Match against Proteas: Pre-match discussion

[Ultimate_Game]

Smith is simply playing mind-games and wants to make sure he doesn't play on a turning pitch. That's the reason why we had such a flat track in the first place. After the warm-up games both Aus and SA moaned about the "under-prepared" turning tracks and look what we did! Our state associations and curators took the bait as always to please the visiting teams and went away from our strength which is spin. Smith wants to ensure the same trend continues by talking up turning tracks in India. He knows his team will lose if SA play on turning tracks against India and unfortunately Indian state associations and curators are falling for the trick as usual :(

[satyam1729]

Smith is simply playing mind-games and wants to make sure he doesn't play on a turning pitch. That's the reason why we had such a flat track in the first place. After the warm-up games both Aus and SA moaned about the "under-prepared" turning tracks and look what we did! Our state associations and curators took the bait as always to please the visiting teams and went away from our strength which is spin. Smith wants to ensure the same trend continues by talking up turning tracks in India. He knows his team will lose if SA play on turning tracks against India and unfortunately Indian state associations and curators are falling for the trick as usual :(

Don't worry rank turners are being prepared for knock outs.

[Watson87]

Idnia will win the match, South Africa lost the series against us last time they toured, also if we pick 3 quick wickets, their batting will be exposed just like our bowling. But can we pick 3 quick wickets with our trundlers and darters :(( Zaheer will get Smith for a duck, now remain Kallis, Amla and Dev :nervous:

[punjabi_khota]

Wary of playing spin, sucks at playing swing :dontknow:

[Ultimate_Game]

Don't worry rank turners are being prepared for knock outs.

Not too sure. Our curator & state association mentality is to bend over backwards to please the visiting teams. Remember the Nagpur test in 2004 against Aussies where a green pitch was prepared for the crucial test and that's the only series we have ever lost to Aus in India in the last 40 odd years :((

[cowboysfan]

Smith comes across as a classic whiner(even worse than Sanga).did any of our players complain when they had to on those green strips in SA? .I actually remember Dhoni saying that the pitches were good for test cricket.He sounds like he is scared because he knows south africa have no chance against us on turning tracks and wants a preemptive strike to see that it doesnt happen.

[prinzo]

Sachin=GOD Originally Posted by satyam1729 Amla is at no.1 rankings. no1 in rankings does not mean that he's the best in the World. Amla has been very consistent but Kohli has been better in the last year or so IMO.

exactly , thats what the whole world thinks about India not being able to at least win a test series in Australia and South Africa , yet they are ranked number1 in the world in test cricket

[satyam1729]

exactly ' date=' thats what the whole world thinks about India not being able to at least win a test series in Australia and South Africa , yet they are ranked number1 in the world in test cricket[/quote'] When was last time SA won a home series against OZ ? :haha::haha: I would say SA are not no.2 rankings because they have won just 1 out of 6 last test series.

[prinzo]

bring on the spinning wickets , SA are better prepared last time , this is the first time they going to play lots of spinners , last time they tourd it was all about pace attacks , but dont worry im sure India wont have trouble in playing the likes of peterson , Botha and Tahir , after all India players are the best at playing spin and have the best batting line up after Hashim Amla .

[Karan114]

exactly ' date=' thats what the whole world thinks about India not being able to at least win a test series in Australia and South Africa , yet they are ranked number1 in the world in test cricket[/quote'] The whole world also thinks your team is the biggest group of chokers in sport. What's your point?

[prinzo]

satyam1729 Originally Posted by prinzo exactly , thats what the whole world thinks about India not being able to at least win a test series in Australia and South Africa , yet they are ranked number1 in the world in test cricket When was last time SA won a home series against OZ ? I would say SA are not no.2 rankings because they have won just 1 out of 6 last test series.

It is a shame you have to go and compare the South African results against Australia :cantstop: you are right we are number 2 yes , we not complaining. but at least we won test series in Australia and India since our readmission to test cricket in 1992

[prinzo]

Chokers??? in sport , we won the rugby world cup 2 times , and we are the current world champions. yes we agree we choked on big occasions in cricket , but we hoping to make it right next time , we have to learn from mistakes and progress , thats all we can do is try harder and fight to the end.

[satyam1729]

It is a shame you have to go and compare the South African results against Australia :cantstop: you are right we are number 2 yes , we not complaining. but at least we won test series in Australia and India since our readmission to test cricket in 1992

But we too have ODI WC, T20 WC , Champions trophy . So what are you talking about ? And i brought OZ because you brought record against OZ. SA is the only country not to win a home test series against OZ in last 20 years. :cantstop:

[Ultimate_Game]

Chokers??? in sport , we won the rugby world cup 2 times , and we are the current world champions. yes we agree we choked on big occasions in cricket , but we hoping to make it right next time , we have to learn from mistakes and progress , thats all we can do is try harder and fight to the end.

The good thing is you can fall back on a lot of "Learning" material as far as SA go in big tourneys :haha:

[therocky]

If India bowls and fields as well as they did against England then I don't think Smith has anything to worry about. We need to realize that only batting well is not going to get us the world cup, I would hate to see what happens when India faces a world class bowling attack and has to defend a total less than 300.

[satyam1729]

If India bowls and fields as well as they did against England then I don't think Smith has anything to worry about. We need to realize that only batting well is not going to get us the world cup' date=' I would hate to see what happens when India faces a world class bowling attack and has to defend a total less than 300.[/quote'] Haven't England hammered the same SA team in ODI recently ?

[therocky]

Haven't England hammered the same SA team in ODI recently ?

I think the test series was 1-1 and England won the ODI 2-1

[satyam1729]

I think the test series was 1-1 and England won the ODI 2-1

Don't underestimate England . They are a very good side.

[Watson87]

I think the test series was 1-1 and England won the ODI 2-1

Kiss the world cup goodbye, a thrashing coming up, u'll lose to england, offcourse india and both ireland and the dutch:winky:

[therocky]

Kiss the world cup goodbye' date=' a thrashing coming up, u'll lose to england, offcourse india and both ireland and the dutch:winky:[/quote'] What? I support India and we didn't lose to England it was a tie, I think you thought I was a South African fan.