Winning the toss may be key to securing third Test
by Neil Manthorp,
2015-11-24 05:55:04.0
SOCCER and rugby are played on different-sized fields with different grass and different soil, but you rarely read or hear about how underfoot conditions or the diameters of the playing area will adversely or positively affect one team or another.
Cricketers, on the other hand, can obsess over their playing surface for hours, days and even a career. Of course it’s different, but nonetheless….
The majority of the current Test squad in India played under Gary Kirsten’s tenure as coach and enjoyed — if not always shared — his view on the prematch assessment of the playing surface. He didn’t. "What’s the point?" he asked. "Whatever the ball is going to do, you need to play it. Prepare for every eventuality."
Still, most players like to have some idea of what to expect and their expectations of the pitch at the Vidarbha Cricket Association stadium in Nagpur for the third Test have been realised comfortably.
"Obviously, there’s not a lot of grass covering on it," said Morne Morkel on Monday.
"I think it’s going to … I think the toss is going to be important," he concluded with charming understatement. In other words, like the first Test in Mohali, it will provide lavish turn for the spinners from the first day and will crumble rapidly making life harder for the batsmen by the session.
Calling "heads" or "tails" correctly and batting first may not guarantee victory, but batting first and batting well almost certainly will.
It was a Proteas policy before the Test series began to carefully avoid any comment that could be construed as a complaint about conditions.
Whining about "unfair" conditions on the subcontinent belongs in a long-gone era and would end, today, in a PR disaster. Indian players and supporters confirmed this by getting their revenge in first — reminding SA of the green, seaming pitches they have prepared to favour their fast bowlers in past tours by India.
JP Duminy spoke two days ago about the size of the task ahead and described the job of winning the series from 1-0 down with two Tests to play as "extremely tough".
He countered that statement with a reaffirmation that "the belief is there that we can do it". But how?
The last time SA played a Test in Nagpur, in early 2010, Hashim Amla made 253 and Dale Steyn claimed 7/51 in an astonishing victory by an innings and six runs.
Amla is now struggling for form and the great fast bowler is battling a groin injury and is touch-and-go to be fit in time. They are both likely to be critical to a repeat success.
"Hashim is a rock for us. He’s hungry to score some runs, he’s been hitting a lot of balls and hopefully, his time will come in this Test match — fingers crossed for that," Morkel said.
The news was a little better on Steyn: "He bowled in the nets this morning and looked good. He is the best bowler in the world so, obviously, he is a key to our plans. He will be given until 9am on Wednesday, but ultimately, it will be a medical decision.
"The last thing we want is to go into the Test with a game plan that changes if a player gets injured. He must be 100% fit," Morkel said.
A second specialist spinner — either Dane Piedt or Simon Harmer — is almost certain to play alongside Imran Tahir if Steyn is not declared fit.
Amla has urged his top order to remain positive and "look to score runs, take the Test match forward" rather than merely survive.
The pitch, the predicted dry and hot weather, Amla’s approach — all point to another fast-paced match and an early result. It also points towards another Indian victory, but pointers can be wrong.
Picture: THINKSTOCK
SOCCER and rugby are played on different-sized fields with different grass and different soil, but you rarely read or hear about how underfoot conditions or the diameters of the playing area will adversely or positively affect one team or another.
Cricketers, on the other hand, can obsess over their playing surface for hours, days and even a career. Of course it’s different, but nonetheless….
The majority of the current Test squad in India played under Gary Kirsten’s tenure as coach and enjoyed — if not always shared — his view on the prematch assessment of the playing surface. He didn’t. "What’s the point?" he asked. "Whatever the ball is going to do, you need to play it. Prepare for every eventuality."
Still, most players like to have some idea of what to expect and their expectations of the pitch at the Vidarbha Cricket Association stadium in Nagpur for the third Test have been realised comfortably.
"Obviously, there’s not a lot of grass covering on it," said Morne Morkel on Monday.
"I think it’s going to … I think the toss is going to be important," he concluded with charming understatement. In other words, like the first Test in Mohali, it will provide lavish turn for the spinners from the first day and will crumble rapidly making life harder for the batsmen by the session.
Calling "heads" or "tails" correctly and batting first may not guarantee victory, but batting first and batting well almost certainly will.
It was a Proteas policy before the Test series began to carefully avoid any comment that could be construed as a complaint about conditions.
Whining about "unfair" conditions on the subcontinent belongs in a long-gone era and would end, today, in a PR disaster. Indian players and supporters confirmed this by getting their revenge in first — reminding SA of the green, seaming pitches they have prepared to favour their fast bowlers in past tours by India.
JP Duminy spoke two days ago about the size of the task ahead and described the job of winning the series from 1-0 down with two Tests to play as "extremely tough".
He countered that statement with a reaffirmation that "the belief is there that we can do it". But how?
The last time SA played a Test in Nagpur, in early 2010, Hashim Amla made 253 and Dale Steyn claimed 7/51 in an astonishing victory by an innings and six runs.
Amla is now struggling for form and the great fast bowler is battling a groin injury and is touch-and-go to be fit in time. They are both likely to be critical to a repeat success.
"Hashim is a rock for us. He’s hungry to score some runs, he’s been hitting a lot of balls and hopefully, his time will come in this Test match — fingers crossed for that," Morkel said.
The news was a little better on Steyn: "He bowled in the nets this morning and looked good. He is the best bowler in the world so, obviously, he is a key to our plans. He will be given until 9am on Wednesday, but ultimately, it will be a medical decision.
"The last thing we want is to go into the Test with a game plan that changes if a player gets injured. He must be 100% fit," Morkel said.
A second specialist spinner — either Dane Piedt or Simon Harmer — is almost certain to play alongside Imran Tahir if Steyn is not declared fit.
Amla has urged his top order to remain positive and "look to score runs, take the Test match forward" rather than merely survive.
The pitch, the predicted dry and hot weather, Amla’s approach — all point to another fast-paced match and an early result. It also points towards another Indian victory, but pointers can be wrong.
Change: 1.37%
Change: 1.32%
Change: 2.91%
Change: 0.45%
Change: 3.09%
Data supplied by Profile Data
Change: 1.63%
Change: 0.83%
Change: 1.37%
Change: 0.00%
Change: 0.69%
Data supplied by Profile Data
Change: -2.04%
Change: -1.83%
Change: -1.58%
Change: -1.79%
Change: -1.48%
Data supplied by Profile Data
Change: -1.25%
Change: 0.00%
Change: -0.85%
Change: -1.74%
Change: 2.92%
Data supplied by Profile Data