The Sehwag Triple - A melange of moments - Part VIII
April 1st 2008 14:08
Beautiful shot by Dravid - dug out what was almost a yorker at his feet and got two for it - beating two short midwickets.
It must be so frustrating for the South Africans to have a cavalier genius at one end and a solid and grounded colossus at the other. At least the bowlers dont have to sprain their necks in trying to spin around to keep the ball in sight as soon as they release it from their hands - when Dravid is batting!
This is a good partnership and promises a lot. I think it is more a question of how long Sehwag can last in these conditions. He is fit - he has proved that much very clearly. But a triple century in these conditions simply looks like well, pardon the pun, a mirage. A heat induced mirage. But Sehwag being Sehwag, one never knows what is mirage and what is reality.
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Yet another stroke of delicacy which would have pierced Graeme Smith's heart like a red hot metal rod. A backfoot glide that beat point and tantalizingly tempted 3rd man, only to fool him in the end.
The South African captain currently has no fine leg for the medium pacers and is almost completely defensive as far as catchers go. The field setting is none too attacking for the spinner as well. One does get the feeling that a wicket has to be gifted away. Because the South Africans are not actively making an effort to get one. They are intent at defending, not attacking with an aim to get wickets.
As much as there is a difference in the class of batting between the two sides, lets all rewind back and think about the sterling job that our bowlers did in the first 2 days. While we all applaud the batting pyrotechnics of Sehwag, lets also spare a thought in our mind for the tireless bowlers who were able to get 10 wickets on this same pitch. For the pitch has not changed in character too much.
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My heart goes out to Jacques Kallis. He is the only designated partnership breaker in the South African attack. To pound in towards the crease in Chennai in the last session and to bowl a bouncer on this pitch is in itself something to be appreciated. The ball was also well directed and kept Sehwag quiet. For that he deserves a double pat.
But then he tried that again - this time the ball did not get up that high. It was also quite wide. Sehwag flashed that away to the point boundary just out of the reach of the leaping De Villier's hands.
The frustrated Kallis takes it out on De Villiers.
And as Kallis finishes his over, there is an ugly scene. As he stands at the pitch and has a glare at his captain Smith. And throws the ball vehemently back to his captain and walks off with a muderous expression on his face.
Well, blame it all on the Chennai Sun!
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