The green mist takes over

Friday April 4, 02:06 AM

Was this a case of Anil Kumble misreading the pitch, or of the Indian batsmen reading too much into it? Team India have a fairly healthy look to them on paper, even in the absence of Sachin Tendulkar, but they seemed to be more obsessed about the green patches in the front rather than where the balls were landing as they were shot out for 76 - their second lowest total at home ever - by South Africa on the first day of the second Test on Thursday.

There had been little doubt even before the game that Kumble wasn't too pleased with the track that had been laid out for this contest. And yet, he did not think it was threatening enough to put the opposition in.

But as the game began, the lack of footwork from the batsmen could be directly correlated to doubts in their minds. Virender Sehwag did not wait to get his eye in, VVS Laxman and Sourav Ganguly were castled trying to leave deliveries, Rahul Dravid got a peach that swung late to sneak past the straight bat, and MS Dhoni played a T20 shot in desperation.

That India had gone into the game with an extra bowling option in Irfan Pathan looked like a bit of a luxury as just three South African pacers skittled them out. In just 20 overs and 109 minutes, it was all over.

Not unplayable

While it is a separate issue that the home team's request for a pitch of their preference should not have been ignored - especially against a pace-oriented South African attack - it cannot cloud the fact that this wasn't as unplayable a strip as the India made it appear. Only a couple of the batsmen - Laxman and Dravid - got truly unplayable deliveries.

It's performances like this that make the recent victory in Perth look like a flash in the pan. And Paddy Upton, the new psychologist with Team India, seems to have his work cut out.

Flat attack

And if getting bowled out for 76 wasn't enough, the body language of the bowlers didn't give local fans any hope of a big turnaround. South Africa were 223 for 4 in 64 overs when stumps were drawn.

Pathan, drafted to strengthen the bowling, looked flat in both spells. He didn't get the ball to swing at first-change, but was still a shade better than RP Singh, who was as pedestrian as he had been in Chennai. Sharp in little bursts, it was Sreesanth who looked the best of the lot even though he wasn't at his best.

If not for a spell from Harbhajan Singh either side of tea - that got rid of Neil McKenzie, Hashim Amla and Ashwell Prince - India would have been deeper in trouble.

A ray of hope

The first South African wicket fell in the 16th over, when Sreesanth trapped captain Graeme Smith lbw just after the visitors had got past the Indian total. Kumble brought on Harbhajan in the 22nd over and took over from the other end to create pressure. It worked as Harbhajan, in his second over, had McKenzie caught in a twist. He brought in a leg-slip and a short-leg before slipping in the doosra, and Dravid picked up the edge at first slip.

Amla was caught bat-pad, while Ashwell Prince was trapped in front by another straighter one.

At 117 for 4, thoughts of a recovery were sneaking into the psyche, but Kallis took control after that. He smacked Harbhajan for a straight six, before bringing up his half-century off 117 balls. AB de Villiers kept pace with him, getting to his 50 in 98.

With Kallis (60) and de Villiers (59) in an unfinished partnership of 106, South Africa can still bat India completely out of the game.

When Kumble won the toss and chose to bat, thoughts of the South African batsmen struggling to cope on a fifth-day track must have crossed his mind. For that to happen now, India truly need a miracle.

Psyched out?

Team India: gone in 20 overs

3.3 overs: Jaffer pokes at one from Ntini, thick outside edge goes to Smith at first slip

4.4 overs: Steyn gets one to come in from outside off, Sehwag tries to cut but ends up dragging it on

7.1 overs: The best of the lot. Ntini bowls from wide of the crease and Laxman leaves it alone. The ball comes in sharply and kisses off

7.3 overs: Ntini pitches one up. Ganguly is caught in two minds and thick inside edge pegs back middle

13.1 overs: Dravid's gone as one from Steyn pitches on, and hits off

14.2 overs: Dhoni plays an expansive, thick edge goes to Boucher.

14.4 overs: Short one from Morkel. Kumble hops back, but chops it on

15.4 overs: Steyn gets one to straighten from middle, catching Harbhajan in front

19.3 overs: Another short one from Steyn. The bounce squares up RP, who feeds it to Smith at slip

19.6 overs: Steyn gets his fiver. Good length delivery beats the edge of Sreesanth's bat to hit off-stump

Email this article to your friend

More Cricket News

West Indies to field in opening Sri Lanka one-dayer
S.Africa's Smith confident of rare series win in India
ICC anti-corruption unit eyes Pakistan's tour of India
Legalise betting to end match-fixing, says Bindra
Kumble injury concern for third S.Africa test
England start final run-up to Ashes series
Gayle likely to return from IPL for Australia tests
Mindless batting adds to T20 charm: Ronchi
Big 'test' for Team India today
Ready for every turn