South Africa v India

booth70

It's going to be trial by pace for India's new generation against Steyn and Morkel

It will be the first time in 24 years India have toured without any of the Big Four in their side

India stand no chance...I would be pleasantly surprised if it's anything but a 2-0 thrashing.......I am praying for rain;);)

y0ssar1an22

Tendulkar, Dravid, Ganguly and ...?

booth70

y0ssar1an22 wrote: »

Tendulkar, Dravid, Ganguly and ...?

VVS Laxman....

dfx-

There'll be plenty of rain with the evening thunderstorms in Johannesburg as ever, but it usually doesn't stop there being a result. Something like 15 years since a draw there.

Where's the Second Test...please don't say Durban..

booth70

dfx- wrote: »

There'll be plenty of rain with the evening thunderstorms in Johannesburg as ever, but it usually doesn't stop there being a result. Something like 15 years since a draw there.

Where's the Second Test...please don't say Durban..

It is in Durban.....why....what's wrong with Durban:(

dfx-

South Africa's awful recent run in Durban.

Something seems to send otherwise trusty and reliable Amla, AB and Kallis et al crazy there. Collapses and crazy shots everywhere. It's like the anti-Cape Town:)

mikeruurds

Durban appears to be our hoodoo home ground of late, but I just think team India are going to struggle too much to adapt to the pace and bounce.

I'm thinking 2-0 is the most likely result.

booth70

India have never lost at Jo'burg and Durban is South Africa's no go ground...... you would think India have their best chance of winning a test series in SA.......NOT!!!

India to bat.....surprised that Dhoni chose to bat as Indian captains generally go on the defensive when touring and choose to bowl rather than risk batting and getting bowled out on the 1st day......that could still happen though!

India really have nothing to lose but everything to gain from this series.....nobody expects either test to last the 5 days but if this young team can show some fight I'll be happy:)

booth70

255/5.....not bad from an inexperienced top order against the best attack in the world

And great to see Kohli score big after the flak he took after the one day series

even stevens after Day 1

booth70

278/9......all the hard work from yesterday undone in the first hour today
:mad::mad::mad:

dfx-

I switch to see Amla get a single off Zaheer, then Ishant collects Amla and Kallis..

16/5 :eek:

dfx-

Nicely recovered somewhat by Philander (and Faf)

booth70

Jimmy Anderson will no doubt be taking some comfort in Dale Steyn's match figures in this test - 56 - 12 - 165 - 1

SA need 458 to win in a minimum of 135 overs.....if they get a good start they will no doubt go for it.....all set for a potentially great finish to this absorbing test:)

booth70

SA showing why they are the best in the business right now

314/4 chasing 458.......on the verge of history here

dfx-

After losing Smith, Amla and Petersen for 30 odd runs at 140/3 and Kallis to an inside edge lbw, the remarkable thing is that the total is in sight, even if they don't make it.

It'll go down to tea on the 5th day hopefully anyways.

Rjd2

Probably the test of the year, all 3 results possible going into final session.


Still think India have a big chance Duminy is a notorious bottler while the tail apart from Vern can be shout out cheaply.

mikeruurds

This is a fantastic test match.

Rjd2

Duminy what an overrated hack.

Can only score runs when pressure is off and against associate teams.


Should have sent in Vern before him.

Insanely fun test match though.

axe2grind

Incredible
10 overs left, 47 needed or 4 wickets, one of them Morkel

Rjd2

axe2grind wrote: »

Incredible
10 overs left, 47 needed or 4 wickets, one of them Morkel

Vern very dangerous here, clearly go a lot of liscense to go for it.

axe2grind

Anyone backing a tie?

31 needed 6 overs left.

These 2 will see it out if they stay in.

But I won't mention the C word

Rjd2

Amazing from FAF no matter the result.

Beasty

Before today, the highest successful 4th innings run chase in a test was 418 - WI v Aus in 2003. History in is SA's grasp ....

dfx-

Rjd2 wrote: »

Duminy what an overrated hack.

Can only score runs when pressure is off and against associate teams.

In fairness he played a huge role in the 414 chase in Perth against Australia..

Really nothing beyond Steyn left, Tahir is worse than Morkel on one leg..

Moist Bread

Oh Lord ...

Beasty

Woosh!

16 required with 3 wickets and 3 overs remaining - just feel they've got to try and get them

axe2grind

:eek::eek::eek:

Beasty

Looks like they SA are settling for the draw. India need to go for the jugular now (but won't...)

mikeruurds

Playing out a draw now. What a great match!

axe2grind

SA settled for draw, batting out maidens

axe2grind

What a strange over, Philander protecting Steyn by refusing singles.
Not Steyn on strike for last over.

axe2grind

Throw the bat for last 3 balls and be a hero for life......but this is not T20

He does but misses.

axe2grind

Wow a draw, 8 runs in it at the end.

Beasty

Maybe neither team deserved to lose, but I think SA missed a great opportunity to go down in history.

Davei141

Gutless stuff from SA management.

dfx-

Davei141 wrote: »

Gutless stuff from SA management.

Considering they were 146/6 in the first innings, I'll take it.

Rjd2

They bottled it, shame because they had a monumental chance to create history.

Still will probably win the second test assuming they don't play Tahir.

booth70

Great test until the last 3 overs....I can understand both teams wanting to protect a loss but pretty bizarre scenes in the end....Philander refusing to take singles and Dhoni having every one out on the fence with the tail in

Sad thing is bcos this ended in a draw nobody'll remember it in a few months time.....one of the teams had to take a chance and win it in the end for this test to go down as a classic

Of the two captains I'd say Graeme Smith would be the more disappointed one while Dhoni will think he got out of jail after the way AB and Faf were going

Still considering that India were given no chance before the series I'll take the draw:)

Dirty Dingus McGee

What a load of bollocks.I may not be the biggest cricket fan in the world but I enjoy a good game.Is the cowardice shown at the end not the major reason test match cricket is losing its appeal somewhat.

dfx-

As I said before, there was nothing with the bat beyond Steyn, yet Dhoni didn't chase it either with no slips and everyone on the boundary. He also gravely under used Shami.

I do wonder who made the decision, Steyn looked furious at the end, but at whom.

booth70

Dirty Dingus McGee wrote: »

What a load of bollocks.I may not be the biggest cricket fan in the world but I enjoy a good game.Is the cowardice shown at the end not the major reason test match cricket is losing its appeal somewhat.

Agree pretty spineless from both teams in the end:mad:

As for test cricket losing its appeal couldn't disagree with you more there.....what greater advert for test cricket than have a test match go into the last over on the 5th day with all four results possible:)

Skid X

Hard not to feel underwhelmed at the conclusion, after a great day's cricket.

I know SA had their reasons to play conservatively at the end, but the six off the last ball was like a tease.

It was the third highest fourth innings total in Test Cricket

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/records/222199.html

Davei141

dfx- wrote: »

Considering they were 146/6 in the first innings, I'll take it.

dfx- wrote: »

As I said before, there was nothing with the bat beyond Steyn, yet Dhoni didn't chase it either with no slips and everyone on the boundary. He also gravely under used Shami.

I do wonder who made the decision, Steyn looked furious at the end, but at whom.

Philander and Steyn would have won that match 9 times out of 10 if they weren't shackled by gutless management. 16 runs needed with 3 wickets in hand in 3 overs, it didn't even require reckless batting just ones and twos. If one of steyn or philander get out then sure take the draw and block. Such a great test match let down at the end. I don't blame the fans for booing.

Dirty Dingus McGee

booth70 wrote: »

Agree pretty spineless from both teams in the end:mad:

As for test cricket losing its appeal couldn't disagree with you more there.....what greater advert for test cricket than have a test match go into the last over on the 5th day with all four results possible:)

It was a great match but the end was just so frustrating.

dfx-

Davei141 wrote: »

Philander and Steyn would have won that match 9 times out of 10 if they weren't shackled by gutless management. 16 runs needed with 3 wickets in hand in 3 overs, it didn't even require reckless batting just ones and twos. If one of steyn or philander get out then sure take the draw and block. Such a great test match let down at the end. I don't blame the fans for booing.

I think you're massively overestimating Steyn with the bat, but he is at least better than Tahir who is a genuine 11.

Had either Steyn or Philander got out, India had it. These were the last two that SA had some control/say in the game and it's understandable that SA were prepared to go for it until Faf got out.

booth70

India 'won' the draw
South Africa 'lost' the draw

Match result - Drawn

From 20/2 in the first hour of the test match, India did better than expected and SA should have have won it from 402/4 in the last hour

All to play for in Durban

Davei141

dfx- wrote: »

I think you're massively overestimating Steyn with the bat, but he is at least better than Tahir who is a genuine 11.

Had either Steyn or Philander got out, India had it. These were the last two that SA had some control/say in the game and it's understandable that SA were prepared to go for it until Faf got out.

I think you are seriously underestimating him, he is well capable of playing shots and winning the game. He has came into those situations a million times before in the IPL. It was only 16 runs in 18 balls, its not like they had to sky a few shots, they just needed to hit some singles. Saying that if Steyn or Philander got out that India would have won is a cop out. I'm sure Tahir and even an injured Morkel are capable of blocking a few deliveries.

axe2grind

It seems the shame of loosing is greater then the glory in winning, so the fear in loosing took over.

With a 2 test series, a loss here meant no chance of a series win and that is the biggest prize.
But Steyn proved a point with the last ball!

To refuse the singles in the penultimate over was astonishing.

booth70

For somebody who burst on to the scene in 2008 with that superb 160+ in Australia , Duminy's regression has been astonishing.........he's only played 20 odd tests since and looks out of sorts now at the Test level......Philander looks a better no: 6 than Duminy does

Rjd2

booth70 wrote: »

For somebody who burst on to the scene in 2008 with that superb 160+ in Australia , Duminy's regression has been astonishing.........he's only played 20 odd tests since and looks out of sorts now at the Test level......Philander looks a better no: 6 than Duminy does

Their is talent their but so often when needed he fails, he loves batting when runs on the board and he smashes associate bowlers like nobody, but everyone knew he would fail today.

Do you remember his innings at the 2011 world cup and more recently the Champions Trophy in England, bottled it.

Anyways it was poor from South Africa, one of Steyn and Philander should have backed the other to see it out if either got out. Tahir is poor with the bat but its not asking the world asking him and Morne to block a few balls.

Also Dhoni leaving Shami off for so long?

booth70

India was one bowler lite today bearing in mind Ashwin is pretty much useless outside the subcontinent and if he can't take any wickets on a 5th day pitch does not belong in the team

Dhoni had to juggle his pacers around all day and got it wrong with Shami in the end

Don't know what the pitch in Durban is like but if it dosen't take any spin India need to cast aside Ashwin and go in with either Yadav or Kumar