SA in India - Feb 2010

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Dhoni says India will play more Tests next year Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni today said India will play more than four Tests next year and his side would be able to remain as world's number one in the longest format of cricket for a longer time. More... Dhoni says India will play more Tests next year PTI Sunday, December 27, 2009 21:44 IST New Delhi: Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni today said India will play more than four Tests next year and his side would be able to remain as world's number one in the longest format of cricket for a longer time. India are scheduled to play only two Tests -- against Bangladesh in January -- in the next 11 months and a proposal to include two Tests in South Africa's tour to the country in February is being considered by the two boards. Dhoni though said his side will play more than four Test matches next year. "Quite a few Test matches are on proposal and I don't think that we will play only four Tests next year. We will play more than that," he said after receiving the ICC Test Championships mace from chief executive Haroon Lorgat here. "It is a spacial feeling to receive this mace. I am taking this on behalf of the team and BCCI. Being an Indian it is a proud moment. We have really worked hard as a team in the last 14 months to get to this position. We want to remain here longer and everything depends on our performance," he added. Lorgat, on his part, said he would be happy if the South African and Indian Cricket Boards can work out on having the two Tests in February. "Under FTP two countries will have to work out their bilateral series in four or six years time. It is upto them when to visit each other considering their interest. I would be happy if the proposal for inclusion of the two Tests in February is through. India deserved to be a Test number one side," he said.

[Sachinism]

Good news :)

[goose]

Need more away tests.

[gs]

Good to see captain publicly root for more tests. This will definitely put more pressure on the bcci babus.

[kabira]

Oh Chachu Aall is Well

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South Africa agree to 'compressed' tour of India South Africa have given their consent to a 'compressed tour' of India, comprising two Tests and three One-Day Internationals, if the Board of Control for Cricket in India ensures minimum travel between matches during the series next year. More... CSA agree to 'compressed' tour of India December 28, 2009 South Africa have agreed to a compressed schedule for the tour of India, comprising two Tests and three ODIs in February next year, if the BCCI is able to assure them that the travel and logistics between venues aren't taxing. According to the dates sent by the Indian board to Cricket South Africa (CSA), the series commences with the first Test from February 4-8 and the second Test between February 12-16; the three ODIs will be played on February 19, 22 and 25. The BCCI will need to send back the final schedule, with the venues, for CSA's ratification. CSA has in fact, informed the South African Cricketers' Association (SACA) of the schedule sent by the BCCI as well. "We are actually compressing the tour a little bit more than we normally would," Tony Irish, SACA's chief, told Cricinfo. "There has been a process of consultation between SACA and CSA on the schedule and though it doesn't comply strictly with the guidelines, we are happy to compromise in order to ensure that Test matches and ODIs are played." However, he said CSA was happy to go ahead with the BCCI's proposal. "At the moment there is probably a day's less break between the ODIs and we would've liked to see two more days of break between the Test matches." The only condition CSA have set is for the minimum possible travel time between the matches for the team. "We are prepared to go ahead if the logistics are okay," Irish said. "The day of travel between the matches should not be too long as we have only two rest and practice days. But if we are travelling between one end to other then we will need an extra day of rest." The standard ICC guidelines for the break days between the Tests and ODIs are not clear and a glance at the prominent series played in 2009 confirms that fact. The Ashes had breaks ranging from three days to 10 days, the recently concluded three-Test series between India and Sri Lanka had a three-day gap between the first two matches and an extra day before the final Test, while in the ongoing Basil D'Oliveira Trophy between South Africa and England, the minimum break is of five days. However, South Africa's tour of India is an extraordinary case because India want two Tests and three ODIs instead of the originally listed five-match ODI series under the ICC's Future Tours Programme (FTP). With India becoming the No.1 Test team after their series victory against Sri Lanka, pressure was mounting on the BCCI administrators who had blindly scheduled a multitude of ODIs but only seven Test matches in 2010 which included the yet-to-be finalised two Test series in Zimbabwe. Second-placed South Africa though, agreed to co-operate because they were eager to play more Tests, having played only six Tests this year, including the ongoing Boxing Day Test against England in Durban.

[ESPN]

SA agree to 'compressed' India tour SA agree to 'compressed' India tour SA have agreed to a "compressed tour" of India next year, comprising two Tests and three ODIs, if the BCCI ensures minimum travel between matches. "We are actually compressing the tour a little bit more than we normally would," South African Cricketers Association chief Tony Irish said. "There has been a process of consultation between SACA and Cricket South Africa (CSA) on the schedule and though it doesn't comply strictly with the guidelines, we are happy to compromise in order to ensure that Test matches and ODIs are played," he told 'Cricinfo'. According to the schedule sent by the BCCI, the Proteas will start their tour with the first Test from February 4-8 followed by the second Test between February 12-16. The three one-dayers have been set for February 19, 22 and 25. The South Africans have no issues with the proposed schedule provided the travelling time between venues is not too taxing on the players. . "At the moment there is probably a day's less break between the ODIs and we would've liked to see two more days of break between the Test matches," Irish said. "We are prepared to go ahead if the logistics are okay. The day of travel between the matches should not be too long as we have only two rest and practice days. But if we are travelling between one end to other then we will need an extra day of rest," he added. The Proteas were originally scheduled to play five one-dayers during the tour but the BCCI requested them to play two Tests and a shortened three-match one-day series after India became the world's number one team in the longest format of the game. The BCCI had earlier scheduled just seven Tests for the Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men, including two undecided matches against minnows Zimbabwe, in 2010. South Africa agreed to the BCCI's request as the world number two team was also very eager to play more Tests next year.

[gaurav92]

More less test matches, can we be no.1 till 2010 ends? I doubt it :((

[achilles]

And people thought BCCI is satan :finger:

[Sachinism]

More less test matches' date=' can we be no.1 till 2010 ends? I doubt it :(([/quote'] This is more than we would have had. Plus Dhoni said a lot more Tests have been proposed and some of them should go through, so we will be playing more

[Chalks]

Kolkata and Nagpur to host the two tests, Kanpur, Jaipur and Ahmedabad to host the three ODIs. http://www.cricinfo.com/indvrsa2010/content/story/442133.html

[saneindian]

Test for Eden and ODI for Ahmedabad during the SA series! http://www.cricinfo.com/indvrsa2010/content/story/442133.html So a ground which saw the lights go off during an int'l match recently ( and also during some IPL matches) gets to host a test match and also a ground which produced a track unfit for test cricket gets to host an ODI. Is this BCCI's ways of rewarding state units which seem indifferent to the rapid change going around them and dont want to embrace professionalism? Are we waiting for another Kotla like fiasco before finally getting rid of the rot that has set in most cricket associations?

[cowboysfan]

no needs for lights in a test match.

[saneindian]

It's not about the lights, but its about the apparent lack of professionalism. If they can goof up on one front, what's the guarantee that they wont mess up in other areas next areas like Kotla and DDCA which refused to learn any lessons form the CL matches or the ODI against Aus?

[Sachinism]

Frikkin awesome - Test match at Eden, will the ground be ready by then or is it still gonna be about 60k seats?

[cowboysfan]

there is a chance that might happen but we have to give our best ground a chance to host the no 1 vs no 2 match,no?

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BCCI sends pitch advisory to South Africa series hosts The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) wants to clear the pitch. Literally. Following the Kotla fiasco, the Board wants to ensure that there are no further botch-ups. More... BCCI sends pitch advisory to South Africa series hosts Vijay Tagore / DNA Friday, January 8, 2010 0:24 IST Mumbai: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) wants to clear the pitch. Literally. Following the Kotla fiasco, the Board wants to ensure that there are no further botch-ups. It has been learnt that the BCCI has sent out a list of ‘dos and don’ts’ to all the associations which will stage the matches in the forthcoming South Africa series. Nagpur, Kolkata (Tests), Jaipur, Kanpur and Ahmedabad (ODIs) are the five staging centres. At the outset, the BCCI has advised the staging centres to prepare sporting pitches. “The BCCI president has advised all the staging centres to prepare sporting pitches,” the letter has said. Besides, it has also asked the state associations to work in tandem with local curators to prepare good wickets. “We have received such instructions and we’re working on that. We will hold a trial match on that pitch before our D-Day,” said the secretary of a state association that will host an ODI. It may be recalled that the India-Sri Lanka December 27 ODI was called off abruptly for what the Match Referee called an ‘unfit pitch’. Following that fiasco, the ICC sent a notice to the BCCI and the Delhi District Cricket Association. It has been learnt that the BCCI is yet to respond to the ICC notice. “We have got time. We were given 14 days and we will reply within that period,” BCCI secretary N Srinivasan said.

[Sachinism]

- Make sure the pitch allows for 2500 runs over the course of the match

[hatja_tau]

I hope sporting pitches implies turning tracks rather than out-an-out grasslawns!, Spin is our home-advantage which should'nt be compromised ever!

[saneindian]

^ Yep go for turning tracks where Mishra and Bhajji could just roll over SA. Our pacers in tests Zak and Sree will anyways get reverse swing on even the worst of roads. But please no attempts to produce a lively pitch, our curators have no idea how to prepare such track. Lively pitch= Lots of grass on the pitch for our home curators=Disaster for India.