Rains might ruin India-South Africa ODI again
Nov 21, 2006 - 8:19:09 PM
, Reviewed by: Priya Saxena
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India: Rahul Dravid (captain), Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Wasim Jaffer, Mohammad Kaif, Suresh Raina, Dinesh Mongia, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keepers), Irfan Pathan, Zaheer Khan, Anil Kumble, S. Sreesanth, Harbhajan Singh, Munaf Patel and Ajit Agarkar
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By Indo Asian News Service,
[RxPG] Durban, Nov 21 (IANS) Much like the first one-day international, the second match between India and South Africa here Wednesday is most likely to be affected by thundershowers as per the forecast of the meteorological department.
After intermittent rains forced the abandonment of the first match in Johannesburg Sunday without a ball being bowled, the second match in Kingsmead here is set to follow the same path.
It rained almost the whole night Monday, and the metrological department forecasts thundershowers, raising a big question mark over the match being played at all.
The weather has not been kind to cricket matches at Kingsmead in recent times. Four of the seven previous one-day internationals here have been abandoned because of rains.
Indian players have been practising more indoors then outdoors, and the lack of match practice must have also started hampering their preparations for the 2007 World Cup to be held in the West Indies.
The Rahul Dravid-led team would be desperate to get on to the field and play their second match of the 52-day tour, especially as they had lost their opening practice match a against a Rest of South Africa in Benoni last week.
The one advantage of the abandonment of the first match was that Virender Sehwag got more time to rest his injured ring finger.
He had needed stitches after inuring his finger just before the Benoni match Nov 16, and was doubtful for the first ODI. But his name was included in the playing XI in Johannesburg.
The South Africans, too, are keen to get some action under the sun. They missed some crucial World Cup preparation when they pulled out of the triangular series with India and hosts Sri Lanka in August following security concerns.
For instance, speedster Charl Langeveldt probably missed the abandoned first match the most.
'This is probably the best chance I'll have of playing,' he told news24.com ahead of the second ODI.
Langeveldt would have played in Robin Peterson's place in the first ODI in Johannesburg Sunday.
If the skies clear up here in time for the match, he might get a chance.
Langeveldt played in only one match in the recent Champions Trophy in India, against Pakistan in Mohali where he got help from the conditions. 'That was the first time that a wicket in India provided so much bounce. One seldom sees that.'
Langeveldt was then dropped from the team for the semi-final in Jaipur, where West Indies defeated South Africa to enter the final.
If Wednesday's match is also washed out, Langeveldt is unlikely to play the next two matches in Cape Town and Port Elizabeth as a spinner is likely to be drafted in the South African XI.
The Indians might also mull fielding a bowling attack comprising three pacers and one spinner here. If it is one spinner, offie Harbhajan Singh, who generates more bounce than leg-spinner Anil Kumble, is likely to get the nod.
Teams
India: Rahul Dravid (captain), Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Wasim Jaffer, Mohammad Kaif, Suresh Raina, Dinesh Mongia, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keepers), Irfan Pathan, Zaheer Khan, Anil Kumble, S. Sreesanth, Harbhajan Singh, Munaf Patel and Ajit Agarkar
South Africa: Graeme Smith (captain), Jacques Kallis, Loots Bosman, Mark Boucher (wicket-keeper), A.B. de Villiers, Boeta Dippenaar, Herschelle Gibbs, Andrew Hall, Justin Kemp, Charl Langeveldt, Andre Nel, Makhaya Ntini, Shaun Pollock and Robin Peterson
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