally relented and put in a third man, but not before 5 boundaries went there.
As drinks came out 40 minutes in, India had added 40 runs in as many wickets and the lead was just over 200. By and large Morkel and Steyn (but for one over) had bowled too many balls outside off that the batsmen had let through. Advantage India.
Just as Dhoni was threatening to carry the game away for India, Tsotsobe did it again for Smith. He troubled Dhoni and got him sparring at a delivery outside off. Dhoni walked off livid with himself, and at 141/6 the tail was wide open. And all fears seemed to be coming true as Harbhajan fell cheaply. At 148/7, a sub-250 target seemed the most likely outcome as Zaheer tried to flail away at the fast bowlers, usually missing.
Laxman hasn't hesitated to let the tail face their share of the bowling (or even the bulk of it, as in the famous partnership with Ishant earlier this year). He talked to Zaheer, who settled down to play some defense. Which begs the question of why he didn't do that from the start??
India continued to ride their luck as both batsmen had their share of play and misses -- and this partnership changed the course of the game. They added 80 incredibly valuable runs, and had some luck. Zaheer was probably plumb lbw to Steyn but Umpire Davis saw an edge where there likely wasn't any. Another 30 runs were added and at lunch India were effectively 292/7 and having visions of a 350 target that would put the game definitely beyond reach. But Zaheer's vigil came to an end right after lunch.
Laxman had been batting beautifully. He was beaten a few times, but for the most part his batting showed the incredible timing that is his hallmark. Some beautiful punches through the off side, and a couple of pulls, and even dancing down the wicket to inside out Harris to extra cover, adorned his batting as he moved into the 90s.
Ishant fell and finally Laxman tried to farm the strike. And he fell to Steyn cruelly at 96. The field had come in to save the single and Laxman tried to carve a wide Steyn express to the point fence, but only edged. To put this innings in perspective, no other batsman has crossed 35 so far. Though he would rue his missed century, he would surely be satisfied -- a target of 303 was a good 50 runs more than the most ardent fan would have hoped for. India were firm favorites at this point; not quite what they would have hoped for when they came out after lunch (10 runs for 3 wickets was a great fightback from South Africa), but overall in great shape.
But the roller coaster wasn't done yet. The new ball was crucial and Smith knew it. Instead of allowing Zaheer to dictate terms, Smith simply laid into the bowling, ala Sehwag. Zaheer was pulled after just 3 overs, and South Africa was off to a flier. At 60/0, the pendulum had swung back in South Africa's favor, when Smith decided to indulge in a verbal confrontation with Sreesanth -- sure enough, his concentration faltered, and he tried to pull a Sreesanth delivery from outside off, and popped up and Dhoni ran around to grab the skier. Still South Africa were probably still favorites as India were reeling from the attack.
Amla came out and showed uncharacteristic aggression, not just with 3 boundaries flying off his blade, but a missed hoick outside off against Sreesanth. Then Petersen feel pulling Harbhajan Singh onto his thigh (thin inside edge) to lob up to the perfectly positioned, relatively strange position, of backward short leg! And next ball, Sreesanth bowled one even wider outside off, and Amla slashed and feathered one -- a most uncharacteristic shot. India firmly back ahead at 83/3, and the old Boycott maxim of "when you feel good about your score, add twenty runs and two wickets to the score and see how it looks" was well proven. An over late, Pujara put down Kallis -- very tough chance that came off the full face of the bat straight to his at backward short leg -- had it been held, RSA would have been dusted. Kallis & deVilliers saw out the day, until bad light ended the action.
At 111/3, the match is well poised. I have India as 60-40 favorite, but the weather will play a big role. If there is rain and the pitch freshens it would rapidly become 75-25 India, but if it dawns bright and sunny, it is a 50-50 game. An absorbing Test -- don't forget to set your alarm clock for the morning of D4, for the morning session will surely be as crucial as today's pre-lunch play.
Bharat
But hang on folks, the roller coaster ride was just beginning.
Dhoni came in, and straight away Steyn was steaming from the other end into Laxman. India decided to attack, as pure survival would eventually lead to a wicket. Dhoni has his dancing shoes on. He straight drrove Morkel for 4, then hooked Steyn over a leaping Amla for 4, and carved the next ball in the air over point for 4. Later he edged Morkel through slips for 4.
Interestingly, Smith elected not to have a third man -- a curious decision as most early runs would come from there -- and the batsmen made him pay. Laxman steered a Steyn away swinger through slips deliberately with soft hands, and then deliberately swatted a wide Morkel delivery over slips. He edged Tsosobe -- a rare loose shot -- over slips as he tried to pull from outside off. Smith finally relented and put in a third man, but not before 5 boundaries went there.
As drinks came out 40 minutes in, India had added 40 runs in as many wickets and the lead was just over 200. By and large Morkel and Steyn (but for one over) had bowled too many balls outside off that the batsmen had let through. Advantage India.
Just as Dhoni was threatening to carry the game away for India, Tsotsobe did it again for Smith. He troubled Dhoni and got him sparring at a delivery outside off. Dhoni walked off livid with himself, and at 141/6 the tail was wide open. And all fears seemed to be coming true as Harbhajan fell cheaply. At 148/7, a sub-250 target seemed the most likely outcome as Zaheer tried to flail away at the fast bowlers, usually missing.
Laxman hasn't hesitated to let the tail face their share of the bowling (or even the bulk of it, as in the famous partnership with Ishant earlier this year). He talked to Zaheer, who settled down to play some defense. Which begs the question of why he didn't do that from the start??
India continued to ride their luck as both batsmen had their share of play and misses -- and this partnership changed the course of the game. They added 80 incredibly valuable runs, and had some luck. Zaheer was probably plumb lbw to Steyn but Umpire Davis saw an edge where there likely wasn't any. Another 30 runs were added and at lunch India were effectively 292/7 and having visions of a 350 target that would put the game definitely beyond reach. But Zaheer's vigil came to an end right after lunch.
Laxman had been batting beautifully. He was beaten a few times, but for the most part his batting showed the incredible timing that is his hallmark. Some beautiful punches through the off side, and a couple of pulls, and even dancing down the wicket to inside out Harris to extra cover, adorned his batting as he moved into the 90s.
Ishant fell and finally Laxman tried to farm the strike. And he fell to Steyn cruelly at 96. The field had come in to save the single and Laxman tried to carve a wide Steyn express to the point fence, but only edged. To put this innings in perspective, no other batsman has crossed 35 so far. Though he would rue his missed century, he would surely be satisfied -- a target of 303 was a good 50 runs more than the most ardent fan would have hoped for. India were firm favorites at this point; not quite what they would have hoped for when they came out after lunch (10 runs for 3 wickets was a great fightback from South Africa), but overall in great shape.
But the roller coaster wasn't done yet. The new ball was crucial and Smith knew it. Instead of allowing Zaheer to dictate terms, Smith simply laid into the bowling, ala Sehwag. Zaheer was pulled after just 3 overs, and South Africa was off to a flier. At 60/0, the pendulum had swung back in South Africa's favor, when Smith decided to indulge in a verbal confrontation with Sreesanth -- sure enough, his concentration faltered, and he tried to pull a Sreesanth delivery from outside off, and popped up and Dhoni ran around to grab the skier. Still South Africa were probably still favorites as India were reeling from the attack.
Amla came out and showed uncharacteristic aggression, not just with 3 boundaries flying off his blade, but a missed hoick outside off against Sreesanth. Then Petersen feel pulling Harbhajan Singh onto his thigh (thin inside edge) to lob up to the perfectly positioned, relatively strange position, of backward short leg! And next ball, Sreesanth bowled one even wider outside off, and Amla slashed and feathered one -- a most uncharacteristic shot. India firmly back ahead at 83/3, and the old Boycott maxim of "when you feel good about your score, add twenty runs and two wickets to the score and see how it looks" was well proven. An over late, Pujara put down Kallis -- very tough chance that came off the full face of the bat straight to his at backward short leg -- had it been held, RSA would have been dusted. Kallis & deVilliers saw out the day, until bad light ended the action.
At 111/3, the match is well poised. I have India as 60-40 favorite, but the weather will play a big role. If there is rain and the pitch freshens it would rapidly become 75-25 India, but if it dawns bright and sunny, it is a 50-50 game. An absorbing Test -- don't forget to set your alarm clock for the morning of D4, for the morning session will surely be as crucial as today's pre-lunch play.
Bharat
11 right-handed bats in the lineup
Just noticed that with Gambhir & Raina out, India don't have any left handed bat in the lineup. With those two, and before that Yuvraj, Ganguly, Ramesh, Joshi, Kambli and Raman there's always been a left-hander in the mix back to the early 90s. Of course, Gambhir missed a few Tests recently, but I think Yuvraj was in the squad then, and Ganguly missed a few Tests due to injury, but Yuvraj replaced him.
The last time India played with all 11 right handers was against South Africa at Cape Town 1992/93
Bharat
The last time India played with all 11 right handers was against South Africa at Cape Town 1992/93
Bharat
Monday, December 27, 2010
Preview Ind @ RSA T2D3: First hour will be crucial
Set your alarm clocks for 2:25am EST, because this Test could come down to the first hour of play tomorrow. India are 166/4 and need another 110 runs to have a 50-50 chance. The problem is that another two wickets, and RSA is into the tail, and I wouldn't expect more than 20-30 runs from that group. So, the next two wickets need to add at least 80 more runs between them.
The first hour will be when conditions are the most spicy, and more importantly Steyn probably won't be able to go for more than 4-5 overs at most given his groin. If we can somehow ride through that hour or so, then conditions should be much easier for batting. But being 4 down, an abject collapse is never far away.
My head says, a 230 runs target and RSA to win by 4 wickets, but my heart is hoping for 320 and a 50 run victory. Either way it will be must-watch TV, and who knows we may get another Laxman ton to burnish his glowing reputation as one of the most clutch second innings players in cricket today.
Bharat
The first hour will be when conditions are the most spicy, and more importantly Steyn probably won't be able to go for more than 4-5 overs at most given his groin. If we can somehow ride through that hour or so, then conditions should be much easier for batting. But being 4 down, an abject collapse is never far away.
My head says, a 230 runs target and RSA to win by 4 wickets, but my heart is hoping for 320 and a 50 run victory. Either way it will be must-watch TV, and who knows we may get another Laxman ton to burnish his glowing reputation as one of the most clutch second innings players in cricket today.
Bharat
India roar back behind Zaheer (I vs SA: T2D2)
Dhoni must have hoped to push the first innings total to 250, but 205 was the best India could manage. As the innings ended the sun came out, and script seemed identical to Centurion. Put in India in bowler-friendly conditions and shoot them out for a paltry score, and then bat on for a couple of days. Steyn would scarcely have imagined that he would have batted on D2, let alone bowled as he walked off with a superb 6/50 haul. Swinging the ball at sustained hostile pace showed why he is the #1 bowler in the world, though a chink may have appeared in that mighty armour as his achy groin may preclude him bowling long spells, and that could yet be crucial in this game.
Identical to Centurion but with one difference. Zaheer Khan was playing, and I had feared it would take him some time to get back his rhythm. But there was no reason to fear, though he clearly wasn't going flat out. India bowled very well indeed, though those seeing the highlights package may think that all the wickets fell to straightforward deliveries. It was the *sequence* that set up many wickets, and in some case there were plans that surely Team India had put in place. The other key was removing the openers early that allowed pressure to be built on the middle order.
First over itself Zaheer had Petersen edging to vacant 4th slip (more on this later), but the working over he gave his personal bunny, Graham Smith, was of the highest class. He beat him at least once in each of the first 3 overs with balls that moved away late (Zak's stock ball typically comes into the left hander) including on the ball right before he fell, where he had Smith reaching uncertainly for one that swung late and seamed away. The delivery that got him was closer to the body so when Smith prodded hesitantly and the ball held its line, a simple edge to Dhoni resulted -- Zaheer using the cross wind to great effect.
At the other end, unfortunately, Sreesanth was complete crap, wasting the new ball and doing his best to release the pressure that was being built up at the other end. Somehow that didn't stop his mouth from moto as Amla & Peterson took a liking to his offerings that alternated between short and wide and pitched up on the leg stump. Tellingly, Sharma came on and bowled a maiden immediately increasing the pressure, and the next over Petersen departed, bowled by Zak.
After Petersen had edged Zaheer through 4th slip in the first over, he made a conscious effort to get across early and get on or even outside off stump. So it was a clever ploy to bowl an overpitched ball on the leg stump and try and bend it back to hit the stumps -- a bit of bad luck for Petersen that even after it hit the pad and then stumps, but I suspect Zaheer bowled that ball precisely because Alviro had moved across prematurely on many previous occasions, and left his leg stump exposed. (In fact, Zak had tried that a couple of times in his second over itself from over the stumps to get an lbw but pitched outside leg.)
Then South Africa's two best batsmen, Amla & Kallis began to bat well, and Indian hopes wilted as the deficit dwindled below 150. In the meantime Sreesanth replaced Zaheer and it seemed like more of the same as he overstepped and bowled a wide, but from this end his line was better -- Kallis had been leaving the ball well, but slashed at one and missed. India needed a big break and got it. I had mentioned in an earlier report that India was a lot luckier on D1 (edges not going to hand, and pop ups landing in gaps) and that continued with Kallis's freak dismissal backing up as a first struck Amla straight drive brushed Sharma's fingers enroute to the stumps.
Amla continued to take apart anything fractionally off in length or line, ending with a glorious ondrive against Sharma. deVilliers was the man in form, but early on even the best are vulnerable, especially when you have just one over to negotiate before lunch. Mainly I was fearing some dross from Sreesanth to help him ease his nerves. First two balls bounced up on off, pushing deVilliers back. Next ball was further up and bounced, similar to the Steyn snorter that got Dravid, although at a lower pace; deVilliers helplessly edging to Dhoni, and that was a tough ball to get early in the innings. 74/4 and India were right back in.
Still, *THE* danger man was there -- Amla was batting on serenely. He had been beaten once early on in his innings once (huge appeal for caught behind, correctly not given my Rauf), but seemed to be batting on a different ground. Also the sun was peeking out and conditions were a lot easier. And if India go on to win this match, and dare I say, this series *THIS* was the turning point. The much-maligned Harbhajan came on soon after lunch, and his second over bowled the toppie which Amla didn't pick -- tried to sweep and was out lbw. Frankly, this is the first time in -- well ever -- that I can recall Harbhajan getting a wicket this way...
Amla played that same sweep many many many times at Centurion for at least a quarter of his runs. I suspect this may have been an actual plan to get Amla -- surely the only chink he had shown. You may recall from the first Test at least half a dozen hapless Harbhajan appeals to balls spinning past leg stump harmlessly. This was the well err... bowled straighter one and he got the line bang on. The ball jumped enough to beat the bat, and that was that. Amla was perhaps guilty of sweeping a delivery whose line was too close to the stumps, but he had done so successfully many times. I will give the Indian brain trust kudos for this.
A word on Prince's dismissal; Zaheer beat his outside edge several times, and his dismissal playing on tentatively with a huge gap between bat and pad, had more to do the the previous 2 overs, than the delivery that finally got him. Stupendous catching by Team India got 3 more wickets, and a Tsotsobe flail later, India had run through the last 6 wickets of the South African linup, for an extraordinary 35 runs.
A 74 run lead was huge in the context of this game, though because the pitch would ease up, this was the time to score. Batting conditions were perfected. Sadly, some undisciplined Indian batting -- both Sehwag & Dravid fell to atrocious shots -- has left the Test well poised. Sehwag can be excused as the ball was there to be hit, but Dravid seems to have forgotten where his offstump is. The first new ball South Africa got didn't swing or bounce much, so when they got a change (in the 10th over), the other cherry was a lot more lively. Vijay fell to an absolute snorter from Morkel, though he should have gone back to the short ball rather than playing it from the crease -- a technical flaw that will need to be corrected. But all that was needed was to play time until the ball lost its bounce and swing, and that makes Dravid's dismissal all the more negligent. Tendulkar gone a fine delivery right in the corridor from Steyn which he edged -- again playing with soft hand would have been better, but the delivery was very good, and at 140kmph you don't have much time against Steyn. Pujara & Laxman hung on until close, Laxman not as fluent in the first innings, but still looking very good. Pujara had admitted in an interview that his atrocious pull was a huge brain cramp, so hopefully he has learned.
At 90/4 India are effectively 166/4, and at this point I would say that South Africa are slight favorites....
Bharat
Identical to Centurion but with one difference. Zaheer Khan was playing, and I had feared it would take him some time to get back his rhythm. But there was no reason to fear, though he clearly wasn't going flat out. India bowled very well indeed, though those seeing the highlights package may think that all the wickets fell to straightforward deliveries. It was the *sequence* that set up many wickets, and in some case there were plans that surely Team India had put in place. The other key was removing the openers early that allowed pressure to be built on the middle order.
First over itself Zaheer had Petersen edging to vacant 4th slip (more on this later), but the working over he gave his personal bunny, Graham Smith, was of the highest class. He beat him at least once in each of the first 3 overs with balls that moved away late (Zak's stock ball typically comes into the left hander) including on the ball right before he fell, where he had Smith reaching uncertainly for one that swung late and seamed away. The delivery that got him was closer to the body so when Smith prodded hesitantly and the ball held its line, a simple edge to Dhoni resulted -- Zaheer using the cross wind to great effect.
At the other end, unfortunately, Sreesanth was complete crap, wasting the new ball and doing his best to release the pressure that was being built up at the other end. Somehow that didn't stop his mouth from moto as Amla & Peterson took a liking to his offerings that alternated between short and wide and pitched up on the leg stump. Tellingly, Sharma came on and bowled a maiden immediately increasing the pressure, and the next over Petersen departed, bowled by Zak.
After Petersen had edged Zaheer through 4th slip in the first over, he made a conscious effort to get across early and get on or even outside off stump. So it was a clever ploy to bowl an overpitched ball on the leg stump and try and bend it back to hit the stumps -- a bit of bad luck for Petersen that even after it hit the pad and then stumps, but I suspect Zaheer bowled that ball precisely because Alviro had moved across prematurely on many previous occasions, and left his leg stump exposed. (In fact, Zak had tried that a couple of times in his second over itself from over the stumps to get an lbw but pitched outside leg.)
Then South Africa's two best batsmen, Amla & Kallis began to bat well, and Indian hopes wilted as the deficit dwindled below 150. In the meantime Sreesanth replaced Zaheer and it seemed like more of the same as he overstepped and bowled a wide, but from this end his line was better -- Kallis had been leaving the ball well, but slashed at one and missed. India needed a big break and got it. I had mentioned in an earlier report that India was a lot luckier on D1 (edges not going to hand, and pop ups landing in gaps) and that continued with Kallis's freak dismissal backing up as a first struck Amla straight drive brushed Sharma's fingers enroute to the stumps.
Amla continued to take apart anything fractionally off in length or line, ending with a glorious ondrive against Sharma. deVilliers was the man in form, but early on even the best are vulnerable, especially when you have just one over to negotiate before lunch. Mainly I was fearing some dross from Sreesanth to help him ease his nerves. First two balls bounced up on off, pushing deVilliers back. Next ball was further up and bounced, similar to the Steyn snorter that got Dravid, although at a lower pace; deVilliers helplessly edging to Dhoni, and that was a tough ball to get early in the innings. 74/4 and India were right back in.
Still, *THE* danger man was there -- Amla was batting on serenely. He had been beaten once early on in his innings once (huge appeal for caught behind, correctly not given my Rauf), but seemed to be batting on a different ground. Also the sun was peeking out and conditions were a lot easier. And if India go on to win this match, and dare I say, this series *THIS* was the turning point. The much-maligned Harbhajan came on soon after lunch, and his second over bowled the toppie which Amla didn't pick -- tried to sweep and was out lbw. Frankly, this is the first time in -- well ever -- that I can recall Harbhajan getting a wicket this way...
Amla played that same sweep many many many times at Centurion for at least a quarter of his runs. I suspect this may have been an actual plan to get Amla -- surely the only chink he had shown. You may recall from the first Test at least half a dozen hapless Harbhajan appeals to balls spinning past leg stump harmlessly. This was the well err... bowled straighter one and he got the line bang on. The ball jumped enough to beat the bat, and that was that. Amla was perhaps guilty of sweeping a delivery whose line was too close to the stumps, but he had done so successfully many times. I will give the Indian brain trust kudos for this.
A word on Prince's dismissal; Zaheer beat his outside edge several times, and his dismissal playing on tentatively with a huge gap between bat and pad, had more to do the the previous 2 overs, than the delivery that finally got him. Stupendous catching by Team India got 3 more wickets, and a Tsotsobe flail later, India had run through the last 6 wickets of the South African linup, for an extraordinary 35 runs.
A 74 run lead was huge in the context of this game, though because the pitch would ease up, this was the time to score. Batting conditions were perfected. Sadly, some undisciplined Indian batting -- both Sehwag & Dravid fell to atrocious shots -- has left the Test well poised. Sehwag can be excused as the ball was there to be hit, but Dravid seems to have forgotten where his offstump is. The first new ball South Africa got didn't swing or bounce much, so when they got a change (in the 10th over), the other cherry was a lot more lively. Vijay fell to an absolute snorter from Morkel, though he should have gone back to the short ball rather than playing it from the crease -- a technical flaw that will need to be corrected. But all that was needed was to play time until the ball lost its bounce and swing, and that makes Dravid's dismissal all the more negligent. Tendulkar gone a fine delivery right in the corridor from Steyn which he edged -- again playing with soft hand would have been better, but the delivery was very good, and at 140kmph you don't have much time against Steyn. Pujara & Laxman hung on until close, Laxman not as fluent in the first innings, but still looking very good. Pujara had admitted in an interview that his atrocious pull was a huge brain cramp, so hopefully he has learned.
At 90/4 India are effectively 166/4, and at this point I would say that South Africa are slight favorites....
Bharat
Updated RFP (Request for Predictions): What's the par 4th innings target for South Africa?
India are effectively 166/4 at the end of Day 2. What is your estimate for
a) The 50-50 target for South Africa -- i.e, the score at which the odds of a South African win and Indian win are exactly equal?
b) The target India will actually set
c) The final result
I think 270 is par (100 more runs or so) and India will struggle to get there. The first hour will be key -- Steyn's groin won't allow him to go all out for longer than 3-4 overs. If India lose 2 wickets in that span, they are done.
My head says India will set 230 and lose by 4 wickets, but my heart say 300 and a heart-stopping 40 run victory as VVSL enhances his 3rd & 4th innings rep as a crisis man!
Thanks,
Bharat
a) The 50-50 target for South Africa -- i.e, the score at which the odds of a South African win and Indian win are exactly equal?
b) The target India will actually set
c) The final result
I think 270 is par (100 more runs or so) and India will struggle to get there. The first hour will be key -- Steyn's groin won't allow him to go all out for longer than 3-4 overs. If India lose 2 wickets in that span, they are done.
My head says India will set 230 and lose by 4 wickets, but my heart say 300 and a heart-stopping 40 run victory as VVSL enhances his 3rd & 4th innings rep as a crisis man!
Thanks,
Bharat
Sunday, December 26, 2010
India looking down the barrel in Durban (I v SA T2D1)
Graham Smith grinned like the Cheshire Cat and invited India to bat in overcast conditions. A glum Dhoni confirmed 3 changes, as Vijay, Pujara & Zaheer Khan came in for medically-unfit players, Gambhir (inflamed wrist), Raina (severe allergy to short balls) & Unadkat (masquerading as a pace bowler), respectively.
In the last couple of weeks we have seen, we have seen 4 sides batting in bowler-friendly conditions. England @the Waca, India @Centurion, Australia @the MCG, and now India @Durban. This was by far the most difficult of all in terms of batting, as the ball moved around like a yo-yo, bounced off the pitch alarmingly, and generally made opening batsmen wish they had taken up tennis like their mothers wanted them to. To provide some context, the MCG earlier today was a batting beauty in comparison, and Steyn and Morkel are the most hostile attack in world cricket today. However, as the day wore on, the pitch would flatten out, so staying on would be the key.
In much worse conditions than Centurion, the Indians did a lot better today. To be honest, they also had better luck -- in Centurion a lot of edges went to hand, and here they squirted into space, and mishits fell into gaps. And 3 of the batsmen don't have to hide their heads in shame. Vijay got the delivery of the day, the ball seaming away late to graze the edge, but had he gone full forward, he would have been OK. Dravid got worked over by Steyn by a wonderful spell of bowling, despite being well set, ws finally finished off by a lifter that kissed the glove. Laxman was batting well -- ominously so from South Africa's point of view -- and was both hitting the ball well and working Harris for singles at will. Steyn's last delivery of his second spell was short and Laxman crushed a pull -- the ball was past Tsotsobe at wide mid-on who caught an amazing reflex catch as the ball was past him. VVSL looked as stunned as he had at the Mark Waugh special that removed him at Chennai in 2001.
For the rest, it was stupidity. Sehwag was smacked on the wrist by an overpitched delivery, first ball up, and things only got worse from there. He could have been out 5 times, edging through the vacant fourth slip, short of point, lobbing one just short of mid-on, and being beaten a few more times. In between he flayed a couple of drives through the covers and midoff and carved one over point -- but his general body language suggested he'd be a lot happier, back napping in his hotel room. So his dismissal, flapping at an overpitched Steyn delivery on off straight to Kallis was no surprise. Conditions were difficult, but players like Gavaskar took on bowlers with more gumption, that too without any of the protective Armour today's players cart around.
Vijay too lived dangerously. But one a pitch like today, you needed a huge slice of luck to survive. Steyn produced 3 perfect outswingers that Vijay wasn't good enough to nick, and then nicked one to be dropped by first slip. But he seemed to be getting better, particularly letting a lot of balls sail outside off, and a couple over the stumps. He also was lucky a couple of times, playing the ball to point as he tried to pull out. But, in general, he was trying to hang in there.
Steyn had been somewhat of color, rarely touching 140kmph, but Sehwag's dismissal seemed to fire him up. In what would probably have been his last over, he kept flapping away to Vijay, and finally the lad aimed an airly drive at a fuller ball and edged for 4 (again through a vacant 4th slip). The next ball was the best Steyn had bowled all morning; starting on middle-and-leg and swinging away late, and this time Vijay nicked. But as he played from his crease -- the final dismissal seemed similar to Raina's -- Vijay gets some of the blame, and surely a small assist to Steyn's mouth.
Dravid and Tendulkar hung in there until lunch, Tendulkar in particular lucky to survive Morkel's last over, and much would rest on this pair. In Centurion, India went from 24/1 in the 12th over to 76/6 in the 24th after Dravid fell -- so India, at 74/2 at lunch, should have been well satisfied. Unfortunately, the first over after lunch, Tendulkar needlessly chased a wide delivery from Tsotsobe to edge to Kallis. At the best of times this would be stupid -- given the situation, it was wanton negligence.
Dravid and Laxman survived for an hour and hopes were beginning to rise when Steyn came back into the attack. Steyn's first over went for 13, including a pulled six from Laxman to follow a delicious straight punch for 4. But he too began to pull out all the stops. He then proceeded to work Dravid over -- an entire over was a clinic with ball after ball right in the corridor, and eventually Dravid gloved one to the keeper. The highest class bowling, showing just why Steyn can be so dangerous. But this situation was precisely why we had carried Dravid for the last few years -- to be the crisis man on a fast pitch away -- and he was found wanting. Still Steyn seemed to be short of the express pace he had shown at Centurion, and on the very last ball of his second spell, he got Laxman, or rather Tsotsobe got him as earlier described well against the run of play.
Pujara was looking quite assured -- at least against pace. The tame spin of Harris gave him fits as he almost edged to FSL or BSL a couple of times. Eventually, undaunted by the man on the square leg fence, he tried to hook an express ball from Morkel, only to edge it to directly to fine leg. A few over laters he tried the same shot against Tsotsobe, again with the man deep on the fence -- showing that the Pujaras should be known for their courage, not necessarily their intellect. It was completely needless as he and Dhoni were batting very comfortably -- and this time it went higher but not as deep as Boucher took an easy catch. This was a disater as the pitch was quite easy now, Steyn was off, and all the hard work had been done. Harbhajan and Dhoni saw India through, so much so, that when the umpires went to take the players off for light, these two were reluctant to leave.
The South Africans didn't bowl as well -- Morkel in particular -- as they had at Centurion. Steyn was superb without ever reaching the very high pace he had a few days ago. But at 74/2 the game was there for the Indians, and the middle-order collaborated to throw away the relatively decent platform. Yes, the toss was crucial to lose, and I'd suspect South Africa would have been similarly troubled had they batted first -- but this time India had the luck and didn't capitalize. Still, another 120 runs be a fighting total -- not a great one, but reasonable. Lot depends on Dhoni & Harbhajan, and quite possibly with the overnight rain, conditions will be just as hard in the morning. In reality, India are probably looking at on 0-2 hole going into Cape Town.
Bharat
In the last couple of weeks we have seen, we have seen 4 sides batting in bowler-friendly conditions. England @the Waca, India @Centurion, Australia @the MCG, and now India @Durban. This was by far the most difficult of all in terms of batting, as the ball moved around like a yo-yo, bounced off the pitch alarmingly, and generally made opening batsmen wish they had taken up tennis like their mothers wanted them to. To provide some context, the MCG earlier today was a batting beauty in comparison, and Steyn and Morkel are the most hostile attack in world cricket today. However, as the day wore on, the pitch would flatten out, so staying on would be the key.
In much worse conditions than Centurion, the Indians did a lot better today. To be honest, they also had better luck -- in Centurion a lot of edges went to hand, and here they squirted into space, and mishits fell into gaps. And 3 of the batsmen don't have to hide their heads in shame. Vijay got the delivery of the day, the ball seaming away late to graze the edge, but had he gone full forward, he would have been OK. Dravid got worked over by Steyn by a wonderful spell of bowling, despite being well set, ws finally finished off by a lifter that kissed the glove. Laxman was batting well -- ominously so from South Africa's point of view -- and was both hitting the ball well and working Harris for singles at will. Steyn's last delivery of his second spell was short and Laxman crushed a pull -- the ball was past Tsotsobe at wide mid-on who caught an amazing reflex catch as the ball was past him. VVSL looked as stunned as he had at the Mark Waugh special that removed him at Chennai in 2001.
For the rest, it was stupidity. Sehwag was smacked on the wrist by an overpitched delivery, first ball up, and things only got worse from there. He could have been out 5 times, edging through the vacant fourth slip, short of point, lobbing one just short of mid-on, and being beaten a few more times. In between he flayed a couple of drives through the covers and midoff and carved one over point -- but his general body language suggested he'd be a lot happier, back napping in his hotel room. So his dismissal, flapping at an overpitched Steyn delivery on off straight to Kallis was no surprise. Conditions were difficult, but players like Gavaskar took on bowlers with more gumption, that too without any of the protective Armour today's players cart around.
Vijay too lived dangerously. But one a pitch like today, you needed a huge slice of luck to survive. Steyn produced 3 perfect outswingers that Vijay wasn't good enough to nick, and then nicked one to be dropped by first slip. But he seemed to be getting better, particularly letting a lot of balls sail outside off, and a couple over the stumps. He also was lucky a couple of times, playing the ball to point as he tried to pull out. But, in general, he was trying to hang in there.
Steyn had been somewhat of color, rarely touching 140kmph, but Sehwag's dismissal seemed to fire him up. In what would probably have been his last over, he kept flapping away to Vijay, and finally the lad aimed an airly drive at a fuller ball and edged for 4 (again through a vacant 4th slip). The next ball was the best Steyn had bowled all morning; starting on middle-and-leg and swinging away late, and this time Vijay nicked. But as he played from his crease -- the final dismissal seemed similar to Raina's -- Vijay gets some of the blame, and surely a small assist to Steyn's mouth.
Dravid and Tendulkar hung in there until lunch, Tendulkar in particular lucky to survive Morkel's last over, and much would rest on this pair. In Centurion, India went from 24/1 in the 12th over to 76/6 in the 24th after Dravid fell -- so India, at 74/2 at lunch, should have been well satisfied. Unfortunately, the first over after lunch, Tendulkar needlessly chased a wide delivery from Tsotsobe to edge to Kallis. At the best of times this would be stupid -- given the situation, it was wanton negligence.
Dravid and Laxman survived for an hour and hopes were beginning to rise when Steyn came back into the attack. Steyn's first over went for 13, including a pulled six from Laxman to follow a delicious straight punch for 4. But he too began to pull out all the stops. He then proceeded to work Dravid over -- an entire over was a clinic with ball after ball right in the corridor, and eventually Dravid gloved one to the keeper. The highest class bowling, showing just why Steyn can be so dangerous. But this situation was precisely why we had carried Dravid for the last few years -- to be the crisis man on a fast pitch away -- and he was found wanting. Still Steyn seemed to be short of the express pace he had shown at Centurion, and on the very last ball of his second spell, he got Laxman, or rather Tsotsobe got him as earlier described well against the run of play.
Pujara was looking quite assured -- at least against pace. The tame spin of Harris gave him fits as he almost edged to FSL or BSL a couple of times. Eventually, undaunted by the man on the square leg fence, he tried to hook an express ball from Morkel, only to edge it to directly to fine leg. A few over laters he tried the same shot against Tsotsobe, again with the man deep on the fence -- showing that the Pujaras should be known for their courage, not necessarily their intellect. It was completely needless as he and Dhoni were batting very comfortably -- and this time it went higher but not as deep as Boucher took an easy catch. This was a disater as the pitch was quite easy now, Steyn was off, and all the hard work had been done. Harbhajan and Dhoni saw India through, so much so, that when the umpires went to take the players off for light, these two were reluctant to leave.
The South Africans didn't bowl as well -- Morkel in particular -- as they had at Centurion. Steyn was superb without ever reaching the very high pace he had a few days ago. But at 74/2 the game was there for the Indians, and the middle-order collaborated to throw away the relatively decent platform. Yes, the toss was crucial to lose, and I'd suspect South Africa would have been similarly troubled had they batted first -- but this time India had the luck and didn't capitalize. Still, another 120 runs be a fighting total -- not a great one, but reasonable. Lot depends on Dhoni & Harbhajan, and quite possibly with the overnight rain, conditions will be just as hard in the morning. In reality, India are probably looking at on 0-2 hole going into Cape Town.
Bharat
Pontings Pugilists drop the Ashes (Ashes T4D1 at the MCG)
If there is anything the last couple of weeks have shown us, it is this. When faced with a pitch with some freshness, life, and movement today's international lineup turn into the St. Theresa Elementary's Girls 5th grade squad. First it was England at Perth and then India at Centurion. Today at the MCG, England bowled with discipline and kept the ball up, and watched the Australian batsmen committed harakiri en masse. To put this in perspective, England's attack wasn't anywhere as menacing as the Steyn-Morkel combo in Centurion, but Bresnan wasn't quite the let off when Smith turned to Tsotsobe & Kallis.
There is little point in going over the dismissals, which were virtual action replays. In an extra-ordinary day, all 10 Aussie wickets fell with the batsman edging a well pitched up ball outside offstump to the arc from keeper to gully. Several fell jabbing at the ball away from the body as Australia folded for its worst Ashes total (98) in over 50 years. And much like South Africa, England had the best of the conditions, because no sooner had Ponting lead his boys out, than the sun came out... And Strauss & Cook showed how to bat on a pitch like this. A lot of balls were left outside off, many were let go on length, and England strolled to a comfortable 158/0 with an assist from a dispirited and undisciplined Australian attack.
Australia will have to bat out of their skins to save the Test, but as the first Ashes Test showed, you can get out of jail. In some sense, the massive Strauss-Cook stand at Brisbane is the difference between
the two sides being 2-2 going into T5.
Bharat
There is little point in going over the dismissals, which were virtual action replays. In an extra-ordinary day, all 10 Aussie wickets fell with the batsman edging a well pitched up ball outside offstump to the arc from keeper to gully. Several fell jabbing at the ball away from the body as Australia folded for its worst Ashes total (98) in over 50 years. And much like South Africa, England had the best of the conditions, because no sooner had Ponting lead his boys out, than the sun came out... And Strauss & Cook showed how to bat on a pitch like this. A lot of balls were left outside off, many were let go on length, and England strolled to a comfortable 158/0 with an assist from a dispirited and undisciplined Australian attack.
Australia will have to bat out of their skins to save the Test, but as the first Ashes Test showed, you can get out of jail. In some sense, the massive Strauss-Cook stand at Brisbane is the difference between
the two sides being 2-2 going into T5.
Bharat
Saturday, December 25, 2010
A Cornucopia of Cricket for the Insomniac Fan
This Christmas day dawns with the prospect of fabulous cricket being played at 3 different locales, in different conditions.
At 6:30pm, start of with the Ashes game -- the most venerable of clashes is perfectly poised at 1-1, and there isn't a better stage than the grand old lady herself, the MCG. 100,000 screaming Aussie fans will try to build on the momentum of Perth, but the MCG pitch with its low slow bounce will hold fewer terrors for the English. My tip is for England to win this one and secure the Ashes, but it will be a close run thing. England were neither as dominant as they looked at T2, nor were they as meek as they were slaughtered at Perth.
At 8:30pm, switch over to the T20 between NZ and Pakistan -- yes, it starts at 8pm, and should provide just the break you need while the Poms and Aussies grab lunch.
Finally, at 3pm, switch over to beautiful Durban where the South Africans host the Indians. It isn't often that a tight Ashes clash, that too on Boxing Day, is overshadowed by another Test, but this #1 vs #2 matchup may just do the trick. All signs point to the Proteas wiping the floor with the Indians -- fast bouncy track, overcast conditions, best pace attack in the business against Indian paper tigers -- but, if Dhoni can win the toss and ensure India get the best of the conditions, it would not shock me if we went into Cape Town all square. South Africa is better than India, but not as much better as the comprehensive whipping in Centurion indicates -- and just as the Ponting's Boys Down Under turned the tables on the somewhat-overconfident English after a thorough drubbing, I'm picking Dhoni's boys to do the same.
Go Team India. Most of all, here's hoping for an enthralling pair of Tests.
Bharat
At 6:30pm, start of with the Ashes game -- the most venerable of clashes is perfectly poised at 1-1, and there isn't a better stage than the grand old lady herself, the MCG. 100,000 screaming Aussie fans will try to build on the momentum of Perth, but the MCG pitch with its low slow bounce will hold fewer terrors for the English. My tip is for England to win this one and secure the Ashes, but it will be a close run thing. England were neither as dominant as they looked at T2, nor were they as meek as they were slaughtered at Perth.
At 8:30pm, switch over to the T20 between NZ and Pakistan -- yes, it starts at 8pm, and should provide just the break you need while the Poms and Aussies grab lunch.
Finally, at 3pm, switch over to beautiful Durban where the South Africans host the Indians. It isn't often that a tight Ashes clash, that too on Boxing Day, is overshadowed by another Test, but this #1 vs #2 matchup may just do the trick. All signs point to the Proteas wiping the floor with the Indians -- fast bouncy track, overcast conditions, best pace attack in the business against Indian paper tigers -- but, if Dhoni can win the toss and ensure India get the best of the conditions, it would not shock me if we went into Cape Town all square. South Africa is better than India, but not as much better as the comprehensive whipping in Centurion indicates -- and just as the Ponting's Boys Down Under turned the tables on the somewhat-overconfident English after a thorough drubbing, I'm picking Dhoni's boys to do the same.
Go Team India. Most of all, here's hoping for an enthralling pair of Tests.
Bharat
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