Yeah, today's posts are rather late to cover the two games that I missed, and honestly, didn't get to watch live: Arsenal vs Manchester United, which ended 2-1 to the Red Devils, and the third and final test between India and South Africa which India won in 3 days, in swift and stunning fashion.
South Africa started well enough, winning an important toss on a pitch that Graeme Smith thought had started crumbling before the first ball had been bowled. The openers did their job, but Harbhajan and India fought back to restrict them to 265. On the second day, Ganguly and Laxman played a couple of gems to help India to around 280/9, but the game was still evenly balanced with South Africa releasing press statements that they would be quite happy to concede a lead in the range of 20-30 runs. Though what followed on the final day could not have been predicted by anyone, Sourav almost did - he said that he hoped Sreesanth and Ishant create some magic the next day - and that was exactly what they did. They edged, poked and occasionally clobbered their way to a mischievous 46-run partnership, with Sreesanth ending on 29. It totally took the steam out of the Safs, and Dhoni had a little surprise for their openers when they walked out to bat for the last time in the series... Harbhajan with the new ball! It didn't exactly pay instant dividends, but it eliminated any initial loose balls, and forced the Safs to work to erase the lead. Circumspect batting and brilliant flight bowling from Sehwag took out the big guns, and Bhajji and Ishant completed the job with finesse and efficiency, leaving India with a friendly target of 62. With even Jaffer scoring at a strike rate of over 90, you could see India's intent to finish it quickly, and it was all over all too soon for Smith & Co.
With the win, India retained their no.2 position in the ICC Test Rankings behind Australia. Harbhajan picked up the Man of the Series award, though Dale Steyn couldn't have been far behind.
One thing that I was happy about was seeing Ishant Sharma deliver some beauties in his comeback match. India has had so many promising fast bowlers just fade away after injury, and I really don't want us to lose this one. Six and a half feet tall, and probably still growing, the kid had the talent to bowl in the high 140s in Australia and make Ponting look like an amateur.
Incidentally, I believe this is the first time that 2 successive tests have ended inside 3 days, and credit to the groundsman, Harbhajan, and Gary Kirsten for sticking up for India's right to prepare near-dustbowls to protect their home record. The green wicket in the 2nd test would only have made sense if India had a fully fit, full strength pace attack.. But the best bowlers were sidelined and we chose to play unfit bowlers instead of people like Praveen Kumar. Anyway, that series is done with, and it's time to turn our attention to the IPL.
It'll be interesting to see international superstars playing in the same XI as untried youngsters, as well as teammates now having to compete against each other.
South Africa started well enough, winning an important toss on a pitch that Graeme Smith thought had started crumbling before the first ball had been bowled. The openers did their job, but Harbhajan and India fought back to restrict them to 265. On the second day, Ganguly and Laxman played a couple of gems to help India to around 280/9, but the game was still evenly balanced with South Africa releasing press statements that they would be quite happy to concede a lead in the range of 20-30 runs. Though what followed on the final day could not have been predicted by anyone, Sourav almost did - he said that he hoped Sreesanth and Ishant create some magic the next day - and that was exactly what they did. They edged, poked and occasionally clobbered their way to a mischievous 46-run partnership, with Sreesanth ending on 29. It totally took the steam out of the Safs, and Dhoni had a little surprise for their openers when they walked out to bat for the last time in the series... Harbhajan with the new ball! It didn't exactly pay instant dividends, but it eliminated any initial loose balls, and forced the Safs to work to erase the lead. Circumspect batting and brilliant flight bowling from Sehwag took out the big guns, and Bhajji and Ishant completed the job with finesse and efficiency, leaving India with a friendly target of 62. With even Jaffer scoring at a strike rate of over 90, you could see India's intent to finish it quickly, and it was all over all too soon for Smith & Co.
With the win, India retained their no.2 position in the ICC Test Rankings behind Australia. Harbhajan picked up the Man of the Series award, though Dale Steyn couldn't have been far behind.
One thing that I was happy about was seeing Ishant Sharma deliver some beauties in his comeback match. India has had so many promising fast bowlers just fade away after injury, and I really don't want us to lose this one. Six and a half feet tall, and probably still growing, the kid had the talent to bowl in the high 140s in Australia and make Ponting look like an amateur.
Incidentally, I believe this is the first time that 2 successive tests have ended inside 3 days, and credit to the groundsman, Harbhajan, and Gary Kirsten for sticking up for India's right to prepare near-dustbowls to protect their home record. The green wicket in the 2nd test would only have made sense if India had a fully fit, full strength pace attack.. But the best bowlers were sidelined and we chose to play unfit bowlers instead of people like Praveen Kumar. Anyway, that series is done with, and it's time to turn our attention to the IPL.
It'll be interesting to see international superstars playing in the same XI as untried youngsters, as well as teammates now having to compete against each other.
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