*Official* South Africa in India

[TT Boy]

Originally Posted by Mr Mxyzptlk

Is it that they don't want him in the middle or that they want him in the team but he can't fit in the middle?

Two opposing camps apparently. Arthur wants the middle to lower order to be attacking minded which implies no Prince whilst as Ashwell use to be VC and is an experienced player, Procter doesn't want to dump him. A poor first test than that should be the end of Prince' international career but like Neil Mac, I fancy he will actually prefer opening in the subcontinent than batting five.

Prince supposedly doesn't get on with a lot of people in the side and has a strained relationship with the board, so it is surprising that Procter and Smith are batting for him.

[Sir Alex]

Originally Posted by Sanz

Well I hope they produce Dustbowls. Because even if they do not prepare dust bowls and end up winning, the pitches will be classified as Dust Bowls because of the result.

Should Sehwag score on them the term Flat would be annexed to it as well..

[aussie]

Originally Posted by TT Boy

Virus is in the squad and he opens domestically. As has Botha to pretty good success. Elgar, Puttick even Rossouw and Vandiar can open albeit only so far in limited overs cricket but they have the ability to bat anywhere. So there are opitions, its just that Procter, Smith and Fletcher are all big on Prince and they don't want him to bat in the middle order anymore.

Word..

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Originally Posted by Sir Alex

Should Sehwag score on them the term Flat would be annexed to it as well..

Well if it's a dustbowl and South Africa don't have a spinner, it pretty much would be.

[honestbharani]

Fast bowlers can do well in dustbowls... FFS, low and slow conditions and variable bounce can be used by any good bowler..

[SeamUp]

If memory serves me correct the last time I saw the new Nagpur ground it was AUS vs IND ODI and it looked like it had a fair bit of bounce and pace in it compared to the other Indian pitches. If it is the case it could be a very interesting test match and obviously Eden Gardens is very special and could inspire the SA boys playing there.

In the long term I think it would be beneficial for Indian cricket if they keep the new Nagpur stadiums pitch quicker and bouncier than the rest of the Indian pitches. Whether to play SA there now may not have been a wise idea though.

In SA and AUS our main 5 pitches are all different to one another and its extremely beneficial to the players games to be tested on differing pitches and Nagpur could be good for Indian cricket if it remains the way I saw it last.

[mufc_1818]

dont you think loots bosman is due a chance to open in all forms of the game proven in one days and just as destructive as sehwag

[SeamUp]

Loots Bosman is a T20 player really and at times can be destructive in the 50 over version but is definitely not a test cricketer. I think the SA selectors feel if he goes out early who cares but if he comes off its carnage and he won't use up too many balls. I think they may go to 6 batsman, keeper, Spinner, 3 quicks route.

1. SMITH
2. BOSMAN
3. KALLIS
4. AB
5. JP
6. GIBBS
7. BOUCHER
8. BOTHA
9.STEYN
10. PARNELL
11. M.MORKEL

40 overs from the bottom 4 and Kallis and JP to share 10 overs.

[HMas]

Sport - Error

[Briony]

Prince looked ordinary against Swann so he may not be that great in the middle-order anyway. I read where there was a lot of tension after Prince was left out initially when fit again because Duminy had done so well. Prince thought that AB should return to opening after McKenzie was dropped but he didn't want to. Apparently he bad-mouthed de Villiers in a domestic game and got into heated discussions with several of the SA players. He's said to be quite strong-willed.

[ret]

I get a feeling that SA are going to give Ind a good fight. Ind will have to be at the top of their game

It should be a good series considering both teams would want to show which one is more deserving of the #1 rank. It should be an exciting series!

[VFE]

To be honest I dont understand why anyone would be thinking of bestowing greatness on this SA team.

They are not very good. They had a purple patch and people (well some) were suggesting Duminy, Amla, De Villiers et al were great players. They were good players in form. There is a major difference.

Steyn in class but they have no spinner. De Wet will be decent but is starting out. Parnell is hugeky over rated and will not have a long Test career.

Their batting is brittle.

Certainly not great and tbh no better than the other 4 teams battling for supremacy in Tests at the moment.

[VFE]

Originally Posted by honestbharani

Fast bowlers can do well in dustbowls... FFS, low and slow conditions and variable bounce can be used by any good bowler..

Low and slow is useless to all bowlers.

Bounce and carry is what all bowlers need.

Variable bounce is just unfair to batsmen.

The perfect Sub Cont pitch is turn from the start and bounce. The seamers can use the bounce and at least be useful if they bowl well and the spinners play a part from the beginning. The batsmen have a chance if they play well (no to variable bounce) and its a spin challenge.

It NOT about dustbowls, its about spin and bounce. But to be honest they havent produced decent pitches in India for a while now.

[ret]

What would be the best team that Ind can field? I am not asking for a cricinfo probably 11 which is likely to play but the one that you think is the best one


First, what combination should Ind go for?
1. 7 batsmen, 2 pacers, 2 spinners
2. 6 batsmen, 3 pacers, 2 spinners
3. 6 batsmen, 1 bowling all-rounder, 4 bowlers

As for the top 6 batsmen: Sehwag, Gambhir, Dravid, Tendulkar, Laxman and Dhoni (WK all-rounder) select themselves

Pacers: Zak and Ishant are in good form

Considering SA's perceived weakness against spin, 2 spinners would have to play. But the question is which ones? Bhajji and Ojha playing together is more suited to ODIs. A wkt taking spinner like Mishy has to get a look in for one of the spots. Also I have heard abt Ashwin

So here: Mishy + ?

And since we have 2 pacers + 2 spinners, what would be a better: an fast bowling all-rounder or a 7 (playing at #6) batsman or a 5th bowler in a pacer?

Here: ?

The contenders here would be (other suggestions are welcome):
Batsman: Yuvi, Badri, Kohli or even the new kid Pandey (well throw him in)
All-rounder bowing pace: Irfan Pathan (we miss Ganguly operating like a 3rd seamer and giving us vital break throughs)
Seamers: Sreesant (ability to swing/reverse at decent pace), Munaf (line and length stuff), Tyagi (unknown force)

[nexxus]

Originally Posted by VFE

Variable bounce is just unfair to batsmen.

Well, I loves me some variable bounce on the last day of a test. Nothing like the drama of a high class bat countering some throatballs & torpedoes with both sides looking for a win.