Rest of the World

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Big partnership in the context of the game. If they can add another 20-odd, the lead becomes noteworthy in a low scoring slug fest. As is Jansen showing he may well become a #7, while Keshav is playing with the poise of a man who has 3 Test 50s. Very organised. He probably has done himself a disservice, especially in a South African side both devoid of batsmen and obsessed with pace, in not working a little harder on his batting to be a #7.

Couldn't catch on to the action as it was raining throughout the morning and then I had to be out.
A fine win for South Africa, led from the front by the skipper. Bavuma and van der Dussen doing their jobs pretty well too.
India surely missed Kohli on field. Rahul has been too formulaic and conservative as a skipper, though this is his first game as captain, that too standing in. But going by his IPL leadership, I am not surprised, I must say. Bumrah and Shami didn't bring their A game. India failed to bowl dry, and gave away too many lose balls. They should have focused on keeping the runs down by consistently hitting a good length rather than going for the glory ball far too regularly.

Now that they've lost the game, don't think Rahane and Pujara should be allowed to get away with a 2nd innings just about 50 as they were part of the collapse in the 1st innings that ended setting up an under-par total.
Kohli in for Rahane?

So two surprising Test results in successive days. But can't see England making it a third in Sydney.

Must say I thought India would bowl SA out but full marks to Edgar and co.

India are dominant at home but not so powerful while touring. You really have to go back to the Aussie sides of the late 90s and early noughties to find a Test team in ascendancy home AND away.

dummy_half wrote:

Soul Requiem wrote:Pretty comfortable for South Africa in the end but a shame that Elgar was just short of his century, more than deserved one. He's not the most talented batsman and his average is mediocre in the grand scheme of things but he maximises that ability unlike so many.

Over 4000 test runs at just a smidge less than 40 as an opener. Better than at least one of England's openers ever since Strauss retired and on a different planet from any of our current ones...

Modest is probably a better word than mediocre. I'd take Elgar in a heartbeat for this England team, he's amongst the top five openers in world cricket. That probably sums up the overall quality. Two of those with better averages in Rohit and Warner have rotten records away from home.

sirfredperry wrote:So two surprising Test results in successive days. But can't see England making it a third in Sydney.

Must say I thought India would bowl SA out but full marks to Edgar and co.

India are dominant at home but not so powerful while touring. You really have to go back to the Aussie sides of the late 90s and early noughties to find a Test team in ascendancy home AND away.

Proteas had an away streak in the mid noighties to mid tens where they went unbeaten away from home for nigh on a decade.

From 2007 Proteas won 12 series, drew 4 and lost one series. That is pretty good. Not so much anymore though.

OM - Yes, sorry. I forgot just how successful that SA side was.

Due to shortage of tours and lack of warm-up matches it really is difficult for sides to win away from home.

Makes B'desh's win in NZ even more commendable. But top sides normally bounce back and I'm tipping NZ and India to win their next Tests.

Missed it - had given up on waiting for the rain to stop. Not shocked SA won , but a little surprised they did it so comfortably - did the pitch go to sleep or did India just bowl poorly ?

Certainly a highly encouraging victory for a SA side that has been struggling of late. Well done them ! Elgar looks to have done a brilliant job and deserved a hundred though he will probably be happy enough with the win.

I see from comments above that Kohli's captaincy appears to have improved due to his absence from this game

It was a disappointing result for India....not the loss but in the end the "one-sidedness "of the result.
Another 30, 40 or even 50 runs would not have helped.....and this was a pitch friendly to the bowlers
Great effort by Elgar....BUT

Indian bowlers were juts trying too hard.....shami and Bumrah trying to blast offf the opposition & in the effort spraying the ball all over...instead of bowling hit the top of off line, good length with pace.

And there were too many captains....Bumrah, Shami, Ashwin, Puajara all waving arms and giving instrcutions to each other

I have to amend my view....we need Kohli....not as a batsman but as a captain to shepherd the flock.
Maybe Rohit has the stature & experience to handle captaincy, certainly a shy & diffident Rahul does not at this time.
The other Rahul ( coach) lacks the toughness & tough talking approach of Shastri.

Hope Kohli is back.....Vihari will sit out & Umesh will come in for Siraj next game.

The second and final test between New Zealand and Bangladesh starts tonight/later today (depending where you are).

Bangladesh need to avoid defeat in order to secure an almost unthinkable series win inside the fortress of the world champions, a fortress that hasn't been breached since early 2017, by South Africa.

New Zealand still look the much stronger side on paper, but their fabled seam bowling attack went through nearly 180 overs just a few days ago, and Bangladesh's batting order will take enormous heart from the resolve and stoicism they exhibited in accumulating 458.

New Zealand likely to be unchanged, though it's possible Matt Henry might come in. Bangladesh have lost an opener to injury, Joy, so he'll need to be replaced. Conditions look dry for the most part, maybe some rain on day four or five, and plenty of cloud throughout.

Ireland beginning a ODI series in the Caribbean today - bowling first and have reduced West Indies to 62-4 off 19 overs

On BT Sport for anyone who wishes to watch!

Odd Irish tactics - McBrine bowled two overs and took two wickets, then they removed him from the attack!

Hetmyer not in the team because he has, apparently, failed the supposedly rigorous fitness checks that the West Indies impose.

Duty281 wrote:The second and final test between New Zealand and Bangladesh starts tonight/later today (depending where you are).

Bangladesh need to avoid defeat in order to secure an almost unthinkable series win inside the fortress of the world champions, a fortress that hasn't been breached since early 2017, by South Africa.

New Zealand still look the much stronger side on paper, but their fabled seam bowling attack went through nearly 180 overs just a few days ago, and Bangladesh's batting order will take enormous heart from the resolve and stoicism they exhibited in accumulating 458.

New Zealand likely to be unchanged, though it's possible Matt Henry might come in. Bangladesh have lost an opener to injury, Joy, so he'll need to be replaced. Conditions look dry for the most part, maybe some rain on day four or five, and plenty of cloud throughout.

Hoping for a good fight from Bangladesh. But I doubt New Zealand bowlers are going to make it any easy, not any more. And a big setback, that Mahmudul Hasan Joy who played a big part in setting the Bangladesh first innings up will be missing this game.

KP_fan wrote:
I have to amend my view....we need Kohli....not as a batsman but as a captain to shepherd the flock.
Maybe Rohit has the stature & experience to handle captaincy, certainly a shy & diffident Rahul does not  at this time.
The other Rahul ( coach) lacks the toughness  & tough talking approach of Shastri.

Hope Kohli is back.....Vihari will sit out & Umesh will come in for Siraj next game.

KPF, I was never a fan of the Rahul as captain ideas that flotted about when Kohli gave up T-20I captaincy. KL is the kind of skipper who trys to take it on himself to lead with his performance, unable to get the team to go that leve up. A bit like Sachin... Look at his IPL captaincy record, made lots and lots of runs, but couldn't get the team playing for him all that much. And doesn't look like a sharp tactition either.
Kohli can be obnoxious with his selection!, and he's not the sharpest tactition either. But he can get the team to strive for a higher level always. India could still have lost the 2nd test with Kohli at the helm, but think the bowlers in all likelyhood, would have put up a better show.
Kohli or no Kohli, we need to address our batting department though. I have a strong feel unlike you, that Kohli the batter is set for a comeback pretty soon, hopefully the next test itself. But I don't think its viable to have both Pujara and Rahane in the team together any more. Between the 2, think Pujara adds more value to the team even he's not at his best with his bat. Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, or even Vihari, could be better bets than Ajinkya in his current version of 1 good effort in 20 attempts, mixed in with 15 downright pathetic, and 4 decent contributions.
It also emerges that Shreyas didn't quite make it to the playing 11 also because he had some illness, seems he'll be available for the next game, though its unlikely they'll pick him. Dravid indicated as much, that both Vihari and Iyer will have to wait a bit more before getting regular chances.

West Indies fought back to post 269, though 300+ looked on at one stage before a late flurry of wickets. Ireland cruising to victory in the chase. Very well managed, with Balbirnie leading the effort, but there's been a number of edges that have found the grass and other near-misses which will have frustrated the West Indies. Every win vital towards making the World Cup.

Bangladesh have won the toss in the test and will bowl first. Expected to be a good bowling track, the average 1st innings score at Christchurch is apparently below 300. Mitchell in for Ravindra NZ's only change; Mushfiqur and Joy (both injured) replaced by Naim and Hasan for Bangladesh. Mushfiqur could be a big loss.

Apologies to Ireland - they've lost three wickets in no time and their cruise has been knocked off course.

Nice job of jinxing the Irish , Duty ! They've still given it a good go but all a bit too much in the end. Kiwis off to a decent start.

Bangladesh following up their excellent first test performance with this

https://twitter.com/pattymalone2000/status/1479981027057549316?s=21

It's an oddity that overthrows go into the bowler's column rather than in the extras.

NZ 153/1. Sounds like Bangladesh have bowled decently, but there's been several near-misses (Latham given out twice, but overturned twice) and a few drops.

Duty281 wrote:
Bangladesh have won the toss in the test and will bowl first.

How must Mominul be feeling now after sending NZ in this morning?

Latham and Conway have been punishing Ebadot ruthlessly. Poor guy! Last week a hero and now it all seems to have come crashing down.

That decision at the toss must rank with Hutton , and Hussain , at the Gabba !

NZ obviously keen to put last week's upset behind them quickly...345/1 now with two overs left...

Stuff like revenge don't sit well with the nicest cricket team in the world, so lets say New Zealand setting the record straight with an absolutely dominant performance on day one. Mominul may have opted to bowl first going by the green track, and the lack of experience in his batting lineup. He'd have been better off giving responsibility to his batters, somehow managing a draw is the best that Bangladesh can hope from here in this game.

May sound odd, but the decision to bowl first was absolutely fine Latham had an extraordinary amount of fortune, plus the fielding was diabolical.

Trouble is for Bangladesh, NZ are scoring so quickly they may rack up 700 and still be declaring tonight!

Will take another inspired batting effort, and maybe some rain, to save this one

NZ declare at 521/6 - Latham with 252. Seems an odd declaration to me as NZ have batted at a superb run rate (just over 4), so there's plenty of time left in the game: why not smash a few more and declare at 600 or close to?

Up to Bangladesh to bat gloriously to win the series. 322 the first target.

Normal service resuming - 11/3.

Bangladesh making some kind of recovery from 27/5...now at 109/6 , thanks mainly to Yasir who is 42no.

Seems the Kiwis have their game heads back on in this match after unaccountably going to sleep in the previous game. Can't assume anyone is a total easybeat , should be the message - and I think they have taken it to heart.  

109/7 now as Boult grabs his fourth. 300 wickets for him

Yasir still there : but I can't see Bangladesh lasting long. Still ten overs tonight and they could be sent back in early tomorrow...

50 for the determined Yasir

But he's running out of partners. 126/8 now with Jamieson getting in on the act...

Total disaster of a performance from Bangladesh. What a sad crash down after the highs of the first test win in SENA countries for them. After the bowling went missing, the batting utterly refused to turn up barring Yasir

126 all out and five for the excellent Boult.  Don't think it is too much of a shock , to be honest. Bangladesh played an outstanding game last week and maybe it was a bit much to expect them to carry on from there. Also cannot help but think NZ might have taken them a bit for granted until they got that wake up call. There is quite a gulf between these two teams in truth ; but the Tigers can still take heart from that remarkable win ; and perhaps at least make NZ work in the second innings...

BD seemingly attained cricketing Nirvana after winning the last test
without a purpose of life thereafter

KP_fan wrote:BD seemingly attained cricketing Nirvana after winning the last test
without a purpose of  life thereafter

 

Ouch! A drawn series is still a hell of a result for them. Hard to disagree though that they haven't exactly backed up that first Test performance!

Boult and Southee were swinging it around corners, so no surprise to see Bangladesh struggle in the way they did, especially as this is mostly a second string batting line-up.

With a lead this big, and the Kiwi bowlers having not bowled much, this is a circumstance where I'd advocate enforcing the follow-on. But this is Taylor's last test and NZ may be sentimental enough to give him one more innings?

India I feel did miss Virat Kohli's leadership in the South African 2nd innings for sure, and I surely don't think KL Rahul is up to leading the test side, and even in the long run, I am not sure his formulaic captaincy is what we need going forward.
But now that Virat is back, I for the sake of all that is holy, just want him to keep a bit quiet! and focus on his batting. God he was talking far too much in that match-eve interaction. Lots of silly denialism, and lot of chest-thumping. All that we need is a crazy selection call to complete the circle. Honestly, we missed you Virat, but this package is bloody difficult!

NZ enforce the follow-on, as they look for a three-day win to repair some of the humiliation inflicted by the first test. Bangladesh just need about 600 runs or so.

Bangladesh doing rather better in this innings. Some brave and lively batting has them at 239/6 after 69 overs. Litton Das going well on 76.

Stand between him and wk Hasan was worth 101 in just 17 overs , and only ended by a great catch by Wagner - who must be one of the most whole hearted cricketers ever. Bowls as if he never gets tired and still flings himself around in the field ...great team man.

Still 150 odd behind so this is ending sooner or later anyway. But good to see the Tigers aren't lying down tamely

A convincing win in the end. NZ win by an innings and 117 runs. A nice knock from Das today for his 102.
Great to see Ross Taylor claim his 3rd test wicket and finish his test career with a bowling average of 16.00

45 with the bat and 16 with the ball, got to be in the discussion of greatest ever all rounders!

msp83 wrote:India I feel did miss Virat Kohli's leadership in the South African 2nd innings for sure, and I surely don't think KL Rahul is up to leading the test side, and even in the long run, I am not sure his formulaic captaincy is what we need going forward.
But now that Virat is back, I for the sake of all that is  holy, just want him to keep a bit quiet! and focus on his batting. God he was talking far too much in that match-eve interaction. Lots of silly denialism, and lot of chest-thumping. All that we need is a crazy selection call to complete the circle. Honestly, we missed you Virat, but this package is bloody difficult!

It takes time for people to grow and then settle in captaincy role.
That there as no Shastri too hurt India....as Dravid is
1-not still settled
2- in any case not as aggressive as Shastri was
After Kohli the next in line is Rohit for captaincy in tests

I too am glad Kohli is back for now......and amazed that we won all 3 tosses in this series
Umesh in for Siraj is a no brainer....Kohli Big-upping Ishant at toss as equal to Umesh is pure favoritism...the type of stuff that's sinking him

Capetown is hot and pitch although with grass, Nicholas thinks will dry further and assist spin in Innings-3 and 4
Good to have ashwin for fourth inning
we need 300+ now that we have chosen to bat on a grassy pitch

We've now lost six straight tosses against India in Tests. What ever happened to that "do away with the toss" movement

Had to go out so missed the end of the match in NZ. But delighted to see Das got his hundred - and even more that Taylor got his fairytale finish

Had a feeling he would be given the chance to end things ; very fitting for him to go out like that. Has been a wonderful warrior for NZ for many years.

Drawn series something for Bangladesh to take home. Pity there isn't a third game though...

What’s the process for a bowler to gain more pace or is it a natural talent thing?
This South African giant Jansen looks like he could easily fill out a bit and bowl quicker - if that’s possible?

The pitch has seam & Bounce ...and so 75-2 is an even session at best for SA or Ind slightly ahead in my view.

It could well be 4 down in conditions like this ...and 100-4 could well be the score half an hour after lunch
Redemption inning from Pant expected

Jeff Navarro wrote:What’s the process for a bowler to gain more pace or is it a natural talent thing?
This South African giant Jansen looks like he could easily fill out a bit and bowl quicker - if that’s possible?

Sure bowlers can gain pace and there are plenty of examples even among the current crop.......Woakes , Bumrah come to mind immediately who have gone nup by  5kph more on average pace for example

The Body is like a machine....so
1. first one needs to get the machine fitter.....increase muscle mass & endurance of body
2.and then improve the rhythm and bo-mechanically guided small changes to the action.....so you generate more pace without using more force
3, and finally the last push with more brute force from the shoulder and lower body....this will wear the body down & that'ss why you did step no. 1

On Jansen.....by simply leveraging the follow-thru which he isn't right now....he can gain half to a yard of pace

The pitch and conditions did ask questions, but both Rahul and Mayank should be disappointed that they couldn't go on after getting a start. It is surely not a 150 collapse kind of pitch. Looks a good one, so all the more important those who get in, should carry on.
Pujara has looked positive, looked to score rather than just survive, and in the process, outscored his skipper. When he does, Cheteshwar looks a lot more assured, and more often than not, produces the goods. Hope he doesn't go into a sudden slow down mode, whenever he does that, he invariably gets out, without adding a lot to the score.

Kohli has looked a bit more disciplined in the middle. Hopes he keeps that cover drive, and that Kohli special Nothing Poke locked up for a while...
Not much batting left after these 2 though, Rahane despite that 50, is very much a batter in decline. Pant, depends on which version turns up. Hopefully, Ashwin and Shardul will not be asked to do too much heavy lifting with the bat.

KP_fan wrote:

Jeff Navarro wrote:What’s the process for a bowler to gain more pace or is it a natural talent thing?
This South African giant Jansen looks like he could easily fill out a bit and bowl quicker - if that’s possible?

Sure bowlers can gain pace and there are plenty of examples even among the current crop.......Woakes , Bumrah come to mind immediately who have gone nup by  5kph more on average pace for example

The Body is like a machine....so
1. first one needs to get the machine fitter.....increase muscle mass & endurance of body
2.and then improve the rhythm and bo-mechanically guided small changes to the action.....so you generate more pace without using more force
3, and finally the last push with more brute force from the shoulder and lower body....this will wear the body down & that'ss why you did step no. 1

On Jansen.....by simply leveraging the follow-thru which he isn't right now....he can gain half to a yard of pace

Jansen does have the physique to bowl quicker by the look of it. He has age on his side, the lad is only 20. But that is not good enough to step up, Jason Holder, while he has become a much smarter, much better, much more attacking bowler in comparison to his initial version, the pace hasn't really gone up much. He also seemed to have the build but...
Lets see where Jansen goes. Seems a much sharper bowler than Mulder, and he has the raw elements to become a decent operator with the bat as well...

As for the selections, I would have played Ishant if he has been in good bowling rhythm. Not the pathetic spragun that we saw in his last appearance in England, but the one prior to that game. Because he's good at bowling dry, better than both Bumrah and Shami, in the process making both of them even better strike bowlers. And India did miss good dry bowling skills in the last test, particularly in the 2nd innings.
Umesh has never evr in his career, been known for his accuracy. Mostly a subcontinent specialist, though he has shown improvement in bowling better in seaming conditions of late. Hopefully, he'll bring his A game over here. No complaints really, Umesh is surely a class operator.
And I would have dropped Rahane for the returning skipper, but understand they would never have gone that way after that last innings from him. Was hoping for a bit of Kohli Crazy Selection there!

Better hope Rahane is set for an innings today...losing Pujara just when they were looking a bit settled is a blow. Kohli rather restrained so far. You'd want a half decent score on this I think.

msp83 wrote:

KP_fan wrote:

Jeff Navarro wrote:What’s the process for a bowler to gain more pace or is it a natural talent thing?
This South African giant Jansen looks like he could easily fill out a bit and bowl quicker - if that’s possible?

Sure bowlers can gain pace and there are plenty of examples even among the current crop.......Woakes , Bumrah come to mind immediately who have gone nup by  5kph more on average pace for example

The Body is like a machine....so
1. first one needs to get the machine fitter.....increase muscle mass & endurance of body
2.and then improve the rhythm and bo-mechanically guided small changes to the action.....so you generate more pace without using more force
3, and finally the last push with more brute force from the shoulder and lower body....this will wear the body down & that'ss why you did step no. 1

On Jansen.....by simply leveraging the follow-thru which he isn't right now....he can gain half to a yard of pace

Jansen does have the physique to bowl quicker by the look of it. He has age on his side, the lad is only 20. But that is not good enough to step up, Jason Holder, while he has become a much smarter, much better, much more attacking bowler in comparison to his initial version, the pace hasn't really gone up much. He also seemed to have the build but...
Lets see where Jansen goes. Seems a much sharper bowler than Mulder, and he has the raw elements to become a decent operator with the bat as well...

I mean, he's touched 90 miles at times this series, so it's not like he's Jason Holder-esque in pace. He's probably only down because this is the third Test on his debut series and the tank is probably closer to E than the half mark.

Spirited effort from Bangladesh, in better conditions, but the damage was obviously done on day two and it was irredeemable. But getting a 1-1 result in NZ, with some players missing, will have massively exceeded any expectations they held going into the series.

Taylor retires after a fine test career. Will be a tricky few years perhaps coming up for NZ as their stellar batting line-up, which propelled them to the top of the world, begins to break up.

Good test building between India and South Africa. Rabada's battle v Kohli just before tea was excellent. And I thought Kohli definitely got a touch on that decision which was referred, but given not out both times.

India unraveling, despite Kohli's best test innings since that 73 in Australia. In danger of getting bowled out for a very belo-par total here, need 300 + on the board here, no sign of reaching even 200 at this rate.

Can Lord Shardul do something special with the bat? Kohli is being stranded out there.