'We'll force India out of their comfort zone' - Arthur

[Vignesh]

:haha::hysterical: Poor Smithy He ain't gonna go anywhere after saying that

[graphic23]

Heh. Nice Article. I can't remember a more biased one either, save one of Malcolm Conn's articles. There were other articles written by South African journalists saying that the Indian Cricket Team is not fit for Test Cricket. Coming back to this one, are we really that desperate? That we are unable to think clearly? I don't know. Hopefully, it will all come into place at Kanpur.

[Ram]

The article is mostly a joke. We paid a heavy price for 90 mins of madness at the Motera. Its not like there is substantial difference in class of both teams. Once we were bowled out in 20 overs and the Saffies made more than 450 in their first innings, there is no way any of our batsman could have mustered the discipline required to fight it out, its just natural tendency. We literally played an innings short, like a golf handicap. A loss in that match was inevitable. However, I am pretty sure we can compete and that largely depends on two three factors, -- One of our top 3 need to make a 100 in our first innings -- Kumble must get back to form -- Our pacers must be more incisive than they have been IF all of these 3 happens, we can give the Saffies a run for their money, though I still rate 'em a better team than ours. Their batsman are in better form and their pacers seem from a different planet altogether.

[Bumper]

I wouldn't be that pessimistic either. Irrespective of what Kallis says, if India win the toss on a crumbler, that's a huge advantage, given the quality of the spin attack they have. I am not so sure if the theory of "150 kph bowlers running amok on an underprepared track" holds water. The problem of course is that this strategy leaves too much to chance, as you are depending on the toss as well the conditions. On the contrary, a balanced bowling attack, such as the one SA has, depends far less on variables such as these, which are largely outside your control. Whatever happens, my reading is that India can no longer be considered the second best side side in the world, with a lopsided, underperforming and injury prone attack such as the one they have. SA have firmly usurped that spot, and depending on what happens in Australia next (southern) summer, they have a real chance of having a go at the number one spot. More power to them.

Wait till SA plays against Australia. SA has done this far too many times before. They have consistently bullied all other opponents, only to eat their humble pie against the Aussies. Aussies maul them like they do Bangladesh. Far superior SA teams (ones with Donald, Pollock at their peaks & with a much stronger batting lineup) couldnt topple the Aussies. so i wouldnt be so sure. SA's batting is too fragile to build tall scores consistently to back their bowling attack. Just teams with good bowling lineups, rarely beat the Aussies. Its the batting teams (such as India) backed by a decent bowling lineup that has won test matches against Australia consistently. SA's pretenders Smithy, Kallis et al will be exposed when they play the Aussies.

[Bumper]

I also feel that Kallis is not given his due. He is more consistent than India's best, has a phenomenal average, and SA's rock when they are under pressure. That record of 30 tons is just an amazing one. Note how he has left Dravid in his wake over the past few years. They are both billed as similar batsmen, but Kallis' technique and temparament has stood up to scrutiny far more than Dravid's.

He is a slightly better version of Inzy. A solid batsman, consistent against all opponents but always performed below par against his toughest opponents -- Australia & Sri Lanka. SA has always been Australia's bit.ch everywhere & Lanka's bit.ch in Lanka. Kallis did very little to correct these perceptions. His average of 38 vs Australia & 33 vs Lanka, are well below his overall average. For this reason, he will always be talked of as a lesser player than his elite peers.

[talksport]

In fairness to Dravid he has to go through what Kallis doesnt have to ...Ganguly episode,chappel-vengi circus, worlcup episode, coachless team etc...for the past couple of seasons. Now that the bagge is unloaded we will certainly see the best of Dravid in the coming two seasons starting from Australia tour of India

[Feed]

Smith ready for spin battle Over the last year South Africa have made strides in Test cricket that cannot be overlooked. Now at the cusp of a huge upset, they know they will have to face the toughest test of their tour so far: a dry, deteriorating, underprepared pitch. More... India v South Africa, 3rd Test, Kanpur Smith ready for spin battle Sidharth Monga in Kanpur April 10, 2008 Graeme Smith: "Looking at the deck, it opens up all possibilities for all bowlers and that is encouraging for us" © Getty Images Over the last year South Africa have made huge strides in Test cricket that cannot be overlooked. Now at the cusp of a big upset, they know they will have to face the toughest test of their tour so far: a dry, deteriorating, underprepared pitch. Micky Arthur, their coach, said they expected such a wicket after what happened in Ahmedabad. While that is something they cannot control, they have been trying whatever they can at the nets. They have been scuffing up the practice wickets with their spikes to simulate the rough outside the off and leg stumps. Their batsmen also had short stints using a stump instead of a bat. There have also been reports that they got the groundsmen to prepare the four practice wickets in a way such that they can treat them as first-day, second-day, third-day, and fourth-day wickets. South Africa are close to accomplishing a feat that calls for such preparation: winning a Test series in India for the second time in a decade, and the possibility of series triumphs in Pakistan, Bangladesh and India in one season. "There have been only two teams in the last 20 years that have won a series in India," Graeme Smith said at the pre-match press conference. "It just proves how tough it really is. As a team we have looked for this opportunity for the whole season." And if simulated net practice is not enough, they have also had match experience of playing in spinning conditions recently. "We beat Pakistan at Newlands where it spun, we beat Pakistan away where it spun," Smith said. "In Bangladesh, in the one-dayers they produced slow, low turners. We adapted to that perfectly fine." The Kanpur wicket, though, if it lives up to the billing it has been given, could prove to be something totally different from what they have faced till now. However, South Africa are also aware that if the cracks open up, their fast bowlers could prove to be a major threat on this pitch. When asked if as a batsman he would like to face Dale Steyn, Makhaya Ntini and Morne Morkel on a crumbling surface, Smith said the pitch had already begun to crack up. The gleam in his eyes suggested he liked the prospect of the opposition batsmen taking guard against the same bowlers who steamrolled them at Motera. South Africa, though, haven't ruled out the possibility of playing two spinners. "We have two spinners in our squad. We would have made up our mind by the end of today," Smith said. But it seems unlikely they will tinker with the winning bowling combination. "We have done a few things that have worked for us in the last two Test matches. It can work for us in this Test too. We are definitely the more confident team going into this Test match, definitely the team under less pressure Graeme Smith "Looking at the deck, it opens up all possibilities for all bowlers and that is encouraging for us. We have got a lot more variety, a lot more pace, and we feel that Paul Harris has done a really good job for us in the series." Harris, who has been confined to the containing role so far, will have to take up a much more important role in this Test. Smith knows it is India who need to catch up. "We are definitely the more confident team going into this Test match, definitely the team under less pressure," he said. "India is still the team with more question marks in terms of selection, in terms of injuries, in terms of their being 1-0 down in the series." Selection, unlike for India, should not be a worry for South Africa, the only point of contention being whether to play two spinners. In terms of fitness, they have been streets ahead of their opponents. Their batting have been consistently among the runs: four out of their top six have scored a century. Only Ashwell Prince has not got a half-century so far. They will know that if they win the toss and put up anything in excess of 300, they will put India under severe pressure. And if the wicket turns out to be a really difficult one, the technique and the fighting abilities of Jacques Kallis alone should make it worth a trip to the match. There is no doubt as to which team is more at ease going into the match. But momentum shifts fast in India, and South Africa will have to maintain the same composure when they are faced with four to five close-in fielders, uneven bounce and turn, and menacing spinners for company throughout the time they bat.

[Feed]

Even 150 will be hard to get, Arthur warns India SA coach said match was heading for an exciting finish and it was important to stitch a couple of big partnerships. More... Even 150 will be hard to get, Arthur warns India Agencies Posted online: Saturday , April 12, 2008 at 1813 hrs IST Kanpur, April 12:: South Africa coach Micky Arthur reckons India may be ‘just 2 to 3 per cent’ ahead of his team in the crucial third and final cricket Test at this stage but warned the hosts that even a total of 150 in the fourth innings would be hard to achieve. Arthur said the match was heading for an exciting finish and it was important for his wards to stitch a couple of big partnerships to put pressure on India. "The game is hugely tight at this stage, and it will go down to the wire. We have to first get the last wicket quickly and bat well to put pressure on India", he said after the second day's play which saw the hosts taking a slender 23-run lead by finishing on 288 for nine. The South African coach said the key to the Indian innings was that they managed four consecutive fifty-plus partnerships. "On a track like this, you tend to lose a few wickets when a partnership is broken. But they got four 50-plus partnerships in a row which helped them to take a lead," he pointed out. Arthur, who was critical of the track even before a ball was bowled, said it had probably behaved a little better than expected. "It has probably behaved better than we expected. It looks like a fifth day Test track on the second day."

[zubinpepsi]

Arthur is talking too much.. for godsake.. shut ur fuking mouth uncle fuker...

[Predator_05]

He isn't saying anything wrong. India's bowlers have to produce one hell of a performance. I can't see India's batting lineup chasing 200 on this pitch, that will be too much.

[jf1gp_1]

yuvraj, dhoni, saurav, chawla gifted their wickets then jaffer was a bonus for the umpire . SA bowlers only took 4 wickets so mr arthur stop dreaming that yu will get another 76 ao kind of performance from this team despite the pitch.

[jf1gp_1]

He isn't saying anything wrong. India's bowlers have to produce one hell of a performance. I can't see India's batting lineup chasing 200 on this pitch, that will be too much.

i disagree SA bowlers werent anything special today. they should thank our batsman for making their life easier.

[putrevus]

but i have to admit these south africans are chirping too much , it would be great if they can level this series to just shut him up

[putrevus]

all the people who are criticizing this pitch should take their heads and shove in their A*SSes , this pitch was very good for test cricket yes some of the ball were shotting up akwardly but pacers and spinners got some purchase and batsman who were willing to play shots and be positive were able to score runs also, what more can any one ask from a test match pitch.

[umpire]

harris was no threat, only threat was Morkel. He bowled really well. we should not allow SA to score more than 150 runs unleash spinners very early.

[THX_1138]

Notice that all, save for sehwag, of steyn's wickets were either chance occurences or the batsman erring in the desire for quick runs. Harbhajan not only kept out the fastest bowl on the match, swinging into middle and leg at full to yorker length, he struck it for a four. Our batsmen were batting with a lot more determination than ever before and had it not been for the ball keeping a good 9"-12" lower that expected, harbhajan would have shut out steyn and ganguly's wicket was nothing special on part of steyn. lets get this right, our batting is upto the task, and simply need to apply themselves the way saurav did, exploit all scoring opportunities like laxman, yuvraj and dhoni and avoid dumb shots that led to the end of yuvraj and dhoni...

[Desi Cartman]

he is right 150 might be rather tough so India will bowl out SAF for 120 and then score 90 in 1 session to win the test

[f.b.m]

I think he meant 150 would be difficult for SA to get.

[mhr123]

yar he was hiding his face behind the TV screen.

[Desi Cartman]

he is right 150 might be rather tough so India will bowl out SAF for 120 and then score 90 in 1 session to win the test

I told u so .... huh !