This is not merely about the ICC rankings. A series win in India is a big box any team other than India needs to tick if it wants to be the best in the world. Think Australia in their modern heyday and the frustration and the eventual satisfaction the “Final Frontier” brought them. India, on the other hand, pride themselves on their home record, and their claims to being the best will take a big beating if they lose.
Graeme Smith won his second toss of the series and decided to bat on a pitch that had the grass shaved off, but retained a tinge of green that was expected to keep the surface bound together. That Smith was there for the toss was in itself good news for South Africa. He chose to play through the pain of a fractured finger, but Mark Boucher’s back trouble didn’t go away in time, which made way for a debut for Alviro Petersen.
Petersen – a specialist opener by trade – could give Ashwell Prince, a reluctant opener, a chance to bat in his preferred middle order.
India, needing a win to hang on to their No. 1 ranking, were boosted by the expected return of VVS Laxman, but resisted any changes to the bowling combination that managed six wickets in 176 overs in Nagpur. Amit Mishra and Ishant Sharma, wicketless in 81 overs between them, were persisted with. It was almost expected that Sreesanth would come in for the struggling Ishant, but India gave Ishant another go.
South Africa: 1 Graeme Smith (capt), 2 Alviro Petersen, 3 Hashim Amla, 4 Jacques Kallis, 5 AB de Villiers (wk), 6 JP Duminy, 7 Ashwell Prince, 8 Paul Harris, 9 Wayne Parnell, 10 Dale Steyn, 11 Morne Morkel.
India: 1 Virender Sehwag, 2 Gautam Gambhir, 3 M Vijay, 4 Sachin Tendulkar, 5 VVS Laxman, 6 S Badrinath, 7 MS Dhoni (capt/wk), 8, Harbhajan Singh, 9 Zaheer Khan, 10 Amit Mishra, 11 Ishant Sharma.
Winston, Fransie was my favourite player too. He wont be back until after the wc. He has signed a 3 year contract. Not sure what he was thinking signing for such a long time.
Hope he does come back to the Sharks, just not sure about it with all those idiots that kept booing him last year. Hope they know what they lost now.
Back in 10 min. Just going to put another floater in my pool quick.
60 – Winston, very true 😀
When he comes home I dont see him coming back to the Sharks to be honest. I think either Wp or the Lions will make him a huge offer when he comes back.
Mercenaries will never play with the same passion. I know we live in a profesional Rugby era, but look at the Bulls strong points. Who played well the last few seasons. Victor, Spies, FdP, Danie, Bakkies and Wynand. Then the following players are so long at the Bulls they have Bulls citizenship, Morne, Pedrie, Gurtro, Dewalt and Stegman, he might be a full blood Bull though.
251/3 Runs coming slow now, then really don’t want Kallis or AB to go out before close.
63 – Winston, I feel the same. He will probably go to WP or Bulls. Supporters have lost him to the Sharks for us. Not all supporters but quite a few of them.
64 – Super, you are right there, but if we get our players at a young age then feel they do play with passion there.
Nothing though compares to getting your players from the Province they were born in to play for that franchise. Now that is huge passion.
Harbhajan Singh to Kallis, OUT
JH Kallis c Laxman b Harbhajan Singh 10 (26b 1×4 0x6) SR: 38.46
67
Puma the thing is there must be a culture, and a good few players leading the new ones in that culture. Look the Bulls are given a lot off gas, but we pride ourself in being a family.
When things were bad in HM first years who came out to put things right. The old retired family members led by Frik du Preez.
Not that this is unique , everyone strive for that. The thing is that is a well respected and settled culture. We send guys packing quickly when they arrive and dont fall in line.
Things are falling apart,if we are not careful we’ll get bowled out for 300 here..
The Sharks must build around John Smit, and JS in the hooker position. Drop Bismark, he might be good but he is breaking the Sharks.
By saying he wants the no 2 jersey or leave he showed his disrespect for JS. The young players feel that vibe. No matter how you try and hide it the gauntlet was thrown down by Bismark.
But all this talk is premature, the Sharks can go on and win every game from now on.
Prince gone. Not even doing it down the order. Confidence must be very low.
A mini batting collapse here. Need to keep our heads and not lose anymore wickets.
Kallis opened the door. We will be lucky to get 300 yes
67.2
Harbhajan Singh to Duminy, OUT
JP Duminy lbw b Harbhajan Singh 0 (1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00
67.1
Harbhajan Singh to Prince, OUT, trapped in front! Harbhajan takes two in two overs… the crowd have gone mad in joy as they scream … It landed on the off stump line, from round the stumps, moved in to hit the pad right in front of middle. Dead duck! Prince was pushing outside the line, playing for the turn.
AG Prince lbw b Harbhajan Singh 1 (8b 0x4 0x6) SR: 12.50
71 – Super, I agree with you TOTALLY. For now I would drop Bissie to the bench. Especially for the boks Bismarck must be on the bench. John at hooker.
Though must say our scrum last night was good. That was not what let us down. Bismarck let us down very bad. That stupid shoulder charge was brainless.
AB must hit out and be positive. Otherwise they will strangle us.
76
in fact they are strangling us already. We must get positive fast.
Fall of wickets1-9 (Smith, 2.6 ov), 2-218 (Petersen, 52.4 ov), 3-229 (Amla, 56.4 ov), 4-251 (Kallis, 65.1 ov), 5-253 (Prince, 67.1 ov), 6-253 (Duminy, 67.2 ov)
76 – Super looks like we are struggling there now.
I know Duminy is bowling well but his batting is totally off these days. I would send him back to domestic cricket for awhile to sort it out. Not doing it for us by going for ducks all the time.
Now we have Steyn batting with AB. May not even make 300 here after such a great start.
AB gone now too. We are in trouble.
Sharma to Steyn, OUT, 131.7 kph
AB de Villiers run out 12 (37b 2×4 0x6) SR: 32.43
Sheer madness, AB you bloody fool.
Two wickets thrown away and 2 totally out of form players = disaster.
Carrying Duminy and Prince finally take his toll.
81 – Super, Yip crazy that by AB. Not sure if we will make 300 now. At one stage it looked like we would get over 400. A batting collapse now.
Who do we miss?
At no 6
Boucher off course
82 – Super, Duminy and Prince has to go back to domestic cricket to get their batting back up and confidence back. Get in the form players.
84 – Super, Well said and I agree 100% there. We miss him for sure. A real fighter Boucher is.
The replay showed that Steyn also had a part in that run out
Winston, You still watching mate? Looks like we in trouble now.
This cricket is going pear shaped in a hurry.. I’m off to gym and to sort out some admin. Chat later.
I am leaving now, going to my Daughters birthday party, will catch up later this evening. Enjoy, we might even see a few Steyn wickets
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