***Official*** India in South Africa 2017/18

[StephenZA]

Over 110 overs bowled by South Africa and Phehlukwayo has only bowled 7 overs.

About to comment on that.....

Great yorker by Rabada.

 

[karan316]

Rather than just letting the curator get on with their work, Faf (and co) has put them under extreme pressure to ensure that he gets the pitch he wants. Leaving more grass on the pitch than normal, more watering to make the grass green etc. If you felt you were being put under pressure to ensure that the pitch was a seamer, you are more likely to make misjudgments and over compensate. The Nagpur pitch last year was the same, Indian management put pressure on the curator to create a turning pitch and he under prepared it. You have somebody breathing over your shoulder, publicly, more likely to make mistakes.

So my personal opinion is that the curators have behaved differently than what they would normally have because of the pressure, and the SA management and CSA must take some responsibility.

This is true, teams always have an advantage in their home conditions, so they shouldn't put too much pressure on the curators. If the pitch goes on the extreme side, it makes it easier for the opposition as both the teams aren't used to playing on such a pitch.

 

[Daemon]

Great ball, very good innings.

 

[Black_Warrior]

That's more like it Rabada

 

[vcs]

**** **** ****. Would have been a good session for us if Vijay had survived there. Excellent yorker from Rabada.

 

[StephenZA]

Ironic it has nothing to do with the pitch after all that..... (except Vijay maybe on the back foot a bot.)

 

[Contra]

That last wicket totally ruined the session =(

 

[StephenZA]

Going back to what I wanted to say before that wicket, I am surprised that Phehlukwayo has not bowled more. With the way the pitch is behaving his wicket to wicket sort of bowling would actually be good.... if he can't get a bowl now he should not have been selected at all.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Still a good session for India., Top innings by Vijay.

 

[karan316]

That's a surprise to me, he looked around 34 when he was picked and that was 7 or 8 years ago.

Hehe, let me surprise you even more, Joginder Sharma turned 34 just a few months back. Tbh, he easily looked 34+ in the 2007 T20 WC.

On a side note, I wonder why he even played for India in the shorter formats, he was a typical test cricket bowling all rounder. He was pretty impressive in the domestic 4-day games in his peak. He looked completely out of place in the shorter formats because that was never his forte.

 

[Stefan9]

Rather than just letting the curator get on with their work, Faf (and co) has put them under extreme pressure to ensure that he gets the pitch he wants. Leaving more grass on the pitch than normal, more watering to make the grass green etc. If you felt you were being put under pressure to ensure that the pitch was a seamer, you are more likely to make misjudgments and over compensate. The Nagpur pitch last year was the same, Indian management put pressure on the curator to create a turning pitch and he under prepared it. You have somebody breathing over your shoulder, publicly, more likely to make mistakes.

So my personal opinion is that the curators have behaved differently than what they would normally have because of the pressure, and the SA management and CSA must take some responsibility.

So its Faf's fault that the curator can't handle pressure? The home team has the right to ask for a pitch that suits them.
If the curator can't handle it he shouldn't be preparing international wickets.

 

[StephenZA]

So its Faf's fault that the curator can't handle pressure? The home team has the right to ask for a pitch that suits them.
If the curator can't handle it he shouldn't be preparing international wickets.

What did Faf even need to speak to the curator about.... is the Wanderer's not bouncy or have enough movement? I`m saying that the SA management must take some responsibility. If you think they are totally innocent, so be it.

 

[vcs]

I have thought in the past that Faf needs to talk less about pitches and exploiting home advantage in his press conferences. SA are surely good enough to win on most pitches they get at home.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Lol Steyn's talking about bopping Shami. What a test match that was.

 

[vcs]

I remember Rahane making a direct hit runout when they were around 20-30 short. I celebrated that like crazy, LOL.

 

[vcs]

How the **** do you play that

 

[vcs]

This is very promising from Rahane.

 

[StephenZA]

This bowling performance by SA has been terrible 2nd innings.... Kohli been fantastic to watch.

 

[Top Cat]

250 should be a match winning score, although looks a long way away yet. Only Pandya Bhuvi and then the tail to go, so hopefully a 50 partnership, a couple of 20 run partnerships gets then 100 more runs from here.

EDIT: Kohli gone. We'll be lucky to get 200 from 130odd/5. Last batting pair and then we could see a quick collapse. I'm predicting 175 all out for India.

 

[vcs]

****..