Cricket : India vs SA - 2008

catweasel said:
I have not checked stats but will take your word that the SA's batting was better in the series.

But on paper, that Indian lineup is one of the best at the moment. I have also pointed out its a fragile lineup.

My posts on the "excuses" was in reference to south african fans in general, and the media and people on this forum - i never said that was the excuse given by anybody from the team, Graeme Smith or Cricket SA.
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Well in my opinion you cannot be the best batting lineup and be fragile at the same time. And as they say, cricket is played on the pitch, not on paper.

Thats why AUS still have the best batting lineup in the world. Even if 5 out of the top 6 fail, someone will step up and play a huge innings.
 
We have one of the best batting lineups in the world, and one of the best bowling lineups in the world. The fact that we came unstuck in one test doesn't change either of those facts.

The same goes for the Indian batting lineup in the second test.

Even with the best team in the world, you're going to have some bad days. It's just that we have far fewer bad days than most test teams.
 
I think we did very well on this tour to India. We outplayed India in most sessions throughout the series. We could have won the first test if it was not for 1 innings from Sehwag. We scored more runs and took more wickets than India in their own backyard and they had to (under)prepare a dust bowl of a pitch to secure a series draw.

Like Smith said, we would have been disappointed if we drew a home series.

SA Cricket is definitely on the up. Our previous tour to India was a disaster and we lost 2-0 (i think).

We have played 12 tests this summer, winning 8 losing 2 and drawing 2. If that is not a good achievement then nothing can ever be good enough.

We have found new young fast bowlers who have proved they can bowl in most conditions. And our batting has improved immensely over the last 12 months.

We have our best chance in probably the last 10 years of beating England at home, and maybe not beating Aus, but giving them some serious competition.

All in all, good times to be a cricket supporter.
 
Was just thinking: after the second test we heard all these stories about how the Indian team was too old/fat/tired/distracted by the IPL.

Does that still hold? :D
 
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chiskop said:
We have one of the best batting lineups in the world, and one of the best bowling lineups in the world. The fact that we came unstuck in one test doesn't change either of those facts.

The same goes for the Indian batting lineup in the second test.

Even with the best team in the world, you're going to have some bad days. It's just that we have far fewer bad days than most test teams.
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Yeap proven by the fact that Aus lost to bangladesh before they became almost competative :p
 
UnoPanelvan said:
Mmm I did not hear India complain or make excuses. We bowled and batted better, the pitch suited us. Now when we get a pitch that does not suit us we perform like we did in the last test. Fact remains India showed us how to play under worse conditions BUT the way India batted and we bowled in the final test showed we are only good when the conditions is good. That is sad!
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May we correct this and say India showed us how to play in conditions which perfectly suited their style of play. They are used to dust bowls!

India showed us that there was nothing wrong about that pitch on the final day, if they just-just won and maybe lost 5+ wickets I would agree but to loose only two wickets on the cabbage patch, C'mon, It proves that we have a long way to go to be the best, If ever.
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They lost two wickets in trying to attain 60 odd runs only! Requiring 150 they may have had issues. We all know they get fragile once they are four down. Our win over them in the second test was much more convincing. The lead they got in the last test is what did it for them....


As for the rankings it is still Australia, India and South Africa as far as I am aware. I think we are only two points behind India but unable to check now.
 
Here we go :

HTML: 
Official Team Rankings

ICC Test Rankings

13 Apr 2008

Team 	      Matches 	Points 	Rating
Australia 	33 	4650 	141
India 	        42 	4242 	111
South Africa 	44 	4789 	109
England 	44 	4771 	108
Sri Lanka 	35 	3709 	106
Pakistan 	33 	3107 	94
New Zealand 	25 	2277 	91
West Indies 	31 	2380 	77
Bangladesh 	24 	23 	1

LG ICC ODI Championship

13 Apr 2008

Team 	     Matches 	Points 	Rating
South Africa 	43 	5478 	127
Australia 	44 	5597 	127
New Zealand 	38 	4312 	113
India 	        56 	6330 	113
Pakistan 	36 	3953 	110
England 	40 	4200 	105
Sri Lanka 	46 	4810 	105
West Indies 	39 	3880 	99
Bangladesh 	38 	1798 	47
Ireland 	11 	217 	20
Zimbabwe 	31 	552 	18
Kenya 	6 	0 	0
 
LancelotSA said:
Here we go :

HTML: 
Official Team Rankings

ICC Test Rankings

13 Apr 2008

Team 	      Matches 	Points 	Rating
Australia 	33 	4650 	141
India 	        42 	4242 	111
South Africa 	44 	4789 	109
England 	44 	4771 	108
Sri Lanka 	35 	3709 	106
Pakistan 	33 	3107 	94
New Zealand 	25 	2277 	91
West Indies 	31 	2380 	77
Bangladesh 	24 	23 	1

LG ICC ODI Championship

13 Apr 2008

Team 	     Matches 	Points 	Rating
South Africa 	43 	5478 	127
Australia 	44 	5597 	127
New Zealand 	38 	4312 	113
India 	        56 	6330 	113
Pakistan 	36 	3953 	110
England 	40 	4200 	105
Sri Lanka 	46 	4810 	105
West Indies 	39 	3880 	99
Bangladesh 	38 	1798 	47
Ireland 	11 	217 	20
Zimbabwe 	31 	552 	18
Kenya 	6 	0 	0
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Does anyone know if we manage to beat England later this year (not far fetched IMHO) and India lose to Australia at home would South Africa move up to 2nd place. I am not sure how this points system works
 
I don't know what's up with this system. Last I heard they were saying that if SA draw the series against India, then we go 2nd, yet we're still 3rd.
 
Stephen said:
Does anyone know if we manage to beat England later this year (not far fetched IMHO) and India lose to Australia at home would South Africa move up to 2nd place. I am not sure how this points system works
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It depends on alot of things...

When we played away (like now) we get more points for winning than india would winning because they play at home....also you get more points for beating a higher ranked team.

No idea about the above mentioned comment soz :(
 
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