Let down by Team India, fans cheer for Proteas
Darpan Singh. Motera
(April)
After Sehwag’s heroics at Chennai where he put SA bowlers to sword, bludgeoning his way to a record 319, cricket buffs were expecting another good show if not a complete run feast. After having won the toss and elected to bat first, Team India would not have thought the much-vaunted line-up would be skittled in just 20 overs on a pitch which was not spiteful at all and they would have to bowl to SA openers before lunch.
And the crumbling of Indian batsmen was so swift that they appeared too shocked to react. Rajesh Patel, a college student, who had the Indian tricolour painted on his face before he left his house for the venue, looked disappointed. He said, “This team is consistently inconsistent. How can someone explain this dismal performance of a line-up which has been often touted as one of the best in the world? It was soft dismissal for most of the batsmen, barring Rahul Dravid, as the ball was not doing much. It marred my day.”
Echoing similar sentiments, Rani Parekh, an IT professional, said, “I left my home when the Indian innings had just started. On reaching the venue, I saw S Sreesanth batting. It was a rude shock. They could have put up a lot better performance, had there been even the slightest of application on their part. All the preparations to cheer and support Team India went in vain, it’s really frustrating.”
Some spectators said there was no point in braving such a hostile weather and spending money if we had to see the team being sent packing even before lunch. A couple, which had come all the way from Jaipur to watch the match, said, “Though we follow Indian cricket religiously, it’s difficult to recall a batting performance which can be termed poorer than this.”
However, some of them did find a way to make the most of the money and time they spent at Motera, cheering for SA bowlers who looked in astonishing hurry to bundle out the Indian innings. Raju Das, who was leading such a group, said, “Our motto is: if you cannot beat them, join them. Even otherwise, one must appreciate good cricket.” They booed Indian bowlers and applauded Proteas as and when they hit boundaries and stole quick singles. Having said that, we all know that cricket is a game of glorious uncertainty. With four days’ play still left, one can only hope that the gloom does not last for long!
A promise not kept
While returning to the dressing room after having bowled a couple of overs in the SA first innings, all players, barring S Sreesanth, looked crestfallen. When a scribe told him it was poor show as hardly any batsmen fell to a peach of a delivery, the maverick pacer nodded and went on to promise that he would make up for bad performance and take a five-wicket haul. He, however, failed to keep his promise, at least on Day One, but did look dejected when Ganguly grassed a chance at short leg off Sreesanth when Smith was on just 2, only to break into a jig before the crowds in his own inimitable style later on. .
Some batting practice this
Even as Makhaya Ntini and Dale Steyn scythed through the batting order and India slumped to their second-lowest total on home soil, mood in the dressing room was that of gloom. However, two batsmen, who were not part of the playing eleven, were seen sweating it out in the nets getting some batting practice. A few local bowlers braved the extremely hot and humid conditions, bowling to comeback man Kaif and southpaw Yuvraj Singh. Earlier, it was expected that one of them would replace ‘Master Blaster’ Sachin Tendulkar but local lad Irfan Pathan managed to make it to the final eleven. As a spectator remarked, “The duo seemed to be giving vent to their frustration, hitting cracking shots in the nets.”
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Rain brings cheers, bowlers don’t
Darpan Singh. Ahmedabad
(April)
Clouds, lightning and subsequent showers brought cheering among fans, feeling completely let down by the poor show put up by Team India. The second day's play was on Friday called off early due to rain with 12.4 overs still remaining to be bowled. Now, the play will start half an hour earlier than the scheduled time of 9.30 am on Saturday to make up for the lost time. Fans, especially youths and children, were seen rejoicing and resorting to rain dance. A spectator remarked, “Now, only rain can help India think of saving this Test match.” Rain stopped play in the third session when South Africa were 494 for 7 in their first innings, in reply to India's 76. The visitors lead by 418 runs.
Tough task for first-inning heroes
In order to save the Test match, the Indian batsmen will have to put up an out-of-skin show. Though they have amassed a number of centuries, but when it comes to second-inning tons, they have little to boast of. It may surprise many to know that Ganguly and Sehwag have so far scored a century each in second innings. VVS Laxman has done it thrice. In such a situation, a lot depends on Rahul Dravid who has done it five times in his career. A cricket buff said, “Let’s hope ‘The Wall’ stands tall once again.”
(April)
Clouds, lightning and subsequent showers brought cheering among fans, feeling completely let down by the poor show put up by Team India. The second day's play was on Friday called off early due to rain with 12.4 overs still remaining to be bowled. Now, the play will start half an hour earlier than the scheduled time of 9.30 am on Saturday to make up for the lost time. Fans, especially youths and children, were seen rejoicing and resorting to rain dance. A spectator remarked, “Now, only rain can help India think of saving this Test match.” Rain stopped play in the third session when South Africa were 494 for 7 in their first innings, in reply to India's 76. The visitors lead by 418 runs.
Tough task for first-inning heroes
In order to save the Test match, the Indian batsmen will have to put up an out-of-skin show. Though they have amassed a number of centuries, but when it comes to second-inning tons, they have little to boast of. It may surprise many to know that Ganguly and Sehwag have so far scored a century each in second innings. VVS Laxman has done it thrice. In such a situation, a lot depends on Rahul Dravid who has done it five times in his career. A cricket buff said, “Let’s hope ‘The Wall’ stands tall once again.”
Spectators feel the pain as Team India go on leather hunt
Darpan Singh. Ahmedabad
(April)
While South Africa took a massive 400-plus lead and Indian bowlers unsuccessfully looked for wickets for most part of the day, there was little to cheer about for hundreds of fans braving a scorching sun at Motera on Friday. However, not ones to be content with the leather hunt by Team India, a majority of them employed different methods to keep themselves ‘cool’ and ‘appreciate’ good cricket by the Proteas.
A number of fans were seen savouring ice-creams, cold drinks and other food items being sold at different stands in the stadium, while being blissfully ignorant of the on-filed happenings, if there were any except the Proteas clearing the fence and stealing quick singles at regular intervals. To their delight, Harbhajan Singh broke into a jig when everything seemed dull and drab.
Ramakant Desai, who came to the stadium along with his family, said, “There was nothing in the match. It was very difficult to keep watching a game which cannot produce a positive result for us. It was fun having good food with the family.” Those running stalls in the stadium also confirmed that fewer people came because of the hopeless situation Team India found itself in but those who came had nothing much to do apart from looking for ‘cool’ food to beat the heat as well as the boredom.
Not only this, young spectators continued to boo players despite the fact that the cops deployed at the stadium tried their best to put a check on the practice. A group of students constantly teased Yuvraj Singh by screaming at the top of their voice ‘Deepika…Deepika’ as and when the southpaw was seen on the field carrying drinks and other stuff. The bunch did not spare even the local lad Irfan Pathan, who had to face similar volley of comments.
Soon after lunch, a number of spectators started leaving the stadium. When DNA sought to know the reason, which was anyway quite apparent, they said they would roam around in the city and return in the evening, hoping for things to improve. Some of them who had come from far-flung areas went to Sabarmati Ashram, while others chose to do window-shopping in the city.
(April)
While South Africa took a massive 400-plus lead and Indian bowlers unsuccessfully looked for wickets for most part of the day, there was little to cheer about for hundreds of fans braving a scorching sun at Motera on Friday. However, not ones to be content with the leather hunt by Team India, a majority of them employed different methods to keep themselves ‘cool’ and ‘appreciate’ good cricket by the Proteas.
A number of fans were seen savouring ice-creams, cold drinks and other food items being sold at different stands in the stadium, while being blissfully ignorant of the on-filed happenings, if there were any except the Proteas clearing the fence and stealing quick singles at regular intervals. To their delight, Harbhajan Singh broke into a jig when everything seemed dull and drab.
Ramakant Desai, who came to the stadium along with his family, said, “There was nothing in the match. It was very difficult to keep watching a game which cannot produce a positive result for us. It was fun having good food with the family.” Those running stalls in the stadium also confirmed that fewer people came because of the hopeless situation Team India found itself in but those who came had nothing much to do apart from looking for ‘cool’ food to beat the heat as well as the boredom.
Not only this, young spectators continued to boo players despite the fact that the cops deployed at the stadium tried their best to put a check on the practice. A group of students constantly teased Yuvraj Singh by screaming at the top of their voice ‘Deepika…Deepika’ as and when the southpaw was seen on the field carrying drinks and other stuff. The bunch did not spare even the local lad Irfan Pathan, who had to face similar volley of comments.
Soon after lunch, a number of spectators started leaving the stadium. When DNA sought to know the reason, which was anyway quite apparent, they said they would roam around in the city and return in the evening, hoping for things to improve. Some of them who had come from far-flung areas went to Sabarmati Ashram, while others chose to do window-shopping in the city.
Fans know better what caused ‘the great Indian collapse’
Darpan Singh. Ahmedabad
April
Even as the team management and cricket pundits struggled to find out why the Indian batting collapsed like a pack of cards on a wicket which was made to look like a belter by the Proteas, ‘expert’ cricket aficionados, trying their best to beat the boredom at Motera on Friday, came out with their own reasons leading to the fiasco.
No devil in the pitch
Almost all the spectators DNA spoke to felt that there was no devil in the wicket and the Indian batsmen showed a complete lack of application. Rajesh Gahatraj, a native of Siliguri, who is in the city on a business tour, said, “The batsmen looked scared. This is what even a bit of grass on the wicket does to them. They did not believe they could cope with it.”
‘Verbal duel’ backfired?
Reports had it that skipper Anil Kumble had approached curator Dhiraj Prasanna, asking him to prepare a ‘sporting’ wicket following the run feast at Chennai. Though there is no official word on it, fans, quoting sources close to the curator, said there was a verbal duel between Kumble and Prasanna over the issue. Said a fan, on the condition of anonymity, “After the spat, he (Prasanna) made it a point to make the wicket ‘sporting’.
IPL shoot a distraction
A number of fans, fuming at the batting display, were of the opinion that a number of Indian batsmen remained busy shooting for the IPL after the Chennai Test, leaving very little time with them for practice before the Ahmedabad Test. Kapil, a college student, said, “Rigorous net practice a couple of days ahead of a Test match has been a regular regimen which was not followed this time around. It cost a lot. After all, it’s international cricket.”
Jumbo needed rest?
Though the commitment and dedication of Anil Kumble cannot be doubted, speculations were rife that he was not fit enough to be able to make it to the playing eleven. Cricket fans said that Jumbo, despite knowing fully well that there was help for the bowlers on the wicket, chose to bat first as he did not want to bowl early on with an injured shoulder. Sariat and Mahesh, a couple, said, “He must have thought that his injury would get better with the progress of Indian innings. But he had to bowl soon after lunch. He should not have played.”
April
Even as the team management and cricket pundits struggled to find out why the Indian batting collapsed like a pack of cards on a wicket which was made to look like a belter by the Proteas, ‘expert’ cricket aficionados, trying their best to beat the boredom at Motera on Friday, came out with their own reasons leading to the fiasco.
No devil in the pitch
Almost all the spectators DNA spoke to felt that there was no devil in the wicket and the Indian batsmen showed a complete lack of application. Rajesh Gahatraj, a native of Siliguri, who is in the city on a business tour, said, “The batsmen looked scared. This is what even a bit of grass on the wicket does to them. They did not believe they could cope with it.”
‘Verbal duel’ backfired?
Reports had it that skipper Anil Kumble had approached curator Dhiraj Prasanna, asking him to prepare a ‘sporting’ wicket following the run feast at Chennai. Though there is no official word on it, fans, quoting sources close to the curator, said there was a verbal duel between Kumble and Prasanna over the issue. Said a fan, on the condition of anonymity, “After the spat, he (Prasanna) made it a point to make the wicket ‘sporting’.
IPL shoot a distraction
A number of fans, fuming at the batting display, were of the opinion that a number of Indian batsmen remained busy shooting for the IPL after the Chennai Test, leaving very little time with them for practice before the Ahmedabad Test. Kapil, a college student, said, “Rigorous net practice a couple of days ahead of a Test match has been a regular regimen which was not followed this time around. It cost a lot. After all, it’s international cricket.”
Jumbo needed rest?
Though the commitment and dedication of Anil Kumble cannot be doubted, speculations were rife that he was not fit enough to be able to make it to the playing eleven. Cricket fans said that Jumbo, despite knowing fully well that there was help for the bowlers on the wicket, chose to bat first as he did not want to bowl early on with an injured shoulder. Sariat and Mahesh, a couple, said, “He must have thought that his injury would get better with the progress of Indian innings. But he had to bowl soon after lunch. He should not have played.”
Surrender, not loss, leaves Motera crowd dejected
Darpan Singh. Ahmedabad
April 5
No rains, no batting miracle. Everything on Friday happened on the expected lines and the handful of cricket fans who made it to the Motera stadium hoping some kind of turnaround in India’s fortunes were a dejected lot.
Some booed the home team, others applauded the Proteas. But they were all hugely disappointed by the crushing defeat. A defeat on home soil in three days is something fans at Motera had not bargained for. As South Africa defeated India by an innings and 90 runs, registering their biggest win against India in India, there was anguish all around. And it was not for nothing. It's India's first innings defeat since the 2001 Colombo (SSC) Test against Sri Lanka.
“It was indeed a depressing spectacle that broke many a heart. Hats off to the Proteas for their convincing and clinical victory over India. It was a fantastic display of application and guts on their part,” said a fan. Bitter over India’s capitulation, he said, “When you are trailing by more than 400 runs, you have to bat session by session. You cannot save the match by hitting sixes in the first over itself.”
Raja Parekh, who came to the stadium all three days, said, “The shots that Laxman and Dhoni played were definitely not on. Team India’s fate was sealed when it was bowled out for a mere 76 in the first innings. What is really disappointed is the fact that they surrendered and never attempted a fight back.”
Incidentally, the Motera loss was also India's fourth-largest defeat at home (among innings defeats), and their worst in nearly 50 years - in 1959 Australia beat them by an innings and 127 runs in Delhi. A number of fans said the dismissal of Ganguly changed the course of the game as he and Dhoni were looking good, rekindling hopes of a Kolkata-like fight back and added the team would go into the Kanpur Test under a lot of pressure.
While leaving the ground in despair, fans also debated the appointment of Garry Kirsten as Team India coach. About a dozen cricket buffs DNA spoke to said the team was doing fairly well when Lalchand Rajput was looking after the job. They said, “We even defeated Australia in their own backyard with Rajput in charge. We fail to understand the purpose of paying so much money to foreigners when they cannot deliver the goods, especially when we already have competent people for the job.”
A bunch of youth, which was seen cheering for Kumble and Co. right from Day One, said, “If the wicket helped quickies, what were our bowlers doing? While the Proteas plundered runs at will, our batters struggled to put bat to ball. We were outplayed in all departments of the game.” However, soon after the match was over, Kumble sought to defend his bowlers, saying their effort was 100%."
April 5
No rains, no batting miracle. Everything on Friday happened on the expected lines and the handful of cricket fans who made it to the Motera stadium hoping some kind of turnaround in India’s fortunes were a dejected lot.
Some booed the home team, others applauded the Proteas. But they were all hugely disappointed by the crushing defeat. A defeat on home soil in three days is something fans at Motera had not bargained for. As South Africa defeated India by an innings and 90 runs, registering their biggest win against India in India, there was anguish all around. And it was not for nothing. It's India's first innings defeat since the 2001 Colombo (SSC) Test against Sri Lanka.
“It was indeed a depressing spectacle that broke many a heart. Hats off to the Proteas for their convincing and clinical victory over India. It was a fantastic display of application and guts on their part,” said a fan. Bitter over India’s capitulation, he said, “When you are trailing by more than 400 runs, you have to bat session by session. You cannot save the match by hitting sixes in the first over itself.”
Raja Parekh, who came to the stadium all three days, said, “The shots that Laxman and Dhoni played were definitely not on. Team India’s fate was sealed when it was bowled out for a mere 76 in the first innings. What is really disappointed is the fact that they surrendered and never attempted a fight back.”
Incidentally, the Motera loss was also India's fourth-largest defeat at home (among innings defeats), and their worst in nearly 50 years - in 1959 Australia beat them by an innings and 127 runs in Delhi. A number of fans said the dismissal of Ganguly changed the course of the game as he and Dhoni were looking good, rekindling hopes of a Kolkata-like fight back and added the team would go into the Kanpur Test under a lot of pressure.
While leaving the ground in despair, fans also debated the appointment of Garry Kirsten as Team India coach. About a dozen cricket buffs DNA spoke to said the team was doing fairly well when Lalchand Rajput was looking after the job. They said, “We even defeated Australia in their own backyard with Rajput in charge. We fail to understand the purpose of paying so much money to foreigners when they cannot deliver the goods, especially when we already have competent people for the job.”
A bunch of youth, which was seen cheering for Kumble and Co. right from Day One, said, “If the wicket helped quickies, what were our bowlers doing? While the Proteas plundered runs at will, our batters struggled to put bat to ball. We were outplayed in all departments of the game.” However, soon after the match was over, Kumble sought to defend his bowlers, saying their effort was 100%."
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