***Official*** India in South Africa

[silentstriker]

Listen mate, we get it that you don't rate India's chances in SA. But why the compulsion to respond to each and every post reiterating it ? You've made your stance clear. Now spare us the repeated dose of depression.

How else can I hope to achieve my life long dream of catching marc in number of posts?

 

[Langeveldt]

South Africa 3-1 ODI's

India 1-1 Tests

Don't hold out much optimism really of SA disposing of India all that effectively..

 

[silentstriker]

South Africa 3-1 ODI's

India 1-1 Tests

Don't hold out much optimism really of SA disposing of India all that effectively..

You're an SA guy, why do you say that? Certainly, you have the better bowling attack. India has the better batting, but not necessarily on SA soil (all indian batsmen average less there than their career average).

 

[Jono]

(all indian batsmen average less there than their career average).

And why the hell should they not? Since when is there a rule that you must average more runs away from home on pitches which aid bowlers a bit more?

Its only logical for them to average less. You're making it sound that because Sachin doesn't average 50+ there India can't win

Tests: 1-1
ODIS: 3-2 SA

 

[silentstriker]

And why the hell should they not? Since when is there a rule that you must average more runs away from home on pitches which aid bowlers a bit more?

Its only logical for them to average less. You're making it sound that because Sachin doesn't average 50+ there India can't win

Tests: 1-1
ODIS: 3-2 SA

Well Sachin averages like 10 points less, Dravid averages like 15 points less. Not a small difference. Logical or not, you can't average 15 points less than your career average and hope to win (unless your average is like Bradman).

 

[Sanz]

Well Sachin averages like 10 points less, Dravid averages like 15 points less. Not a small difference. Logical or not, you can't average 15 points less than your career average and hope to win (unless your average is like Bradman).

You can, if you have bowlers to bowl the opposition out for less.

India 0-2 Tests, 1-4 ODis

 

[silentstriker]

You can, if you have bowlers to bowl the opposition out for less.

Thats a given, that we don't have.

 

[Jono]

Well Sachin averages like 10 points less, Dravid averages like 15 points less. Not a small difference. Logical or not, you can't average 15 points less than your career average and hope to win (unless your average is like Bradman).

Have you seen the difference between Lara's home and away averages? Lara averages just over 45 away from home, yet people say he's possibly the best since Bradman.

Plus, as hard as I look in the SA bowling line-up, I can't find Allan Donald. Ntini is very good, Steyn looks promising, but this ain't the 90s anymore.

 

[Pratters]

Please stop the rhethoric and spare the thread from being spoiled Silentstriker.

 

[silentstriker]

Have you seen the difference between Lara's home and away averages? Lara averages just over 45 away from home, yet people say he's possibly the best since Bradman.

And how many away series have the WI won in the last five years? When did I say Dravid was not a great player? I said that averaging that won't win us a series, unless we have the bowling to make up for it (which we don't).

Plus, as hard as I look in the SA bowling line-up, I can't find Allan Donald. Ntini is very good, Steyn looks promising, but this ain't the 90s anymore.

Better than ours, plus they are playing at home.

 

[viktor]

Better than ours, plus they are playing at home.

They may be a 1000 times better than ours; that still doesn't have anything to do with them bowling us out twice.

 

[silentstriker]

They may be a 1000 times better than ours; that still doesn't have anything to do with them bowling us out twice.

Sure it does. Them playing at home plus us not doing as well overseas = them bowling us out twice more than we bowl them out twice. And that means a series victory.

 

[Sanz]

Plus, as hard as I look in the SA bowling line-up, I can't find Allan Donald. Ntini is very good, Steyn looks promising, but this ain't the 90s anymore.

Donald wasn't there last time either, we still lost 3-0 in Tests and 3-1 in ODIs against the likes of Pollock, Nitni, Hayward etc. Nitni, Pollock, Steyn, Nel etc. is a good enough attack to beat India 2-0 in Tests.

 

[viktor]

Sure it does. Them playing at home plus us not doing as well overseas = them bowling us out twice more than we bowl them out twice. And that means a series victory.

That does not automatically follow from their attack being better than ours.

 

[Sanz]

They may be a 1000 times better than ours; that still doesn't have anything to do with them bowling us out twice.

Why do you think that they wont be able to bowl us out 4 times (weather permitting) ?

 

[viktor]

Why do you think that they wont be able to bowl us out 4 times (weather permitting) ?

I never said that. I merely pointed out that stating their attack is better than ours does not mean they would bowl us out twice.

 

[silentstriker]

I never said that. I merely pointed out that stating their attack is better than ours does not mean they would bowl us out twice.

No, but it sure gives them a better chance. And IMO its good enough to give them an easy 2-0 victory. I doubt if we will threaten to win any match past day two.

 

[Sanz]

Well, if you leave the semantics aside, I do think that Silentstriker's argument has some merit.

During the last tour India had probably their best batting lineup and almost all in good form against the likes of a world class bowlers in Pollock and support bowlers like Nitni, Zulu, Hayward etc. Not to forget the our best bowling attack led by World Class Srinath, Kumble, Harbhajan and suported by Venky Prasad, Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra. And we still lost 3 test series 3-0.

Hence I dont see any reasons for the optimism being shown by some here (and at the same time criticizing Silentstriker for his not-so-optimistic predictions) esp when our bating is much worse than it was in 2001-2002 and so is our bowling.

 

[viktor]

Well, if you leave the semantics aside, I do think that Silentstriker's argument has some merit.

Its logic, not semantics. But agree that cricketwise, SS makes a good argument. Its difficult to envisage a Test win in SA.

 

[Sanz]

Certainly, you have the better bowling attack. India has the better batting.

Outside of India and Srilanka (and counting the current form not reputation), I think SA batting(and bowling) lineup is as good as Indian line up.