India in South Africa

[Cricket_god]

Edges from pace and bounce? Edges come from constantly attacking the same areas, and getting just enough movement to get the bat, but not missing it. And what are you trying to prove by stuffing that cliched phrase into your post? Pathan has no class and there is no arguing that none of our batsmen were able to cope with the accuracy that was on display, form or class aside.


Skill... Players in Bangladesh and Zimbabwe have skill. What we demand is consistency and like you said, Pathan just hasn't gotten that. I think we hyped him too early and destroyed the possibilities of his talent.

Don't you understand a simple point most of our batsman were out trying to
score runs in odis and due to extra bounce the shots they played ended up as edges.while as i have always maintained in test they were able to leave the ball And those of you who called for sreesanth not deserving a place in first eleven its a fitting reply.Talent can never be destroyed its just form

 

[aditya123]

311 is already a healthy lad but with 3 full days to go and as I expect th proteas to be much better in the 2nd innings, we must make sure that we bat out at least 2 sessions today.
That would ensure a lead of around 450 and if Dhoni stays, even more can be expected.
Laxman was looking fluent yesterday and as were Sachin and Ganguly.
If we look beyond the score put up, Sachin was looking the most fluent I have seen him for quite a few years now.
His footwork is looking great and it is good for the matches to come.

Another good thing for us is that we got SA bowled out without much help from our lead bowler, Anil Kumble.
He`ll be more of a factor in the 2nd Innings . Their batsmen haven`t seen a lot of him.
SA aren`t great players of leg-spin either.

First, we`ll have to play out the first session.
The pitch is not half as bad as the scores suggest.
What it does suggest is how brittle the SA batting is, against good seam and swing bowling.

 

[ZoraxDoom]

India lose early wickets here. Dhoni and Kumble gone. It's 155/7, lead of 320, Laxman has a fifty coming his way.
Good stuff
See, told ya Sreesanth would be great

Zaheer hits Pollock for four!
21 runs by these two in 9.3 overs. Slow, but useful. Just what we need. Lead is 334, I think 360+ is safe enough. Only Sreesanth and VRV Singh() to come...

Lead up to 341. Zaheer has been there for 42 balls, more than Viru, Jaffer, Dhoni, Sachin, Dravid and even Dada! Together, he and Laxman (Grand total of 169 balls) have faced more deliveries than the entire South African first innings (151 balls)!!

VVS's 64 is the highest score in the entire game, and only the second fifty. The first was Dada's 51*.
The rejects fight back!

 

[cellinis]

Laxman is really playing well. Some very nice strokes. Let's hope Zaheer can keep him company.

Btw... no frenchman in the house... j'y habite, c'est tout!

 

[aussie1st]

Zhan is the one going really well, SA were at India's lower order where you would expect the collapse but this partnership has got there lead over 350.

 

[cricket_lover]

Very crucial partnership, kudos to Zaheer, and Laxman for playing sensibly. The lead may well go past 400.

Nice pattern here, Sri Lanka were in similar position and posted a good target. Australia too, did not bat very well in first innings, and posted a good target. India followinig the suit.

 

[ZoraxDoom]

Zaheer has now stroked 26 off 74 balls (More than anyone in the entire South African team) with two fours and a six!
Laxama n on 71 off 147. Four more, and he would have batted longer than the entire South African side too!
Partnership is also worth 57, I think the highest in the whole match. Lead is 370. Should be declaring soon.

Zaheer's six was off Smith's first ball. There is a lag on Cricinfo, so my scores might be all wrong.
As it stands on Cricinfo:

India 249 & 218/7 (62.0 ov)
South Africa 84
India lead by 383 runs with 3 wickets remaining

Zaheer 37, Laxman 73, partnership worth 70 runs. Zaheer has outscored and outlasted anyone in the entire RSA lineup, VVS has batted longer than the entire RSA side.
Let Zaheer get his fifty then declare
Wow, the six from Zaheer odd Smith was his second infact. Who did he hit the first off?

VVS out, Caught Smith bowled Ntini. Fine knock, good stuff.
Lead is nearing 390. I think India will bat as long as possible till they are all out then declare.

Hmm, both of Zaheer's sixes were off Smith apparently. Cricinfo has the updated score, the commentary is catching up. And this means Zaheer falls for 37 caught Boucher bowled Ntini. Lead's the same, 384, and Sreesanth and VRV batting.

 

[cellinis]

Lots of fun between Sreesanth and Nel right about now! 1st bowl... Nel says show me some heart... and next bowl, well you got to watch it!

 

[ZoraxDoom]

Lots of fun between Sreesanth and Nel right about now! 1st bowl... Nel says show me some heart... and next bowl, well you got to watch it!

What happened????
It shows Sreesanth has moved to 6. Did he hit a four or a six?
Hehe, was a six

63.2 Nel to Sreesanth, SIX

Description please

 

[cellinis]

India lead by 400 now... Sreesanth with his antics and VRV with very effective and equally comic hitting... and now runout... all over!

Nel to Sreesanth... Sreesanth Moves back, smashed Nel for a six and then the most weird celebration you will ever see... something like Rajnikanth's pelvic dance with the bat being used as a baton amongst other things!

402 required for South Africa.

 

[cricket_lover]

402 is the target, what will be SA's reply?

If India can chip in early wickets, it'll be a easy victory. I'm not taking SA for granted, and its still a 75:25 ratio now.

 

[ZoraxDoom]

63.2 Nel to Sreesanth, SIX, MAX! good length delivery, Sreesanth makes room and lofts it straight back over the bowler's head. As the ball sailed away Sreesanth was hopping around waving his bat, rodeo style!

VRV hits two fours off Ntini to boot. But then gets runout
402 is the target indeed.

 

[cellinis]

Lunch taken... Zaheer gets Gibbs caught in slips on the 4th ball (could have been out on the first ball to a bat-pad). Boy looks like this might be the 1st Indian win in SA!

 

[ZoraxDoom]

Just saw the Sreesanth dance on Zee News....
Monty could have competition for the best celebration
Zaheer draws early blood here. Great stuff

7.6 Sreesanth to Smith, OUT, very full, outside the off, Smith fetches that one from wide of the stumps and flashes it towards point, Virender Shewag throws himself full length to his right and plucks the ball out of the air while parallel to the ground! That is a sensational catch from Sehwag and Sreesanth now has his first wicket of the second innings. It's a big one, that of South African captain Graeme Smith
GC Smith c Sehwag b Sreesanth 10 (27b 1x4 0x6) SR: 37.03

The Monk can controll this game at his will.
C'mon India! 22/2!!

 

[icyman]

I don't see South Africa pulling off a victory here with Kallis out now.

A suggestion to teamIndia for the next match.
Have Pathan open the batting instead of Jaffer or get Gambhir in.