Cricket Banter

SA v IND 2nd Test Cape Town Day 1 Close
South Africa elected to bat
SA 55 All out (23.2 overs) Verreynne 15 Bedingham 12 Siraj 6-15 Mukesh Kumar 2-0 Bumrah 2-25
IND 153-4 (34.5 overs) Kohli 46 Rohit 39 Gill 36 Ngidi 3-30 Rabada 3-38 Burger 3-42
SA 62-3 (17 overs) Markram 36 no Mukesh Kumar 2-25
South Africa trail India by 36 runs

^^ A crazy game, mad enough for South Africa to get bungled out for 55, but in reply India had a lead of 98 & then lose their last 6 wickets without adding a run.

I seriously thought my phone was winding me up about this at this rate this test will be over by Friday

Most wickets in a Test Match Day
Eng v Aus 1888 Lords Day 2 157 runs 27 wickets Test No.28
Aus v Eng 1902 Melbourne Day 1 221 runs 25 wickets Test No.66
Eng v Aus 1896 The Oval Day 2 255 runs 24 wickets Test No,52
Ind v Afghanistan Bengaluru 2018 Day 2 339 runs 24 wickets Test No.2307
SA v Ind Cape Town Day 1 270 runs 23 wickets Test No.2522
SA v Aus Cape Town 2011 Day 294 runs 23 wickets Test No.2016

Apparently this was the first instance of the fall of 6 wickets for no runs in a Test Match
This is how it played out in 11 balls W 0 W 0 W 0 0 W 0 W W

(03-01-2024 12:05 )Boomerangutangangbang Wrote:  AUS v PAK 3rd Test Sydney Day 2 Close
Pakistan elected to bat
PAK 313 (77.1 overs) Rizwan 88 Jamal 82 Salman 53 Masood 35 Cummins 5-61 Starc 2-75
AUS 116-2 (47 over) Khawaja 47 Warner 34 Labuschagne 23 no

(03-01-2024 12:30 )Boomerangutangangbang Wrote:  SA v IND 2nd Test Cape Town Day 2 Session 2
South Africa elected to bat
SA 55 All out (23.2 overs) Verreynne 15 Bedingham 12 Siraj 6-15 Mukesh Kumar 2-0 Bumrah 2-25
IND 153-4 (34.5 overs) Kohli 46 Rohit 39 Gill 36 Ngidi 3-30 Rabada 3-38 Burger 3-42
SA 176(36.5 overs) Markram 106 Bumrah 6-61 Mukesh Kumar 2-56
IND 80-3 (12 overs) Jaiswal 28
India beat South Africa by 7 wickets

^ Not the greatest advert for Test cricket when we are trying (some of us at least) to advocate for its very survival! Tracks that provide tons of runs with few wickets are bad (rarely marked down as such) but these 'minefields' are not any better!

Perhaps it is South Africa's way of further undermining it, in addition to sending a third string XI to NZ for a 'non event'?? I agree with S Waugh, NZ should boycott! Mind you, someone who had a decent career thanks to Test Cricket for England doesn't seem that concerned either! Mark Butcher on the Wisden Cricket Podcast just shrugged his shoulders at the prospect (clearly thinking that the 'Ashes would survive come what may) and said he never agreed with giving test cricket a wider context through the - albeit imperfect - WTC! Quote :- 'I didn't see the need'

^^ I'd be surprised that South Africa, or it's groundsman deliberately produced this wicket, given the 1-0 lead in the series, a flat wicket would've been ordered. I realize that the groundsmen are just trying to prepare a good wicket, but cricket boards do interfere. Something went wrong in this case. I don't mind, far better than a road. Other than being robbed of 3 days of cricket, it was great to see the batsmen that found a way to stay at the crease & score runs.

Tribute goes to Dean Elgar in his final Test, A gritty batsman who had a habit of scoring tough runs.

(04-01-2024 19:00 )Boomerangutangangbang Wrote:  ^^ I'd be surprised that South Africa, or it's groundsman deliberately produced this wicket, given the 1-0 lead in the series, a flat wicket would've been ordered. I realize that the groundsmen are just trying to prepare a good wicket, but cricket boards do interfere. Something went wrong in this case. I don't mind, far better than a road. Other than being robbed of 3 days of cricket, it was great to see the batsmen that found a way to stay at the crease & score runs.

Tribute goes to Dean Elgar in his final Test, A gritty batsman who had a habit of scoring tough runs.

True, but you know as well as I do that the opposite would be classed as a poor wicket and, although I agree with you re batsmen who can battle to a score, Maybe this track was too far the other way?? I guess I was trying to be a touch sarcastic with the 'killing Test cricket' by producing a pitch like this, however the Proteas decision regarding their squad for NZ is a clear indicator!

NB Just as an aside, I am flatly opposed to home captains being able to ask for any specific pitch type!