South Africa versus India - Second test (Day 5)

[Khalil]

Game under way in dark gloomy conditions.

S.A must attack at all costs

Overcast conditions should suite Polly and Ntini

[shan]

yeah bowl them out in 40 overs because this is what seem posible at the moment.

[Khalil]

Sachin out to a beauty of Ntini

S.A now marching towards victory

[shan]

Tendu out lbw on 0.

[Romali_rotti]

DAmn it havent seen the replay but I am pretty sure from the commentary he ws out..

[kablooee87]

From what I've heard, India only have to play out maybe half a day inroder to salvage this and the rain/light should do the rest. With Jaffer/Laxman/Ganguly/Dhoni available they SHOULD be able to see this home. Actually getting it done is a matter matter though.

[shan]

DAmn it havent seen the replay but I am pretty sure from the commentary he ws out..

yes he was out.

[purplehaze]

Hawk eye showed ball would have clipped bails just marginally. Not convincing to me, but maybe I am bit bias :-)

[purplehaze]

Jaffer commits suicide now.

[Khalil]

Jaffer gone. Ntini strikes again

India 45 for 4

[Romali_rotti]

Ok guys game over for us,, 1-1 maybe India can hope for a draw next test. Pakistan take note of all that is happening in this India tour of SA and hopefully learn from it.....

[shan]

Hawk eye showed ball would have clipped bails just marginally. Not convincing to me, but maybe I am bit bias :-)

bias. Because there were many SA batsman out lbw when the ball just clipped the stump.

[kablooee87]

Now for Ganguly to make a semi-decent score which is ultimately futile and his supporters pointing to Tendulkar's duck to justify Ganguly's eternal exclusion.

What, a guy can dream can't he?

[UJ]

Looks like SAF have leveled the series.....

[UJ]

Ntini has all 4 wickets so far...how many can he get!

[kablooee87]

oh how I wish I could watch this.

[purplehaze]

Symcox feels India/ SA wouldn't get more than 90 mins. today. Clouds getting thicker it seems.

[Khalil]

Ntini is always dangerous in overcast conditions

[purplehaze]

Ok guys game over for us,, 1-1 maybe India can hope for a draw next test. Pakistan take note of all that is happening in this India tour of SA and hopefully learn from it.....

... we still have Laxman and clouds with us ;-)

[kablooee87]

... we still have Laxman and clouds with us ;-)
I'd put my bet on the clouds. And I'm not even trying to insult Laxman, he's the man for this type of thing......the chance of rain is just too high.

[UJ]

From CricInfo:

16.4 Pollock to Laxman, no run, on the stumps defended away. Both the batsmen are yet to complain about light to the umpires. If Javed Miandad was there, surely, he would have acted blind!

[Khalil]

It's very gloomy out there. Rain expected in 2 hours time

[UJ]

Haha, now its been changed to:

16.4 Pollock to Laxman, no run, on the stumps defended away. Both the batsmen are yet to complain about light to the umpires. If Javed Miandad was there, surely, he would have acted as if it was pitch dark! You got to be street smart!

[purplehaze]

Umpires checking light and India off the field.

Yay, finally Weather God seems to be an Indian ...

[Khalil]

Lights have been offered and batsmen have accepted

[Khalil]

Rain expected in Durban for the next 2 days.

The rain gods may have saved India

[purplehaze]

Rain expected in Durban for the next 2 days.

The rain gods may have saved India

You can't give all credit to Rain Gods if India bails out. This was always on cards that's why I felt, as mentioned previous days as well, after 275 lead Smith should have declared.

[akram_rejuvinated]

A hollow result in the end. the whole game was plagued by incorrect decisions, and the failure of both sides of pushing the initiative through. eventually though, south africa did come back into the game, and though the score is still probably 1-0 in the favor of india, its a moral victory for south africa.

advantage south africa. if however, india want to walk away from this series with undisputed claim to victory, they must win the next game, or atleast draw it from a strong position.

good game all. would really have been interesting if on the first day the proteans had not taken the light and india had managed to get the last two wickets. i think that was the decisive moment. for when they returned the next morning, south africa hijacked the game only to watch it slip out of their hands due to some decisions they brought upon themselves.

[Hash]

Weather Gods save lucky India

[Daoud]

For the benefit of those who havent seen the game, Tendulkar was indeed out squatting

[Khalil]

Now it started raining ....

I suppose it's the end of the game as the rain is expected to continue for the next 2 days

[shan]

wow lucky India. How is the weather for 2nd test?

[akram_rejuvinated]

wow lucky India. How is the weather for 2nd test?
3rd test i presume... pretty decent

[shan]

3rd test i presume... pretty decent

Then it will be easy job for SA.

[purplehaze]

Discussion over Sachin dismissal on. Symcox earlier called it tough one and now Donald feels that it was "unfortunate". Everyone feel the
follow-up stance (i.e. he squatted) after ball hit his pad made decision look different.

[Hash]

well it was definitely hitting the stumps. Not as plumb as it looked to the naked eye but it was out.

[purplehaze]

well it was definitely hitting the stumps. Not as plumb as it looked to the naked eye but it was out.

Definitely .. how can you say so?

It was those kind of decision which could have gone either way and other side could only have wished it had gone there way (considering there already have been a harsh decision earlier in inning).

Hawk eye surely suggested ball to be hitting bails, but then Gavaskar passed pretty interesting comment that if Hawk-eye would be allowed officially, most of the test matches would get over in 3 days.

Maybe he was indeed out, but bit of luck he could have got benefit of doubt. Anyways, let's move on ...

[Hash]

I think you need to take your Indian tinted specs off.

Watch the highlights when they show the replay. It was out, nothing else to it.

[Khalil]

Rain stopped and the light has cleared

Play to start again in the next few minutes

The rain gods are playing games with the players

or maybe they want to destroy the Indians

Like Longfellow wrote "Whom the Gods would destroy they first make mad"

[Amjid Javed]

Play has re-started Ntini bowling to ganguly.

who edges ball past his stumps for 4.

[Khalil]

Play started and Ganguly edges over sl;ip off Ntini

Ntini giving Gangs a rough time

[purplehaze]

Sourav already struggling in middle.

[Amjid Javed]

Nel will start from other end to ntini.

[Khalil]

Nel will start from other end to ntini.

And beats Lax with a beautiful outswinger

[Geordie Ahmed]

Hopefully the light stays fine and the rain desnt return

C'mon SA :19:

[purplehaze]

Wonder why both umpires carrying Sun glasses. One is actually wearing.

[ohioguy24us]

As a neutral cricket spectator, I feel that it will be poetic justice if South Africa don't win this test. For sure, India never deserved to win this game, but in my view, South Africa doesn't deserve to win this game either simply because of the following two major reasons:

1) India has got the very worst of batting & bowling conditions in this match. I believe that the pretty useless South African batting lineup would have played even worse in the overhead conditions that India has played under. All in all, the toss was way too much of an advantage in this specific game.
2) Horrendous umpiring errors all around, with India facing the brunt of it mainly due to umpiring errors against Dravid, who on recent performances must rank as probably the best batsman in the two sides combined. Rahul Dravid averages well above 60 abroad, which must rank as one of the highest all-time averages for any batsman playing away from home for a decent length of time. You can count on him to deliver in any situation against all kinds of opposition. To give such a batsman out incorrectly twice in a match is just utter travesty of justice. Just imagine how many runs and time the umpires just gifted to the Saffies by sending Dravid back to the pavilion in both the innings. It's these kind of pathetic umpiring errors that make people clamor for more involvement of technology in umpiring.

Anyways, I don't care personally what today's eventual result turns out to be, but South Africa doesn't really deserve to win this test match. If they indeed want to be worthy winners, then they should try to win in fair and balanced circumstances in Cape Town. I also hope that the level of umpiring in the next test isn't as ludicrously poor as it was in this match.

[ahsan17]

And now ganguly gone..

[UJ]

Ntini has all 5 !!!

[Rana]

RSA should win easily now!

[161]

As a neutral cricket spectator, I feel that it will be poetic justice if South Africa don't win this test. For sure, India never deserved to win this game, but in my view, South Africa doesn't deserve to win this game either simply because of the following two major reasons:

1) India has got the very worst of batting & bowling conditions in this match. I believe that the pretty useless South African batting lineup would have played even worse in the overhead conditions that India has played under. All in all, the toss was way too much of an advantage in this specific game.
2) Horrendous umpiring errors all around, with India facing the brunt of it more a bit more than SA. Rahul Dravid averages well above 60 abroad, which must rank as one of the highest all-time averages for any batsman playing away from home for a decent length of time. You can count on him to deliver in any situation against all kinds of opposition. To give such a batsman out incorrectly twice in a match is just utter travesty of justice. Just imagine how many runs and time the umpires just gifted to the Saffies by sending Dravid back to the pavilion in both the innings. It's these kind of pathetic umpiring errors that make people clamor for more involvement of technology in umpiring.

Anyways, I don't care personally what today's eventual result turns out to be, but South Africa doesn't really deserve to win this test match. If they indeed want to be worthy winners, then they should try to win in fair and balanced circumstances in Cape Town. I also hope that the level of umpiring in the next test isn't as ludicrously poor as it was in this match.


india have had a number of decisions go their way ... umpiring has been bad ... but not biased.

[161]

and let the time wasting begin ...

"South Africa are all over India here. Big chatter behind the stumps. Dhoni is taking his time to take guard. Trying to eat up as much time as he can, also would help him in getting used to the conditions. He goes for some gardening down the pitch"

[Amjid Javed]

VVS gone gets a skidder from NEL.

clean bowled.

India 85/6

[Rana]

Dhoni can just play his natural game now, theres no way india can draw by defending, there only chance is to play shots and put Saffies under pressure!

[161]

Dhoni can just play his natural game now, theres no way india can draw by defending, there only chance is to play shots and put Saffies under pressure!

only the rain can save them now !

[ahsan17]

VVS gone..

Btw, can't believe the bias of SAF commentators. They are seriously talking a load of crap here, especially Richards.

[ohioguy24us]

VVS gone gets a skidder from NEL.

clean bowled.

India 85/6

Now, it should be all over in a hurry barring any weather interruptions! All to play for in Cape Town now.

[Amjid Javed]

Intresting if S.A win this test and the next one.

Not many sides have won 2-1 after being 1-0 down in a 3 match test series.

Off top of my head i can only remember 4 occasions where this has happened.

Zim v Pak, S.A v N.Z, Ind v Aus and Sri Lanka v Eng.

[Rana]

good fielding by pollock!

[Amjid Javed]

India 88/6 - kumble and dhoni men in the middle.

[Amjid Javed]

S.A commentators really spoiling the game with over-bias!

[ahsan17]

Somebody should go and shoot that ******* Richards in the head..

[Rana]

This is were RSA miss Donald, someone who can just walk through the tail!

[shan]

S.A commentators really spoiling the game with over-bias!

How?

[shan]

Sun is out finally.

[shan]

Kumble out India on 131/7.

[Amjid Javed]

S.A 159/7 - Dhoni and Z khan digging here.

Dhoni is on 47*

[Amjid Javed]

Dhoni gone in last over before tea he slashes at a wide ball from nel and boucher takes a blinder.

160/8

[Amjid Javed]

what a stupid shot from Dhoni, the captain and coach should have a word in the prats ear!

[purplehaze]

Dhoni gone. Series levelled.

It would be an interesting 3rd test. Let's hope to have an exciting game of cricket.

Sehwag and VRV shuld be replaced with Gambhir/ Munaf respectively.

[Amjid Javed]

sreesanth new man in, all but over here for india!

[bladerunner]

how is the weather? will there be play after tea ?

[Hash]

Brilliant stuff.

Shows the Indians not to be too cocky and ahead of themselves after two days of good cricket in the first test.

[Amjid Javed]

how is the weather? will there be play after tea ?

suns out and wicket has eased out but india have just 2 wickets left.

[purplehaze]

Brilliant stuff.

Shows the Indians not to be too cocky and ahead of themselves after two days of good cricket in the first test.

Damn Dhoni ... made you wait so long :o)

[Rickz]

Dhoni gone............SA should win this easily now...........only rain and bad light can save India now.......what a poor batting performance, chucked it away just like Melbourne 03.

[ahsan17]

Did anyone catch what that guy and woman were saying the studio when they were reviewing 2006 as a year? I couldn't hear their voice for some reason.

[Hash]

Damn Dhoni ... made you wait so long :o)

I was quite enjoying it actually......delaying the inevitable

[Amjid Javed]

Plenty of verbals flying around.

Indian batsmebn talking to umpires about the light. Smith, boucher and few others mouthing off!

commentators talking **** as well!

[purplehaze]

Lights getting darker. zaheer appealed to umpire almost twice .. haha !!

[purplehaze]

Light meters out game still on.

[Geordie Ahmed]

Light meters out game still on.

good

C'mon SA

[purplehaze]

Light dropped from 16 to 13 in four minute. If it goes below 8 players would be offered.

update: Reading 11 now ....

[Amjid Javed]

Sreesanth gets hit on arm and now more time wasting will occur.

[purplehaze]

Physio is out treating Sree ... might help convincing umpire that ball is not visible.

It's getting funny ....

[Rob H]

Christ almighty. This is as bad as Moin Khan in Karachi.

[purplehaze]

Christ almighty. This is as bad as Moin Khan in Karachi.

It's all good till it's legal. Saffies did the same to India in 97 series and managed a draw.

Smith biting all of his nails ...

[Rob H]

Smith having words now.

[Rob H]

on drive for 4

[Amjid Javed]

Ntini and sreesanth mouthing off at each other now!

hilarious stuff!

India 177/8

[shan]

pussie India might draw this one.

[Rob H]

Umpires having a go at Sreesanth now :)))

[shan]

come on SA send them to where they deserve

[Rob H]

edge and gone. Nel gets Khan

[Amjid Javed]

Z khan gone.

gets a good ball from nel and its taken at 2nd slip.

Hall takes the catch.

india 9 down.

[Rob H]

Amazing celebrations by the proteas. What on earth was Zaheer doing though. Very good short ball by Nel.

[shan]

goneeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee nel strikeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[purplehaze]

zaheer gone. All over to number 10 & 11

[161]

what a match !!

going down to the wire !!

[Amjid Javed]

India 179/9

id laugh my balls off if india get a draw now!

[Rob H]

edge and gone to the keeper. Sreesanth gone. Hall strikes. SA win. :))) at India

[Amjid Javed]

Hall on and takes a wicket 1st ball.

S.A go nuts!

S.A win by 174 runs and level series 1-1

[Amjid Javed]

Came off his shirt! poor decision!

[Rob H]

Rough decision but for all his timewasting it was just desserts.

[purplehaze]

Congrats SA. Well played Indian lower order.

[Rickz]

Sree never hit that..........it goes to show the poor umpiring in this match to both sides.

Well done SA.

[Geordie Ahmed]

:27: :27: :27: :27:

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS - well done to SA :14: :14:

[161]

fitting end to a horribly officiated match

[Romali_rotti]

Great win by the Afrikanns, well deserved.. Indians did the same mistake as what they did against Pakistan in the bangalore test, tried to play for the draw during that test while it was for the lights in this one, instead of going for the win. It showed with the loss today that positive cricket was needed... With the series 1-1 we are in for a cracker, hopefully we will take the next one.....

[161]

Rough decision but for all his timewasting it was just desserts.


well said .. he deserved that ... ****** !!

[shan]

Rough decision but for all his timewasting it was just desserts.

losers like sree deserve this. World best batting lineup couldn't pass 250 in 4 innings so far.

[shan]

Tendu again today why down to he's knees.

[AWAN IN A MILLION]

LoL! India back into their groove.

Another memorable contribution by Tendulkar during India's hour of need.

[shan]

LoL! India back into their groove.

Another memorable contribution by Tendulkar during India's hour of need.
What a year Tendu had without playing against Bangladesh. :P

[Hash]

:27: :108: :113: :125:

YEEEEEHAAAAAAAAAAAA

Great stuff.

Certainly puts us in the driving seat for the 3rd Test where India will have it all to do. Cricinfo seems remarkably quiet about this game....didn't they have like a 700 million word special report after the 1st Test?

Justice has been done today due to a) Indian timewasting b) Sreesanth acting like a baby even though he could clearly see the ball and c) Indian arrogance after the 1st Test.

[Rickz]

Great win by the Afrikanns, well deserved.. Indians did the same mistake as what they did against Pakistan in the bangalore test, tried to play for the draw during that test while it was for the lights in this one, instead of going for the win. It showed with the loss today that positive cricket was needed... With the series 1-1 we are in for a cracker, hopefully we will take the next one.....

Hopefully we will, Munaf will be back. I hope Indias bad decisions agaisnt them in the 4th innings (even SA knew that was'nt out), comes back to bite them.

[shan]

plz some body start another thread to congrats SA. They played brilliant cricket even when two days were lost. So they beat India in just about 3 days.

[AWAN IN A MILLION]

India have come back down with a CRASH... LoL LoL!

All that bull I was hearing after the first test! Good!

Well done SA.

[Long_Live_Pakistan]

Hopefully we will, Munaf will be back. I hope Indias bad decisions agaisnt them in the 4th innings (even SA knew that was'nt out), comes back to bite them.

I really think India should have won this match.....
Sreesanth bowled beautifully but both indian batsmen and umpiring were pthetic......
Nel Vs Sresanth and all associated bias from **** sahib directed towards sresanth selectively was really pthetic.....that was very poor from SA and umpires and again asad rauf....i m sorry but he is a *****....not capable of umpiring at international level......i have seen it so many times....he can raise his finger to any sort of appeal, if the bowler happens to be white and pressurizes him by dancing infornt of him....poor....

[Rickz]

I really think India should have won this match.....
Sreesanth bowled beautifully but both indian batsmen and umpiring were pthetic......
Nel Vs Sresanth and all associated bias from **** sahib directed towards sresanth selectively was really pthetic.....that was very poor from SA and umpires and again asad rauf....i m sorry but he is a *****....not capable of umpiring at international level......i have seen it so many times....he can raise his finger to any sort of appeal, if the bowler happens to be white and pressurizes him by dancing infornt of him....poor....

Thanks.........India's batting let the fans and thier whole team down, the batting really messed it up which might have won the series for India, and now we are tied 1-1 with 1 match to go. Questions has to be asked about the umpiring, Dravid, Sreesanth was not out, Tendulkar's decision was questionable, India was robbed a lot of lbw appeals, SA aswell had some decisions go agaisnt them.

Nel is a idoit anyway, he as always been like that. Sreesanth wants to fightback, and he too sometimes goes over the top.

The umpiring was very pathfetic, something which as let asian teams down when they tour overseas, mostly in Australia, which they have got some history there.

[KB]

Not the first time this year that India's batting was unable to bear the pressure. Reminds me of a piece Amit Varma wrote earlier this year:

http://sport.guardian.co.uk/englandinindia/story/0,,1724092,00.html

England pressure can exploit fourth-innings frailties


Amit Varma
Sunday March 5, 2006
The Observer

The last timeEngland toured India, in 2001-02, the fifth day of the Ahmedabad Test began with India needing 357 to win with all their wickets intact. If England declare overnight, as expected, India will need 368 to win today. Five years ago England set defensive fields and India, already a game up in the series, batted cautiously to a draw. This time the tourists should press for a win. India's miserable record batting fourth demands it.

India's batting line-up first took shape in 2002, when Virender Sehwag opened the batting against England at Lord's. Since then, they have been asked to chase more than 300 runs six times, and have lost five times and drawn once, when the chase wasn't realistic and they had only eight overs to survive. The records of all the batsmen in this side, with the exception of Rahul Dravid, are abysmal when it comes to the fourth innings. And the worry starts at the top.

Sehwag has batted in the fourth innings of a Test match 13 times in his career, averaging a meagre 26, less than half his average otherwise. He has just one half-century to his name, against Australia in Nagpur in 2004-05, when the fourth innings, with India needing 543 on a green top, began as a lost cause. Sehwag has won India many games with his explosive batting at the top of the order, but these have mainly come in his side's first innings. Put him under pressure and he struggles to perform, either poking around tentatively or, as the three stumpings among his 11 fourth-innings dismissals indicate, being over-aggressive.

Sachin Tendulkar fares a little better. The first century of his career was a match-saving 119 against England in the fourth innings of the Old Trafford Test in 1990, but he didn't go on as he had started, and averages 34.5 in 36 fourth innings. Barring his Manchester century, he has just one other fourth-innings hundred to his name: a brilliant 136 against Pakistan in Chennai in 1998-99, which came in a lost cause as he battled back spasms and a high turnover at the other end. Besides these two centuries, he has passed 50 in the fourth innings of a Test only twice, both times in losing causes.

VVS Laxman is also 'Very Very Shaky' when it comes to chasing down a target on the last day of a Test. He's been in that situation 19 times, and averages just 27.9, with no centuries. One of his efforts helped India win a Test - indeed, a series - when his 66 helped India chase down 155 to beat Australia at Chennai in 2001. But although he has bailed India out of many crises since, none has come in the last innings.

The only Indian who inspires confidence in a chase is Dravid. He has batted 32 times in the fourth innings of a Test and averages 47, an outstanding indicator of his temperament under pressure. His most famous knock in a chase was 72 not out against Australia in Adelaide in 2003-04, a win he had set up with 233 in the first innings. India won that Test by only four wickets, as a visibly fatigued Dravid kept on going as wickets fell at the other end. For years now, he has been India's most responsible batsman, and captaincy will only enhance that. Of course, it might add to the pressure.

In an ideal morning for England, Sehwag would get out early with an injudicious shot, exposing Dravid to the new ball, to which he would succumb. And the rest would sigh and follow. But India have a couple of surprises up their sleeve. They have experimented with sending Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Irfan Pathan up the order in one-day matches recently, and they might do the same here. Dhoni, especially, is capable of turning a match in a session, but as India's other batsmen know so well, pressure does strange things to capabilities. England must pile it on.

[Uzi]

I really think India should have won this match.....
Sreesanth bowled beautifully but both indian batsmen and umpiring were pthetic......
Nel Vs Sresanth and all associated bias from **** sahib directed towards sresanth selectively was really pthetic.....that was very poor from SA and umpires and again asad rauf....i m sorry but he is a *****....not capable of umpiring at international level......i have seen it so many times....he can raise his finger to any sort of appeal, if the bowler happens to be white and pressurizes him by dancing infornt of him....poor....

How did you come to that conclusion?

SA were by far the better team, they out played India and deserved to win this match.

[Luton Bad Boy]

When SA win this series against India...they will be supremely confident and look who is touring SA.........PAKISTAN........Best result for us would be a drawn series!!!

[Rickz]

When SA win this series against India...they will be supremely confident and look who is touring SA.........PAKISTAN........Best result for us would be a drawn series!!!

The series is not over yet..............

[deep82]

Really pathetic performance by us...repeating same mistakes time and again.....Top order was crap in pressure situtaions...even now I am convinced that Tendulkar can't play in pressure situations......

Apart from the top order, i am esp baffled by Dhoni. he did all the hard work and just 2 balls before tea, he played a horrible stroke......he should ahev known that only half an hour batting after tea would be enough for a draw....

Now looking ahead....time for couple of changes...

Sehwag must be dropped(and not rested)......Munaf in place of VRV and hope the batting will click for a change!

[jusarrived]

India din deserve to loose this one.....indian top order failed in the secn innings , but other than that we played better cricket......never seen such bias umpiring ,we have easily taken 30 SA wickets in this match..they shud have never crossed 200 in the first innings..if this continues ,we stand no chance in the third test as well ....mark my words , pak will will not be allowed to win a match in SA !

[deep82]

India din deserve to loose this one.....indian top order failed in the secn innings , but other than that we played better cricket......never seen such bias umpiring ,we have easily taken 30 SA wickets in this match..they shud have never crossed 200 in the first innings..if this continues ,we stand no chance in the third test as well ....mark my words , pak will will not be allowed to win a match in SA !
Disagree! Indian top order has been absymal right through out the year and here it has been no exception. With such batting we won't be able to win games...also playing out of form batsman like Sehwag n tendulkar is also a reason for disaster. Mainly we didn't hold the key moment well....the pitch was not that difficult....lower order showed that.....bad umpiring as excuse won't do....

[shan]

India din deserve to loose this one.....indian top order failed in the secn innings , but other than that we played better cricket......never seen such bias umpiring ,we have easily taken 30 SA wickets in this match..they shud have never crossed 200 in the first innings..if this continues ,we stand no chance in the third test as well ....mark my words , pak will will not be allowed to win a match in SA !
"mark my words , pak will will not be allowed to win a match in SA"

If they play well they will win just like India did in first test.

[shan]

Indian batting is to blame here. They didn't passed 250 runs in 4 innings played so far and u can't expect bowlers to bowl out teams for under 100 again and again. Pathetic form of Dravid and Sehwag is another concern.

[purplehaze]

I would rather blame Indian top order for the defeat. They are consistently exposing Dravid/ Tendulkar/ Laxman to a new ball. Sehwag looks to slash almost every ball to boundary and doesn't try to stay to wicket at all. If openers can manage to stay 25+ overs at crease, I am sure we have enough resources to reach a good total. As of now there's too much reliance on Laxman and if he fails, we would be just be like we were today i.e. around 180 total. and accept it, we are among worst test playing nations when it comes to batting out in 4th innings. Regarding bad umpiring, we honestly I don't think that could have made a difference in match's outcome. Cricket is a team game, you don't need to rely on just one player to bail you out of trouble.
I still feel we can defeat this SA team. They as vulnerable as we are. One good opening stand 3rd test can be ours. And this logic applies to Pak team as well. They would require good openers to shield there middle order else it's gonna be pretty much same story.

[kablooee87]

Now for Ganguly to make a semi-decent score which is ultimately futile and his supporters pointing to Tendulkar's duck to justify Ganguly's eternal exclusion.

What, a guy can dream can't he?
I guess dreams do come true.

[Khalil]

Ganguly played such an irresponsible innings when his job was just to defend

[Mutazalzaluzzaman Tarar]

amusing to see Cricinfo not interviewing every aira ghaira about how India has finally turned the corner. wonder where all those special reports and interviews went?

on the other hand, if India manage to win the last test and the series, I expect Cricinfo to have some major orgasms.

[jackal786]

It is an expected result. Batting last against Ntini and co is no mean task. India's only chance was to bat first and put Saffers under pressure in 4th innings. But even given that two dreadful decisions to the captain of the side did not help their cause either. To be honest India put up a great fight. South Africa constantly had to bark like dogs in the field to distract indians through out the second innings. What all they talked to Indian batsmen. Nel said to jaffer "You can't handle the pressure man" on to his face. You know what. They stood like men bar few "super stars" and fought the battle real hard.


India is also placing "false hopes on known failures" in the line up . Sehwag a known failure, Jaffer another failure keep getting chances endlessly.

[161]

Ganguly played such an irresponsible innings when his job was just to defend


he is not a team player ... his objective was just to score a few runs so as to have an excuse not to get dropped. he never intended on staying at the crease.

[purplehaze]

Jaffer another failure keep getting chances endlessly.

Is he a failure?
Given the context of this series, I guess he did a decent job by batting out 20 overs in this match. If we had another operner like him, it would have been great job of taking the shine off the ball, allowing Dravid to come after 20th over.

[Somali Pirate]

watching the highlights now.

Tendulkar: this must be the umpteenth time, he squatted or jumped like a pansy when he is either lbwed or bowled. A shot unbecoming of one of the greatest batsmen ever

jaffer: what a ridiculous shot. The target is too save the game ya moron.

Laxman: thought the ball kept low when in fact it hit the bails. We also got another exhibition of 'The Face'

ganguly: cowardly shot. Guided the ball to gully. Probably did'nt want to stick around.

kumble: got a good ball. hanged around as much as he could.

dhoni: same as jaffer

zaheer: nothing shot but did stick around with dhoni and sreesanth

Sreesanth: incorrectly given caught behind when the ball hit the shoulder.

If the top order should the same resilience as kumble, zaheer and sreesanth then india would have saved this game.


Expect a cracker in cape town

[Saj]

I sincerely hope that the match referee sits down with both captains, both coaches and certain players and the umpires and explains to them the expected levels of behaviour from international cricketers.

Some of the theatrics and behaviour during this test have been absolutely shocking and a disgrace to the name of cricket. I'm all for agression and the will to win, but I dont particularly enjoy watching grown men acting like 6 year olds in the playground.