The pitch was prepared this way I believe, it's the reason we playing with 3 spinners.
India vs South Africa
- Thread starter Insanity
- Start date
That sucks. I was hoping for more sporting wickets instead of this again.
Eldgar took four so am guessing its the latter.
That sucks. I was hoping for more sporting wickets instead of this again.
Never heard of him so I guess you are right.
H.Amla
Such an omnious name.
Such an omnious name.
So 200 might be a good score after all...jeez these pitches.
Fair enough India like other countries want to take advantage of their home advantage and play to their strengths, but it really does devalue the spectacle.
9 wickets to spinners on day 1.
Then again, I suppose it is better than some of the concrete slabs you get in SL that have draw written on them from the very 1st session.
Fair enough India like other countries want to take advantage of their home advantage and play to their strengths, but it really does devalue the spectacle.
9 wickets to spinners on day 1.
Then again, I suppose it is better than some of the concrete slabs you get in SL that have draw written on them from the very 1st session.
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Tad before my time.
Don't think 200 is a good score. Amla and De Villiers have nailed Indian attacks before. Might be the best players of spin on either team.
Nope. Just seen Elgar, but it was so long ago I don't remember what opinion I had of him. Just remember Johnson giving him a complete working over with the short ball and taking him out.
We would get embarrassed 4-0 on sporting wickets. These type of wickets are not our best but our only chance against South Africa. Our bowling is atrocious. Plus, no one wants to bear the wrath of a drunk Ravi Shastri; he gets abusive.
Though this strategy is fraught with danger too. Listened to Ganguly last night say that the wicket looked like a third day wicket on day one morning, and Kumble said this morning that today it's resembling a 5th day wicket. A 50 odd run lead by the South Africans and we would have a tough time winning this test match.
Thanks. Don't think I have seen anyone besides Amla, De Villiers, Faf (not sure) & Steyn play a test match in India before.
De Villiers struggles against spin but Amla definitely is the best player of spin bowling on either team.
All true ofcourse. This is one of the reasons why I stopped watching cricket altogether. Get tonked in away series and then create dust balls to beat the same opposition at home. Pointless. Applies for pretty much every test team atm bar maybe south Africa.
It's funny when people get outraged or disappointed by spinning pitches. I'd prefer these wickets in contrast to the wickets produced in SL and currently Australia. Also, if it's okay for NZ and England to produce green pitches on the first day, then it's okay for us or the sub-continental teams to produce spinning pitches.
India lead by 17 runs.
Dhawan is dreadful
It's going to be Rohit Sharma replacing Dhawan right, if we decide to drop him.. I don't watch much of cricket these days,so is there any young talented opener ready to fight for this spot?
Both extremes are equally shit. Whether it be a ridiculous turner from day 1 where teams struggle to get 200 or one of those mental green tops in NZL where teams struggle to get as much. Slabs of concrete that passes for a cricketing pitch in SL falls into the same category mind. This is from memory though, haven't seen or followed any of the recent test series there.
Or they can play KL Rahul. However I do think that they'll push Pujara up and Rohit will come at number three.
What I don't understand is,even if we make a rank turner on day 1.. Doesn't it mean we will shoot ourselves in the foot if we lose the toss.. This side doesn't seem as comfortable playing spin like our earlier ones..
I hope they just push Rohit Sharma up the order and keep Pujara at number 3..
Brilliant last session for us. Pujara and Vijay were brilliant.
Fabulous. Well done.
Yes, someone should've smacked Dean Elgar on the first day when he came out and called this an unsporting bitch. Wanker.
Unfortunate auto correct.
Even worse, typing on my desktop.AB at 5 and the tail starts at 6, way to get the best out of your best batsman ever.
I'm all for spinning pitches in international tests held in India. It's a traditional advantage, like greentops for Engalnd and bounce for Australia, and is just as legitimate a tactic. They're much better than the flat roads that we usually get treated to.
Also, I've noticed that when you overdo home advantage, it can backfire - Perth 2008, having a 2-0 lead from "neutral" pitches, Aus went all-out to make it as bouncy as possible, and then couldn't deal with Ishant Sharma and Co., and in Kingsmead, after thrashing us in the 1st test, SA went on and on about the Green Mamba and only Laxman could handle it. The same way Elgar suddenly became a threatening spinner here.
It's also a test of whether Indian batsmen still have their quality vs spin; last time we did this (vs Sa in Kanpur) I think only Ganguly and Laxman passed.
Also, I've noticed that when you overdo home advantage, it can backfire - Perth 2008, having a 2-0 lead from "neutral" pitches, Aus went all-out to make it as bouncy as possible, and then couldn't deal with Ishant Sharma and Co., and in Kingsmead, after thrashing us in the 1st test, SA went on and on about the Green Mamba and only Laxman could handle it. The same way Elgar suddenly became a threatening spinner here.
It's also a test of whether Indian batsmen still have their quality vs spin; last time we did this (vs Sa in Kanpur) I think only Ganguly and Laxman passed.
Was looking forward to a good match but this is bang average.
Stiaan Van Zyl and Simon Harmer. Like watching some shitty Ranji match.
Stiaan Van Zyl and Simon Harmer. Like watching some shitty Ranji match.
Spoke too soon.
Bang average from India now.
Bang average from India now.
We lost 5 wickets for 21 runs. Pathetic first session.
Just got up and looked at the score.. What happened!! We seemed to be in such a good position yday..
161-3 to 200 all out.
SA will still struggle to get this.
what a matchlove it.
No one should be blaming the pitch for this. This is terrible batting from both sides.
All the wickets have been on straight balls
Yeah this match hasn't been much fun at all.
Is it me or have Aaron looked a much better bowler in this match?
Seemed to have changed his action a bit too.
Seemed to have changed his action a bit too.
That's that.. Some horrendous batting on display in this test..