Pitch for the first test at Centurian,SA coach already on the job.

[saneindian]

Pitches are not going to be any dfferent from what they were the last time. In anycase irrespective of the pitch, we have the team that can do well in all conditions.

[Chandan]

Pitches are not going to be any dfferent from what they were the last time. In anycase irrespective of the pitch, we have the team that can do well in all conditions.

We didn't have a test at Centurian last time. What kind of pitch can does Centurian otherwise have, traditionally? You must be knowing Shwetabh. Is it the kind of pitch we had in India match Pak ODI match in WC 2003 or something much different? Any scorecards of Centurian test match?

[rkt.india]

We didn't have a test at Centurian last time. What kind of pitch can does Centurian otherwise have, traditionally? You must be knowing Shwetabh. Is it the kind of pitch we had in India match Pak ODI match in WC 2003 or something much different? Any scorecards of Centurian test match?

Centurian traditionally has been a good test wicket favoring the batsman

[saneindian]

We didn't have a test at Centurian last time. What kind of pitch can does Centurian otherwise have, traditionally? You must be knowing Shwetabh. Is it the kind of pitch we had in India match Pak ODI match in WC 2003 or something much different? Any scorecards of Centurian test match?

Pakistan, NZ, England have all scored 300+ in an innings at Centurion in last few years. Is one of the better batting wickets in SA, but then SA batsmen too love batting on that pitch.

[Sachinism]

Amazing how nobody bats an eyelid that SA are preparing tracks how they want, to their advantage. The moment India ask for a track suited to them, all hell breaks loose. If there's a pitch where the goes deviates 2 degrees from the straight there is a massive outcry

[Ram]

The Saffies are up to their usual mind games.. It is getting so boring these days.. Speaking of pre-series mind-games, I thought Andrew Strauss had one of the best comeback lines in the recent history of cricket. Before the first test at Gabba, Johnson was making all these statements about he is going to target the English openers with the short delivery and all that.. When one of the journalists asked Strauss about it, he curtly replied ‘I am pretty confident with my game in terms of handling short-pitched bowling.. Besides, if Mitchell Johnson wants to reveal his bowling plans a day in advance, then I am extremely grateful to him..’ :cantstop:

[Feed]

Dravid warns Proteas More... India in SA Dravid warns Proteas 2010-12-08 Altus Momberg Cape Town РAccording to Rahul Dravid, South Africa could be making a big mistake if they intentionally prepare pitches beneficial to pace bowlers in the cricket series against India. Rahul Dravid said on Wednesday India's seam bowlers also have the ability to make the most of ideal fast-bowling conditions. The first Test in the series between the world's two top Test countries will begin next Thursday at Centurion. The temptation will be big for South Africa's cricket experts to ask groundsmen for green pitches. The Proteas, after all, boast bowlers of the calibre of Dale Steyn and Morn̩ Morkel. In addition, the Proteas over the past four years (twice against England in both recent Tests against Pakistan) have struggled to deliver the final knockout. This makes such a proposition even more tempting. But Dravid, at the age of 37, one of the statesmen of the Indian team, believes this kind of strategy could backfire. "It will be a very competitive series, but I believe if our seam bowlers Zaheer (Khan) and Ishant (Sharma) and Sreesanth can remain fit throughout the series, we will do very well," said Dravid on Wednesday at the Claremont club in Constantia. Dravid was the only member of India's probable starter team for the first Test to be training at the Claremont club in Constantia on Wednesday. The rest of the group arrived on Wednesday night and would hold a complete training session on Thursday morning. The veteran did acknowledge, however, that it wouldn't be an easy Test series. "South Africa is an excellent team, especially in South African conditions Рand we will have to play excellent cricket to beat them." But India's seam attack these days contains certain abilities; one of the reasons why the Indian team plays Test cricket with such confidence, says Dravid. This stylish batsman was evasive, however, when he was asked whether a series defeat would mean that South Africa is the world's top Test-playing nation. "No, we have shown in the last four or five years that we can play everywhere. We did well in Australia and England and have even won a Test here in South Africa on the last tour." Dravid is well aware though that batsmen like Suresh Raina and Gautam Gambhir have never played Test cricket in South Africa. They will have to survive a pace attack by the Proteas if India wants to be crowned the winner. But Dravid believes the new generation of batsmen like Raina, Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara are much more prepared to achieve success in South African than when he was a young player on his first tour in South Africa in the 1996-97 season. "Today's guys play much more outside India. Most of them were in South Africa either on A-team or U/19 tours and some of them have even played in the IPL (Indian Premier League) or the Champion's League," says Dravid.

[vamos_rafa]

Even Dravid's warnings are done in a modest manner. A true gentleman. :hatsoff:

[fineleg]

Even Dravid's warnings are done in a modest manner. A true gentleman. :hatsoff:

And done in a dignified manner - some of our legends are worthy statesmen :hatsoff:

[vaibhav_delhi]

No green mamba for first Test more Johannesburg – The South African bowlers won't be unleashed on a green mamba wicket in the first Test against India at SuperSport Park in Centurion. "I'm definitely not going to prepare a pitch where the Test will be over within three days," said groundsman Hilbert Smith. "But it will be a pitch that will definitely offer something for the bowlers on the first morning.†"I want to prepare a pitch where it won't just be an automatic choice to bat if you win the toss," the experienced Titans groundsman told Sport24. Of the 15 Tests that have been played there, SA has won 11. They have lost only one, the controversial one against the English in 2000; three were drawn, also against England, with only one not influenced by rain. He has already received a call from the South Africa coach, Corrie van Zyl, about what is required for December 16. He didn't want to reveal, however, what Van Zyl requested for the first Test against (coach) Gary Kirsten's team, but said they spoke the same language and sang from the same hymn book. "Look," says Smith, "everybody wants the ball to fly past the Indian batsman's ears because they are apparently vulnerable against short deliveries. "But to make this happen, you need a lot of grass on the pitch. "Then you can have a scenario where one team is bowled out for 120 while the other gets 150. "Even an average seamer is then made to look world class. "That is not what you want," he said. "If we win the toss on that sort of a pitch and bowl them out cheaply, then I'm the hero, but think what could happen if the roles are reversed and they bowl us out cheaply. "Then they demand your head and everyone wants to know what went wrong. "I want to see that first session or that first morning playing a big role, because it’s then that there has to be something for the bowlers, and the batsmen will have to stand strong to survive.†Smith said the weather a few days before the Test will also play a big role in how the pitch will look eventually. According to him, it is also an extraordinary situation that the final of the MTN40 will be decided on Friday, only six days before the Test begins next Thursday. This pitch and the Test pitch are next to each other. The pitch for the Titans' battle against the Knights will be one for the batsmen, however, and the bowlers will have to work for their wickets.

[Chandan]

Already posted! http://www.indiancricketfans.com/showpost.php?p=1245234&postcount=34 Why don't you read the thread before posting, vaibhav_delhi?

[Nirvanam]

not true at all.infact there is no test team right now which can handle the moving ball.its all about who screws up less on batting on such pitches and conditions.

Aww come on now...what more does it take for you to recognize that a line-up consisting Viru, Rahul, Lax, and Sachin is possibly the best ever in the History of the game...and they got there by besting opposition in hostile conditions that you refer to. Headingley...does it swing more anywhere else on Planet Earth? England and NZ - las time I checked we had won in both these swing havens. SA and Aus are speed roads not swing havens. And even on the fastest of pitches I'd put more money on a line-up of Viru-Gambhir-Rahul-Sachin-Lax-Pujara-Dhoni than Smith-Petersen-Amla-Kallis-AB-Prince-Boucher. Last time around, one stupid mistake over one session of play by Rahul and Sachin in the 3rd Test cost us the series. This time, it won't. Last time we had a totally out of form Viru and an injury-stricken Sachin. This time both these match-winners are full on and ready to go.

[Nirvanam]

Not in seaming conditions' date=' he wont. It would be Dravid followed by Sachin[/quote']No matter the conditions, the oppositions the pecking order is Sachin, extremely small gap, Viru, gap, Lax, bigger gap, Rahul. The guy is a Virtuoso...don't even think that there is even a single player in the History of this game who has done better than him in all conditions versus all oppositions. I mean how many types of stats do you need to be shown to start recognizing that no matter what conditions, no matter what oppositions, India's first trump card (and reliably so) is Sachin?

[cowboysfan]

Aww come on now...what more does it take for you to recognize that a line-up consisting Viru' date= Rahul, Lax, and Sachin is possibly the best ever in the History of the game...and they got there by besting opposition in hostile conditions that you refer to. Headingley...does it swing more anywhere else on Planet Earth? England and NZ - las time I checked we had won in both these swing havens. SA and Aus are speed roads not swing havens. And even on the fastest of pitches I'd put more money on a line-up of Viru-Gambhir-Rahul-Sachin-Lax-Pujara-Dhoni than Smith-Petersen-Amla-Kallis-AB-Prince-Boucher. Last time around, one stupid mistake over one session of play by Rahul and Sachin in the 3rd Test cost us the series. This time, it won't. Last time we had a totally out of form Viru and an injury-stricken Sachin. This time both these match-winners are full on and ready to go.

i dont know about the history of the game part but this is indeed the strongest Indian batting lineup that has toured SA.Gambhir has been a little bit off in tests recently but he has regained his fitness and hopefully he can keep the injury bug at bay.There is no question that the bounce will trouble a lot of our batsmen.I would say this,if our bowlers and bastmen perform to the best of their capabilities and the south africans do the same the result will be 3-0 (or more likely 2-0 with a high scoring draw)in our favour.This is the final frontier for our test team ,i expect them to give their best.

[Nirvanam]

Who wants an encore of Sreesanth's dance to Nel? :--D

[vaibhav_delhi]

Already posted! http://www.indiancricketfans.com/showpost.php?p=1245234&postcount=34 Why don't you read the thread before posting, vaibhav_delhi?

sorry, my bad. didnt read the previous page.

[vaibhav_delhi]

Who wants an encore of Sreesanth's dance to Nel? :--D

well not that interested:P. But would not mind that if he could repeat last times's bowling performances as well.

[Feed]

Centurion pitch will have a 'bit of bounce' More... Centurion pitch will have a 'bit of bounce' Firdose Moonda December 11, 2010 The Centurion pitch for the first Test between South Africa and India starting on December 16 will not be a trampoline, subject to the weather, the groundsman at Supersport Park, Hilbert Smith, has said. "It will have just a bit of bounce," Smith told ESPNcricinfo. "But everything depends on the weather. If it stays hot, somewhere in the region of 34 degrees Celsius and the pitch dries out, then it will flatten out totally and then we will have a problem because we need some moisture to get bounce," Smith said. South Africa have instructed Smith to prepare a track that will favour their pace attack. "I've been told to leave some grass on it, so there will be bounce. I've rolled some grass into the base for that," Smith said. He has to ensure a delicate balance between producing a pitch that will generate bounce and one that doesn't offer too much movement and the possibility of the match ending prematurely. "If I leave too much grass on the pitch, there will be too much movement and then the match could be over in three days and we don't want that. If it ends in four days, that will be fine, but ideally, I would like it to go the full five days." Smith has also been told to leave no room for turn, all but negating the role of the spinner, who will, particularly in the case of someone like Paul Harris, be used to contain. However, bounce alone may be enough to excite the slow bowlers, particularly tall ones like Harris and Harbhajan Singh, according to former South African spinner Paul Adams. "Spinners just need the bounce to be able to deceive the batsmen," he said. Smith said he has "done most of the Test pitch already" and, on Friday during the MTN40 final, it had quite a fair amount of grass on it, but he has had an interruption in his preparation. The domestic limited-overs final was played six days before the Test. It meant that Smith could not work on the Test pitch for two days, Thursday and Friday. The Test pitch, number five on the square, is sandwiched between the MTN40 final pitch, number six, and the pitch used for the other MTN40 games, number four. "There will be a little bit of wear and tear on the Test pitch and the grass may come out a bit because of its position," Smith said. It's the first time Smith has had a domestic game played so soon before an international, and therefore he said he doesn't know what the effect will be on the Test pitch. Luckily, the weather is expected to work to Smith's advantage. Although the mercury has topped 30 degrees Celsius for the past few days, it has rained on three of them. Rain is forecast all day for Sunday and Monday while clearing on Tuesday and returning on Wednesday night. Thursday, the first day of the Test, is also expected to be overcast and wet.

[saneindian]

South Africa have instructed Smith to prepare a track that will favour their pace attack. "I've been told to leave some grass on it, so there will be bounce. I've rolled some grass into the base for that," Smith said. When we do the same thing for home tests, its dubbed at doctoring the pitches!! Anyways, looks like it will be a typical Centurion wicket, some bounce on it, not too much pace and some help for the spinners on day 4 and 5.