***Official*** South Africa in India

[silentstriker]

Well, imo, the fast bowlers should have the edge of day one, the batsmen on days two, three and most of four, and the spinners starting to come into it after lunch on day four and dominate on day five.

Just my thoughts.

Well that's nice for a pitch, but it would suck totally if every pitch in the world was that...I prefer variety. I want to play on bouncy pitches in Perth, some swinging conditions in England, spinners in Mumbai, etc.

So unless people are going to complain about old Perth pitches, or pitches in NZ or SA, it makes no sense to complain about turners. If it can assist fast bowlers from day one, it should be able to assist spinners on day one.

 

[Burgey]

Well that's nice for a pitch, but it would suck totally if every pitch in the world was that...I prefer variety. I want to play on bouncy pitches in Perth, some swinging conditions in England, spinners in Mumbai, etc.

So unless people are going to complain about old Perth pitches, or pitches in NZ or SA, it makes no sense to complain about turners. If it can assist fast bowlers from day one, it should be able to assist spinners on day one.

Agreed. A wicket offering something for all disciplines in the game would be my preference, but the type of wicket which Days mentioned above rarely happens.

Indian pitches often turn, and as far as I know have always done so. There's nothing nefarious in playing on a pitch which turns, and has always turned. If, for and extreme example, Australia produced 3 quality spinners, only had one good quick, and all of a sudden Brisbane became a dust bowl, then I would have a drama with it. That sort of thing would stick in my craw, though I don't think it really happens all that often, if ever (the pitch that is, not Australia producing spinners).

 

[silentstriker]

Agreed. A wicket offering something for all disciplines in the game would be my preference, but the type of wicket which Days mentioned above rarely happens.

Indian pitches often turn, and as far as I know have always done so. There's nothing nefarious in playing on a pitch which turns, and has always turned. If, for and extreme example, Australia produced 3 quality spinners, only had one good quick, and all of a sudden Brisbane became a dust bowl, then I would have a drama with it. That sort of thing would stick in my craw, though I don't think it really happens all that often, if ever (the pitch that is, not Australia producing spinners).

I don't think thats a problem either though. You come to a country and you should expect it to be hard, and expect it to suit the home team. If India are touring, you prepare bouncy pitches.....if England are touring, I'll prepare cracked ones.

 

[Googenheim]

Agreeing totally to the above post .It should be a true pitch . But sadly this is going to turn in the 3rd day ,means a substandard under prepared pitch ,that one we saw in 1999 against pakistan in Delhi

That pitch was far from underprepared. Where did you get that idea from?

Besides, the notion that any pitch that turns from day 3 is 'substandard' is ridiculous.

 

[silentstriker]

That pitch was far from underprepared. Where did you get that idea from?

Yea, I think that innings had some dubious decisions go India's way - but I didn't think anything was wrong with the pitch. Learn2Play spin. I hate whinging about pitches that require a bit of application. Both sides will bat on it, and cracking pitches can help fast bowlers too...Malcolm Marshal was a prime example. And forget about facing Ambrose on any pitch that offered even the hint of uneven bounce.

 

[silentstriker]

Graeme Smith has won the toss and South Africa will bat first!

 

[Protean]

No Anil Kumble?

 

[gettingbetter]

Toss was against Dhoni, so you know whose not fit...

 

[silentstriker]

This is disastrous. Kumble is Underwood-like on bouncy cracked pitches.

 

[gettingbetter]

India team
V Sehwag, W Jaffer, R Dravid, SC Ganguly, VVS Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni, Harbhajan Singh, S Sreesanth, I Sharma, PP Chawla

 

[silentstriker]

For the record - I like this team.

 

[gettingbetter]

Would of liked to see Pathan and Kaif in, but still not a bad team. Its going to be interseting to see how Sharma returns. Yuvraj, no matter what he does this test will have more questions than answers. If he fails, it will be said that he is not Test quality, if he doesn't, it will somewhat similar to what occured against Pakistan.

Also hoping for a good game for Chawla, hopefully he can perform well enough to become India's second spinners (ahead of Harbhajan).

 

[silentstriker]

Chawla is one guy I am looking forward to seeing again.

 

[Termanati]

This first hour will be interesting to see how this pitch will play, and put all speculation to rest.

 

[Checkmate]

Good chance for Dhoni to show what he can do.

 

[silentstriker]

Ah, Sree 'I can't finish my over until I bowl a boundary-ball' Sreesanth doing his usual start I see.

 

[silentstriker]

So much for the doom of a pitch so far.

 

[Termanati]

So much for the doom of a pitch so far.

poor bowling so far... but the pitch is still new..give it time..lets see...

 

[silentstriker]

poor bowling so far... but the pitch is still new..give it time..lets see...

But I thought it was supposed to jag back and forth and be dangerous to be within forty feet of it.

In any case, I don't really care if it is. Gotta deal with it. Whichever side deals with it better will win...and thankfully SA have won the toss, so India will be batting last.

 

[Termanati]

But I thought it was supposed to jag back and forth and be dangerous to be within forty feet of it.

In any case, I don't really care if it is. Gotta deal with it. Whichever side deals with it better will win...and thankfully SA have won the toss, so India will be batting last.

once it starts to break up yes, thats the theory... as i said, its still new, hasnt had chance to start to crumble...

But again, it was speculation...