NEWS
MATCH REPORTS
DIARY
OTHER SPORTS
SLIDE SHOW
PEOPLE
ARCHIVES

Surface tension!

The only way in which Zimbabwe could stop the two favourites for the LG Cup from competing on Sunday was to have an emphatic win against India. In the end they needed 277 off 42 overs to upset the applecart. They couldn’t. Now the question is can South Africa turn around the first game that they played in the tournament against India.

In order to do that they have to bowl out the best batting line-up at the tournament and then take on and dominate the Indian spinners. Much I suspect will depend on the surface that will be provided by the ground staff at the Nairobi Gymkhana.

India, at present, are playing excellent one-day cricket and have a very good all-round side. This was exemplified against Zimbabwe. Despite their worst performance in the field, India comfortably beat a good one-day side. The basis for this victory was clearly set up by their batting, on the best surface so far seen this tournament. Ramesh and Ganguly again got off to an excellent start, but it must be worrying that Ramesh loses his concentration so easily when seemingly set.

I said before that Ganguly seems to improve with every outing and if Tendulkar is the star batsman, then the boy from Calcutta is now not far behind; his judgment of length, so important for batsmen, is immaculate and when settled, he accelerates with some huge hits. His weakness on his legs is slowly beginning becoming a strength, and any width is punished. There have been occasions where Ganguly has not been able to accelerate and despite scoring well has done so using too many balls. This, however, is changing daily.

Elevating Robin Singh up the order was a good ploy. Taking a leaf out of the South African book. They realise the advantage of continuing to press the opposition. In fact, it was the day of the left-handed batsman as Sunil Joshi came in at the end and hit the ball magnificently, which in turn gave India an unassailable score.

Zimbabwe’s bowlers were not up to it today and they were all punished; only a spirited performance from Henry Olonga stopped India from amassing 300. This was a much better surface for batting and "also-ran" bowlers are invariably exposed on good surfaces.

Zimbabwe’s reply depended on three good partnerships. The first one boded well -- 50 for the first wicket -- but after that, wickets fell as the pressure told. By the 30th over the game was well and truly over. Only Johnson, the ex-South African (Natal) player who top scored with 53 and was brilliantly held inches from the boundary by Sunil Joshi, offered some challenge. The spinner’s all-round efforts are really proving an excellent bonus for India.

India, who are undoubtedly the form side of the tournament and having put all the teams to the sword, will be looking forward to the final. Having been coach of the South African side when we put all asunder before the final and then missed out (only very occasionally I might add!) India too will have to be on their guard against a proud South African side who will, after being heavily criticised in the first game for not playing spin well, on a real turning wicket. Beware India, of such complacency!

The bottom line when reviewing the final will be the surface that is prepared. If the ball turns, but turns evenly and not extravagantly, then batting will be a little easier. If there is moisture in the pitch at the beginning, then the South Africans may well try to bowl out India’s top order and suffocate the runs with their seam attack. While Joshi was the star of the first game, I have a feeling that Chopra and Bhardwaj will be as tough if not tougher to get away. Will the South Africans be able to hit the boundaries, which are so important in order to get a big score, and will they be able to rotate the strike enough to put the Indian fielding under genuine pressure?

If I were the captain of SA, I would bring Rhodes and Klusener up the order, with Cronje coming in slightly later to try and take on the spinners with the big shots. I think Rhodes and Klusener would have the affect of turning the score over quickly and being able to hit boundaries. Alas I am no longer involved!

The other factor that I have noticed is that while the ground staff have been able to water the square, the outfield looks hard and bumpy and more and more mistakes are beginning to happen with the ground fielding. In a tight game, poor ground fielding can lead to a demoralised bowler and he naturally becomes grumpy.

I will be naturally biased if I say South Africa will or can win the final, and I must admit that having seen the cricket on offer, I am much more inclined to say India are realistically the favourites. Unless they have a really off-day, they will give Anshuman Gaekwad the victorious send-off that he would so dearly love! (Gameplan)

Bob Woolmer