Kangaroos Vs Springboks

Note : Written on my office blogs on 21st Dec of 2007

A report on the just concluded test match between Australia and South Africa in Perth, WACA.

In cricket, match between Australia and South Africa can be compared to the game of chess between Gary Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov. They both employ lot of tactics and they do their homework well. Both are very fit teams and do their basics right (though in this match SA dropped as many as 6-7 catches which go along with one wrong decision given by Umpire Doctrove). Aussies has spontaneous thinkers while African team lacks that. Most of the time Aussie wins just because of the Shiekh of Tweak - Shane Kieth Warne - who never fails to exploit the Proteas's inability to play spin. The concluded test match is no exception to this.

There are lot of positives for SA. First to start with A B de Villiers, a 21 year old, who is forming a very good opening combo with 'ever consistent' Graeme Smith. He has a very good stance like English Michael Vaughan, though not that much elegant as Michael but has more attacking horizontal bat shots than the English captain. To go with this he is a trained wicket keeper. A real under study for Mark Boucher. Graeme Smith showing good promises and I feel, at any time he may fire. We cannot expect Gibbs to play with caution. He is an instinctive player, just like Sehwag. If he clicks, he will destroy the opposition attack and will be a treat for the spectators. Saying all these things, they have to improve their fielding, mainly catching, a lot in the next two tests. One can't expect to win a test by dropping 7 sitters. Just replace Ashwell Prince, who is slowly becoming the Daryl Cullinan (ie.. bunny) of Warne , with solid Jacques Kallis. Jacques Rudolph played an innings of his life and it is an epitome of concentration. This knock reminds me of the knock played by Kallis in 1998-99 series in Melbourne which was the turning point in his life. I expect the same for Rudolph so that we can see a lot of his trademark cover drives which pierce the field like a sharp knife on butter. Really a clinical player. Kemp's knock is an enigmatic one. One expects Justin Kemp do set the stadium ablaze. But he was contented with defensive strokes and gave a very good support to Jacques Rudolph. Also not to forget their ever improving pace attack.

As for as Aussies, they will just pull their hairs for letting the match go in SA's favour. I am not at all impressed with Punter's captaincy. He is not at all aggressive unlike his batting. Hussey's skills are really threating to all the bowlers around the world. Brad Hodge is just a clone of Damien Martyn. It is really amazing how Aus selectors find a correct replacements. Hodge for Martyn, Hussey for Bevan. Symonds is a disappointment. It's time for them to bring the talented Michael Clarke in the team. Their bowling attack is not the 'Usual' threating one. May be due to the reason that McGrath is down with flu. But there is no respite for batsmen from Lee and Warne.

Umpires had a very good game, specifically Billy Doctrove, who just made only one mistake but made amend with lot of good decisions in the final day.

However, in my opinion Proteas lost their brightest chance to beat Aussie in Perth which assist fast bowling - a strong area for SA. It is going to be very hard for them even to snatch a draw in the Sydney test, a pitch which will assist spin from day three, where they have to handle the deadly spin twins - Shane and Stuart. So they have to work very hard to win the boxing day test match in 'very neutral pitch' Melbourne.

Final say: One of the very best test match in recent times. One of the finest knock in recent times by Jacques Rudolph, which changed the result of the match, who should have been awarded the Man of Match which in my opinion wrongly given to Brad Hodge though his knock is not a less mean effort.