South Africa A in India

[Manee]

I too would prefer him ahead of both Irfan and Joginder in T20, but why the management (?) doesn't rate him at all is strange. He didn't make the T20 lineup, but this was an option.

It is not that they don't rate him. If there were one, he would be in the India B team (Challenger series anyone) considering he was picked as a replacement for the India A tri series. Perhaps he is seen as a long term prospect (like Raina) and they want him to perform a bit more in domestic cricket before international selection.

 

[TT Boy]

Close Day 1
India A 354/4 (Chopra 137*, Patel 110, Badrinath 77*, De Wet 2/56)

Excellent day for India. Although, South Africa only have themselves to blame for they dropped Chopra twice and Badrinath was put down by Prince, whilst in his teens. Dale Steyn didn't play (reason unknown) and was replaced by all-rounder Rory Kleinveldt. Only encouragement for South Africa would be the performances from Langeveldt and de Wet, the rest got smashed with some aplomb. India set for a huge total...

 

[Manee]

Well, I hope Parthiv Patel can field because with a fifty and four hundreds in his last five India A innings, he can do little more to get into the India team as a specialist batsman. The same goes for Badrinath who is aiming for a hundred too.

Aakash Chopra did what Aakash Chopra does, he stonewalled in tough conditions until he was 'in' and then played his shots. Luck or no luck, the end result is what matters and a century will be good for him in attempting to force Jaffer out of the Indian team and force himself in in the process.

Unlucky for Kaif and Pujara to get out to what cricinfo said were good deliveries. I do not think this is too bad for Kaif, I believe he has more chance of getting into India as an ODI player than a test one, mainly due to his fielding. The same may go for Raina and explain why he didn't play today, but I doubt that is the case. Tiwary did not score any runs either but I think he scored enough runs in the Ranji Trophy to allow for one bad score against what is (based on my limited knowledge and FC records) a good South African attack.

 

[TT Boy]

South Africa fielded two genuine bowlers, the rest were 'all-rounders' (loosely, Justin Ontong). It’s nothing like a 'good' attack.

 

[Manee]

South Africa fielded two genuine bowlers, the rest were 'all-rounders' (loosely, Justin Ontong). It’s nothing like a 'good' attack.

Sorry about that.

Still better than Kenya and Zimbabwe's(yes, I know they beat Australia) attacks.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Well, I hope Parthiv Patel can field because with a fifty and four hundreds in his last five India A innings, he can do little more to get into the India team as a specialist batsman. The same goes for Badrinath who is aiming for a hundred too.

Dhoni, Karthik & Patel in the same side. The mouth waters.

 

[R_D]

Anyone know whatever happend to Venugopal (sp?) Rao.
He looked like a decent batsman.... was in India A team and i think might have even played few ODI matches. He seems to have just gone off.. not even in the A team now.

 

[silentstriker]

Chopra is the absolute man. I love his batting, I love his style and I can't believe he is not in the side.

 

[Perm]

Good innings from Parthiv Patel, Aakash Chopra and Badrinath. Can't wait until Badrinath tons up, he averages something like 150 for India 'A', it's just ridiculous.

 

[Dasa]

Good innings from Parthiv Patel, Aakash Chopra and Badrinath. Can't wait until Badrinath tons up, he averages something like 150 for India 'A', it's just ridiculous.

214 actually, although it's higher right now because he's not out. Pretty amazing.

 

[SJS]

214 actually, although it's higher right now because he's not out. Pretty amazing.

I think Parthiv Patel ahs the best credentials of this lot to play for India.

 

[Perm]

I think Parthiv Patel ahs the best credentials of this lot to play for India.

Because he averages what, 33? Badrinath has an amazing record, much better than Patel's, plus he is a specialist batsman which should count in his favour.

 

[Perm]

Chopra moves past 200, Badrinath nears the mark.

 

[Perm]

India 'A' finish up on 588/4 declared, Chopra 237* and Badrinath 200*, Chopra's highest FC score and Badrinath was just 6 runs short of his. India have a very inexperienced bowling lineup, with the exception of Amit Mishra, all the rest of the bowlers have played less than 20 First-Class games.

 

[honestbharani]

That is a pretty dominating and merciless batting performance, no matter how weak the bowling attack was....

 

[TT Boy]

Rain stops play with South Africa A 67/1.

Good positive start by the South Africans with van Wyk given some punishment out to the Indian seamers, who have been expensive but the spinners have checked them slightly and brought the run rate down to just four runs an over. Excellent opportunity for any South African to hit a huge score, for unless the Indian spinners start to get some purchase this game should end as a high scoring bore.

 

[TT Boy]

Close of day two, South Africa A 93/2 (van Wyk 53*, Ojha 1/18)

Play did resume after the rain stoppage and Hashim Amla promptly got run out. van Wyk looks good but Boeta has apparently struggled with the young spinner Ojha.

South Africa trail by the small matter of 495 runs but to prevent the follow on they need to score a further 345 runs.

 

[SJS]

Because he averages what, 33? Badrinath has an amazing record, much better than Patel's, plus he is a specialist batsman which should count in his favour.

I am going by how he is playing and not the averages. I have no idea what their first class averages are. In India first class averages stopped mattering ages ago.

Have you heard of a player called Ajay Sharma. He played a bit for India as a spinner who could bat. He averages above 60 in his longfirst class career. Far above most of crickets greats over the last 200 years !!

 

[honestbharani]

I am going by how he is playing and not the averages. I have no idea what their first class averages are. In India first class averages stopped mattering ages ago.

Have you heard of a player called Ajay Sharma. He played a bit for India as a spinner who could bat. He averages above 60 in his longfirst class career. Far above most of crickets greats over the last 200 years !!

that is true, SJS, but I don't think these matches are televised live. So what prompted you think that Parthiv is playing better than Badrinath?

not a dig or anything, I am genuinely asking....

 

[SJS]

that is true, SJS, but I don't think these matches are televised live. So what prompted you think that Parthiv is playing better than Badrinath?

not a dig or anything, I am genuinely asking....

Oh I havent seen them batting lately. But I have seen a lot of Parthivand a bit of Badrinath. Parthiv is a really compacy stroke meker. He plays almost all strokes and plays them with class and style. So if Parthiv gets big runs it has to be somthing very good to watch.

In the few chances he got in international cricket to showcase his batting he not just showed a lot of pluck but looked very much a part as a batsman. One innings against Pakistan in Pakistan and one in Australia stand ou. So not only does he play well he can play well against top bowlers.

All that had not been seen was a consistency and big scores. Now that seems to be coming.

As far as first class records go, Dinesh Kaarthik's first class record was not as great as some real big scorers in Indian domestic circuit still he was given an opportunity at the top level as batsman. You see more than just scores when assessing players in the lower ranks for their suitability for the top most echelons of the game.