Unfortunately I missed it. Personally, I regard Barry Richards opinions very highly. He only talks sense. I agree with you Wanderer, the selectors arent going to make the changes that everyone is calling for. Like you say, hopefully after the WC Smith will go.

About the incident, I have to say that I am on Logat's side here. Just look at Englands performance in the ashes here to see what happens when you play unfit players and have unfit players in the squad. IMO, I think that Smith did not inform the selectors that Nel (Smiths best mate) was not 100% fit even though Smith knew this. Smith wanted to play Nel and thus hid the truth from Lorgat, knowing that Lorgat's policy is to drop unfit players. Lorgat was then made to look stupid by the media because of Smith. I am pretty sure that had Lorgat been informed about Nel's injury earlier, he would have changed the team in a proper way. Smith want to pick his favourite players but he does not want to be held accountable when "his" team does not perform. You cant have it both ways

about Gibbs, I feel you are right, they will play him and he probably will get a big score but I still feel he should be dropped. What a disappointment he has been. I have followed his career since he made he was called up from his classroom to play for WP at the age of 16. He should have been up there with Ponting but unfortunately he will never live up to his full potential.

Wanderer do you think that SA can still win the series. I remember on Boucher's debut I think when Pakistan also had SA on the racks but then Symcox and Boucher saved us. One thing I know is SA never give up. I am sure that they will come back fighting but do we have the players to beat India. I think that the batting is still a problem but we will bowl India out twice. The problem being 1-0 down is that it is not always easy to get a result at Newlands and we need to win both tests. IMO SA will win in Durban, irrespect of which bowlers will play. I see Ntini demolishing the Indians there. He always comes back firing when SA need him. The problem at Newlands is that any one of Dravid, Tendulkar Laxman or Sehwag can get a big score there. Remember that test against West Indies, I think 5 centuries were scored there.

I hope we at least compete.

Really, like when Australia whipped England in the first test of the ashes last year. Please remind what happened after that.

You are right. About "that" incident caught on tape,Smith had the following to say (Quote: Supercricket)

Check out what Gerald Majola had to say though...

Yeah, right...

No. Giving up is NOT part of the Safrican vocabulary...That is why the Indians can expect a backlash AND A HALF. Ntini, Boucher, De Villiers...these are guys who HATE to lose.. And the young (new) guys like Harris (if he plays) and Morkel will want to prove that they deserve to be there...

Yes. Even a couple of years ago, New Zealand also won the first test against SA, but the Proteas came back with a vengeance and took the next 2 convincingly.

And, I also expect the Proteas to win the next test. And I agree with you that Ntini will play a major role. I just hope that Ntini and POLLOCK take the new ball, irrespective of who plays. Nel / Morkel should be first change.

True, true. But now we're talking about the "ghantangs" of Newlands...And in front of their home-town ghantangs, the likes of Smith, Gibbs, Kallis and Prince may well bring on their best and do the same...

I think it's safe to say, the Proteas will...

The curator of Kingsmead yesterday revealed that the batting strip for the second test will NOT be the usual one used for tests.

Last week they discerned it was too uneven to play on, and according to Flint, the order from the top was to prepare a pitch with pace and bounce, but no seam movement...Interesting, considering that is kind of the norm at Kingsmead...

India does not have good memories of Kingsmead...They have never been able to win a test here. But, on the other hand, they were never before able to win at the Wanderers either.

Even with no lateral movement and true bounce, India has enough firepower in the likes of sreesanth and zaheer who can bowl good bouncers.If Munaf is fit,he can tighten the end too in place of VRV Singh. If provided a bouncy track, SA batting line up is not that great either Bouncy track is being prepared on the assumption that India would underperform when showered with balls going pass the scalps. The million dollar question : Is south african battting good enough ? Another underestimation

Bottomline : Make tracks which suit the hosts and not which dont suit visitors

thats what they did at the wanderers and see what happened! we have a contest on hand!

__________________
"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, prepare to die."
- Klingon Proverb, Star Trek

We have 7 batsmen Jaffer,sehwag,sachin,dravid,laxman,ganguly and Dhoni. Agreed that they never lived upto their overall averages in South Africa.But given the situation,there are quite many reasons why India should cilck with the bat.

I feel India will be looking to first reach nearby SA's score, nullify the score and then perhaps take a lead.

Awesome comeback in the form of 3 wickets in the last 10 balls. If SA can be bundled out for less than 300, it would be a good psychological victory walking back into the dressing room.

well said tendlya with them batsmen we should be able to have a 250+ lead over the south africans

As of now, score is 103/3. Sachin looks in very good nick after a very long time. Looks like sachin of the yester years .46 runs comprising of 8 boundaries sums it up.Laxman is a gritty customer and class act too. This partnership is the key and holds the balance for this test match.ENOUGH....KICK SEHWAG OUT OF THE TEAM