South Africa v India

Dozen Wicked Words

Although there was 91,000 last days play,and probably similar today, there have been a lot of empty seats in Australia, despite the home team crushing the opposition. Think England is the only country now where you are more or less guaranteed a good crowd in test cricket, pretty much regardless of who they are playing.

Rjd2

booth70 wrote: »

......and while 91,000 people turn up on Boxing day in Melbourne about 91 people turn up in Durban and this only a few days after the greatest drawn test match in history

Is test cricket going down the drain in SA like it is in India?

About 13 000 people were at the game today, some were saying it was more. Their was some empty seats but that was probably due to India batting.

Thought it was a good turnout myself, not sure about last wee, people in South Africa go the coast around that time, for what its worth when Pakistan and New Zealand toured they had healthy crowds.

Rjd2

Dozen Wicked Words wrote: »

Although there was 91,000 last days play,and probably similar today, there have been a lot of empty seats in Australia, despite the home team crushing the opposition. Think England is the only country now where you are more or less guaranteed a good crowd in test cricket, pretty much regardless of who they are playing.

Australia's crowd turn outs are normally solid, during the week their may be some empty seats but to be expected people have to work.

I'd say for turnout it is


England

Australia

South Africa

India---Will be interesting to see what happens now Sachin is retired.

West Indies

New Zealand

Lanka

Bangladesh


The last four really rely on the likes of England especially for turnouts. West Indies crowds can be poor but at least when batting they show up.

Lankan crowds are dismal, although they cancel all their tests!

India will be key for the future of Test Cricket, if the crowds don't appear now Sachin is gone they will be less keen to have long test series.

Cricket needs a successful India test team.

Dozen Wicked Words

Rjd2 wrote: »

Australia's crowd turn outs are normally solid, during the week their may be some empty seats but to be expected people have to work.

I'd say for turnout it is

England

Australia

South Africa

India---Will be interesting to see what happens now Sachin is retired.

West Indies

New Zealand

Lanka

Bangladesh

The last four really rely on the likes of England especially for turnouts. West Indies crowds can be poor but at least when batting they show up.
Lankan crowds are dismal, although they cancel all their tests!
India will be key for the future of Test Cricket, if the crowds don't appear now Sachin is gone they will be less keen to have long test series.
Cricket needs a successful India test team.

You are right actually, I was harsh on Australian crowds, and other nations in general. Filling stadia as big as some around the world isn't always easy, and England's grounds are a lot smaller than an awful lot around the world, making them easier to fill, so I am happy to say I think I was probably wrong.

booth70

Rjd2 wrote: »

About 13 000 people were at the game today, some were saying it was more. Their was some empty seats but that was probably due to India batting.

Thought it was a good turnout myself, not sure about last wee, people in South Africa go the coast around that time, for what its worth when Pakistan and New Zealand toured they had healthy crowds.

Hopefully more than 13000 will turn up to give Kallis the send off he deserves

booth70

Rjd2 wrote: »

Australia's crowd turn outs are normally solid, during the week their may be some empty seats but to be expected people have to work.

I'd say for turnout it is


England

Australia

South Africa

India---Will be interesting to see what happens now Sachin is retired.

West Indies

New Zealand

Lanka

Bangladesh


The last four really rely on the likes of England especially for turnouts. West Indies crowds can be poor but at least when batting they show up.

Lankan crowds are dismal, although they cancel all their tests!

India will be key for the future of Test Cricket, if the crowds don't appear now Sachin is gone they will be less keen to have long test series.

Cricket needs a successful India test team.

India are playing a 5 test series in England next summer!!.....which is great

Trying to remember when the last 5 test series between two countries (outside of the Ashes) was played

Rjd2

booth70 wrote: »

Hopefully more than 13000 will turn up to give Kallis the send off he deserves

Probably not raining, game already set to be a draw.

dfx-

Steyn:cool:

200th catch for Kallis, moves third ahead of Dravid

Rjd2

That leave of Rohit:P

booth70

Rjd2 wrote: »

That leave of Rohit:P

177 and 111* against WI in his first two test innings

Then 14 , 6 and a first ball duck......he is beginning to realise what test cricket is all about

booth70

In walks SA's greatest batsman.......great to see the guard of honour from the Indians

113/3

Rjd2

Easy to be an after timer but India really could have done with a second spinner here, Zaheer has done **** all.

Rjd2

booth70 wrote: »

177 and 111* against WI in his first two test innings

Then 14 , 6 and a first ball duck......he is beginning to realise what test cricket is all about

I still rate him, and due to his beastly start he deserves some time but not encouraged by this overall tour of South Africa.


Second innings if rain stays away he will need to step up. So far the question marks are over both him and Dhawan who also like Rohit bombed in the ODI Stuff.

booth70

Great respect from the crowd and from the Indian players

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x18ypuf_guard-of-honour-for-jacques-kallis-test-farewell_sport

Dravid , Ponting , Laxman , Hussey , Tendulkar and Kallis.....

Boy!...have we lost some great names from Test cricket in the last year.....the golden era of batting:)

Rjd2

Kallis is a legend but he and Duminy batted way to slowly today, Kallis as its his last game is slightly forgivable but JP? No just no. Needs to be dropped until he discovers a spine.

booth70

Kallis 108* in his last test innings.....SA 367/5.....34 ahead with about 170 overs left in the match

SA will aim to bat just the once....probably bat till an hour after tea but they'll need to keep an eye on the weather as well

India's bowling looks hopeless and it will be up to their batters and the weather to save this match

dfx-

Kallis always bats at that pace

Finishes one run ahead of Dravid, less than 100 behind Ponting and 17 straight years with a century

kryogen

Possibly the greatest genuine all rounder to play Test cricket? Certainly the best of modern times for me anyway

In the discussion anyway even if not the GOAT

booth70

Ind 71/4.....the two players who could have resisted all day are gone inside the first 20 minutes:mad:

Time for me to start the rain dance:o

booth70

173/7 at lunch.....India hitting their way out towards defeat on a wicket that was supposed to suit India better than SA!!

Extremely disappointing particularly on the back of how well they played in Joburg against all pre-series predictions......some mind boggling shots and poor commitment....particularly when Rahane is playing the innings of his life at one end....hopefully the tail will stick around and show some fight

No surprise to see Dhoni fail....when has he ever made any runs outside of India and less said about that shot from Jadeja the better:mad:

That India are ranked no: 2 in the world now is an insult to the ranking system.

I am amazed that India are actually playing 5 tests in England next summer....I am not complaining but unless the quality of the wickets in India improves and India start producing quality fast bowlers I can't see India being competitive abroad for the forseeable future

Rjd2

South Africa are very good to be fair, they won in Australia, England and New Zealand last year so 1-0 is not the worst result in the world.
The Jadeja innings was hilarious if not Indian.

The positives to be taken are Rahene, Vijay, Pujara and Kohli. The jury is out on Rohit and Dhawan, both will get the New zealand tour to sink or swim.

Dhoni has always struggled a little overseas.

Bowling? Ishant should be given up on, while Zaheer looks knackered, I'd expect Yadev to start next test for at least one of them.

dfx-

Steyn well deserved MOTM. Turned 180/1 on day one to a quick 2nd innings finish on day five. Taking out Kohli and Pujara today early.

Rjd2

**** sake Rohit, that sledge is so crap and Steyn what a man.:D

Some good old fashioned cricket banter is always welcome and Rohit Sharma and Dale Steyn treated the fans to some of it during the second and final Test match between India and South Africa in Durban.

It all started when Rohit hooked him for four, after which Steyn said something to the India batsman. Rohit, of course, hit back with words of his own, continuing to jaw with Steyn from the non-striker's end. One of his comebacks was: "We'll see how you do when you come to India." Well, isn't that what Gambhir told the English players too? And we all know what happened when they did come to India a year ago.

Also, if Rohit were check out Steyn's statistics while sitting in the dressing rooom, he would find out that the South African's average in India is 20.23 and that he has taken 26 wickets in five Tests. This is better than his career average of 22.88. Facepalm moment, no? Steyn wasn't holding back either. He pointed out to Rohit that "I have got more runs than you in this series." Steyn has 60 runs from three innings while Rohit has 45 runs from four innings.

The slip fielders also joined in, "Keep talking brother, keep talking," before Steyn's final parting shot: "You've played a handful of Tests and have done nothing in your career." A few moments later Rohit lost his wicket to Vernon Philander. Guess if you can't bat, you shouldn't chat either.

Read more at: http://www.firstpost.com/sports/rohit-learns-that-if-you-cant-bat-you-should-not-chat-1314013.html?utm_source=ref_article

booth70

Rohit Sharma has a lot of growing up to do

He needs to realise that centuries at home against a poor Australian side and what can only be called a club side representing the Windies and clubbing a few sixes in the IPL dosen't make him a world beater

Has been found out by Steyn and co and if he does not make any runs in NZ next month that should spell the end of his test career