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Sa favorites imo. We again failed to get past their score. Saffers get lead of 28 and we are batting last and more importantly we are unable to outscore their totals.

Arthur Crabtree wrote:But MM gives SA a crucial lead. India still in it clearly, but SA ahead at half time.

one thing that makes this series so good to watch at the moment is that after every day or session no one really knows which side will win, you can't really say for any certainty which team will win or the result which is odd for Test cricket considering vast majority of the time the results more or less known after 20-30 overs or even before the ball is bowled.

Arthur Crabtree wrote:But MM gives SA a crucial lead. India still in it clearly, but SA ahead at half time.

I see Morkel got 4. Well done to him and Virat. Saffers have been ahead since day 2 of Test 1. First 2 sessions of Day 1 Test 1 belonged to us. Since then we are doing catching up all the series.

That's true (Doc), SA could get bowled out for 150 here and lose (their batting is just OK and India have a world class spinner). But SA have been tending to (just) outscore India so they seem to be well placed now with a small lead.

And with Kohli and Pujara in the XI, India will have a chance of chasing a substantial target on a good day.

Early wicket !!. 29/1. Thats nice.

Although that lead is so small so easy to make it up in the 2nd part of the game, even if you give SA an extra 50 run boost for batting first even then 60-70 runs can be made up considering all india really need to do is take 2-3 quick wickets or few big sa batsman failing and that leads gone, likewise it just needs one good partnership or one outstanding batting from kohli, pujara etc to make it up as well.

Personally I look it at this way SA need to set a total around 250 so that means they need to score around 220 and on this deck 220 is still a long way to go if the ball is turning and uneven bounce.
only really needs one special bowling performace cough Broad in Johannesburg that can change the game in the 3rd innings.
pretty Sure SA took a small lead in that game as well.

Adi wrote:Early wicket !!. 29/1. Thats nice.

Markram out for one, lbw to Bumrah.

Rare failure for the inexperienced opener.

Amla gone, Bumrah should be certain to start the next test in johannesburg.
Bumrah and ishant should be a handful here with the uneven bounce they will generate, plus bumrah being more skiddy means more lower bounce for him rather higher bounce which bring lbw in.

Look like Shami and bhuvi playing for one spot now with bhuvi obviously edging it.

Bumrah again! Amla out for one.

What a world we living in when the two bowlers underpressure for playing this game, Shami and Bumrah are still very good bowlers that can win games for india as well.
never seen a time when india actually had 5 very good fast bowlers before.

Honours even at present.

India might well have to pay the groundsman here. Ashwin will cause some problems now.

Also think India also got bumrah here his unique action makes him deadly here considering his short balls is hitting the stumps, add in his height as well and some full balls are bouncing higher than expected as well.
didn't really see the same thing happen with the taller SA bowlers since they are more taller and bounce in on the deck from a higher position so the ball bounces higher than the stumps and wasn't much variation in the bounce as bumrah getting.

Bumrah could be the difference here since not much lateral movement on this deck so if SA pace men can't get the threat bumrah having at the moment india might fancy chasing whatever SA set.
especially since it doesn't look like SA will be setting anything over 300 either.

good innings from AB Here so far.
such a good player to watch.

Dr Cricket wrote:good innings from AB Here so far.
such a good player to watch.

That he is. Great to see him back at test level.