South Africa look to heap pressure on India
by Colin Bryden
DURBAN, South Africa, Dec 25 (AFP) - South Africa will be seeking to
wrap up a series victory against India, the team ranked number one in
Test cricket, in the second Test which starts at Kingsmead on Sunday.
South African captain Graeme Smith said his players wanted to carry
on in the dominant form they showed in winning the first Test at
Centurion by an innings and 25 runs on Monday.
Smith and his side will also be eyeing the prospect of taking over
the number one ranking if they win all three Tests against India.
“We’ve taken a few steps forward and India have probably got a few
doubts,” said Smith, who highlighted two areas where second-ranked South
Africa could still improve.
“We can always be a little more precise. One or two catches or a
run-out can change a game.
“When you have number one playing number two these are things you
have to be on top of things,” he added, alluding to three catches and
some run-out opportunities that his team fluffed during the first Test.
In recent years the Kingsmead pitch has suited fast bowling, with a
reputation for having more pace and bounce than any other pitch in the
country.
With fast bowlers Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel currently ranked first
and third among the world’s best Test bowlers, South Africa will be
hoping for a significant advantage.
But rain has hampered the preparation of the Test match and there is
uncertainty about how the pitch will play.
Rain could also interfere with the match itself, with the long range
forecast indicating that the first and fifth days in particular could be
affected. And, although South Africa have won 12 out of 18
post-isolation Tests at Kingsmead, they have lost their two most recent
Tests there by significant margins, 175 runs against Australia in
2008/09 and an innings and 98 runs against England last season. It will
be India’s third Test at the ground. They earned a draw in 1992/93 in
what was the first home Test played by South Africa since the end of
political isolation but lost by 328 runs in 1996/97, when Allan Donald
and Shaun Pollock bowled them out for 100 and 66, and by 174 runs in
2006/07.
Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni admitted that India had performed
below their best in the first Test, with the bowling a particular cause
for concern. But he was confident the return of left-arm fast bowler
Zaheer Khan would make a significant difference to the attack.
“Zaheer is a key player,” said Dhoni. “With all the experience he
has, he always comes up with new plans and changes his plans during the
course of a game.”
Although Dhoni did not speculate about likely changes to the batting
line-up, the place of left-hander Suresh Raina is under threat after two
poor innings at Centurion, where he seemed ill-equipped to deal with the
pace and bounce of the South African bowlers.
Either Cheteshwar Pujara or Murali Vijay could come into the side. |