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[csnew]

This match is going at quite a pace. ABD out bowled...curtains for South Africa
Assume philander was sent in as a pinch hitter

[iand123]

SA with an England esque collapse this time. Don't think india's seamers will get a look in here

[Thesmiff]

Assume philander was sent in as a pinch hitter

If that was the case, then it's another sad indictment on batting attitudes in a test match. You've nearly 3 days to knock off 210 and you say "Go on son, slog us 50-odd", A test top 6 should be able get 210 in 3 days in leg byes

[smilley792]

Jadeja destroys the South Africans with a five 4. They win by 106 runs inside 3 days.

All 40 wickets fell not a declaration in sight.

[csnew]

SA lose by 100+ runs. In the context of the match, massive margin!

SA to continue to complain about the spinning tracks - rather see a result in 3 days than a run fest

[csnew]

sky seem to have totally cut their post match analysis of games. No highlights after or no one in the studio - same for the Ram slam t20.

[smilley792]

sky seem to have totally cut their post match analysis of games. No highlights after or no one in the studio - same for the Ram slam t20.

Probably the same reason why despite having rights to all county, t20 and 50over comps in England and 6 sports channels to show them on, they ignore them whenever England's on.
Not enough crew/commentators and studios to do it.

There probably all in Dubai watching England.

[ProCricketer1982]

Just finished watching it, simply pathetic test cricket.

[parthnayak]

Why pathetic may I ask? I thought it was a proper match and enjoyable too.

[smilley792]

Just finished watching it, simply pathetic test cricket.

Can you explain to us all what would make a good game?

[ProCricketer1982]

Can you explain to us all what would make a good game?

5 days, 15 sessions


Team batting first 250-400 runs for 7+ wickets in 4 -5 sessions.  ball swinging a lot and seaming for most of the innings if not all. Spin not really playing a part first innings, just holding role.

Second team about the same give or take 50

Second time round, 5-6 sessions left.. Time to make a game of it on a wicket that's now offering spin and variable bounce so scoring 200-250 for 8+ wickets in 3 sessions to set up the chase on a worsening wicket again... 2-3 sessions to chase 200-250 runs probably chasing 8+ down or failing all out.

Odd game here and there per year one side collapses a d sets themselves up a brig block mammoth to really keep it interesting going into the last hour like Cardiff 2009, edgebaston 2005, fafs mammoth Defience etc.

The wickets need to be good enough to not give Bowlers am easy ride (say like the ashes this year) but not good enough for players to play on the up  or just through the line of the ball (ie one day cricket). Make it a test of skill, stamina, patience, technique.

That would produce close games and would keep each and every game interesting. Nothing worse than 500 plays 500 or one side just hitting 500 plus and the other collapsing and looking incapable  of saving a game, leave those games to the  biff biff stuff if people like one sided games and lots of runs.

[rbanners]

i can see why those might be "some" parameters for what may constitute a "proper" test match.

but it doesn't leave any room for india vs australia in eden gardens in 2001...headingley '81, india vs south africa at J'burg 2013, australia vs wi in 98, wi vs australia in '93 (Adelaide i think)...thats just a few off the top of my head.

i would humbly and politely suggest there is more than 1 set of guidelines for "proper" test cricket, tho i am able to see the merits of what you say.

i thought it was quite a good contest in Mohali. Yes the wicket was a dust bowl and favoured india. but thats the point. i thought it was good of india to at least provide a result wicket rather than a run fest. ALL the batsmen struggled. its a "better" test wicket than abu dhabi or dubai, and even they produced reasonable tests last month. not the greatest, but there was still competition, and thats what i watch test cricket for - not just the individual performances, but the competition, the struggle, 22 players, 15 sessions, 90 x 6 x 5 deliveries, roughly 400ms per delivery and maybe few seconds per delivery while the ball is in play...but i could still sit there all day and watch it...

the debates about what sorts of surfaces should be prepared will always run and run, and let it. there should be no one standard, as this would in my opinion dilute the virtues of test cricket - the variability and adapting to conditions is part of the test.

thanks
raj

[ppccopener]

There was uneven bounce Which caused all the batsmen problem and it was a dust bowl after 2 days
Did that make it a bad test match? I don't think so,it was pretty exciting cricket and in India you have to expect they play to their strengths,we just did in the ashes over here and how the games have gone in the uae. England,had we won in Abu Dhabi would of had one on the best overseas victories even after conceding 500 in first innings.
It's makes an overseas win so much more valuable
It will be interesting to see what the other wickets are like in this series.india have a huge boost by beating the world ranked number 1 team.

[Aussie In England]

It's hasn't rained but it's poured down on South Africa ahead of the second Test in Bangalore. Vernon Philander has trod on a ball and is out of the series(he could miss the first two Tests against the Poms as well) and now Dale Steyn has also been erased with a groin problem. There's been heavy rain in Bangalore in the build up to this Test. Of South Africa's big 3 only Morkel is left standing, rather funny that he missed the first Test with injury, coupled with young buck Rabada. Kyle Abbott has been flown in and could go straight into the starting XI. JP Duminy will also return at 6 meaning one of Harmer/Tahir will drop out.

India unsurprisingly are unchanged.

This is the 100th Test match for the legendary AB de Villiers.

[csnew]

6 down South Africa on a much flatter pitch. AB is in some form though! Shame no ones hung around