All izz welllll ... by just 16 minutes !!

Had South Africa managed to plug for 16 more minutes at Kolkata, they would have officially become the best Test team in the world.  Unofficially they already are.


Their last 3 wickets managed to stick around for a valiant 4 hours and 120 runs against a hungry Harbhajan on the 5th evening at Eden Gardens, which is a monumental achievement...but at the same time the 16 minutes that they could not hold on to is a heartbreaking anticlimax to such a fine rearguard. This was one of the rare Test matches that played on minutes v/s wickets, instead of runs v/s wickets.


Hashim Amla in a ridiculous one man show nearly saw South Africa safely out of this match, and almost launched South Africa on to the top of the ICC table. But for all his 22 hours and 23 minutes at the crease in this series, he was left with a sad ending begging for just 16 more minutes of a fight from his team mates.


In only the second instance of 4 Indians going 3 figures in the same innings, (and the first against a team of repute), the mercurial Indian team and the spectators too, literally speaking, roared back in the series, pushing SA to one of their highest first innings deficit since their return to cricket, wresting back the top position that they just conceded to SA a few days ago, saving face, and managing to sustain through the fickle Kolkata weather in a do or die match. They did not let themselves to the proverbial 'izzat ka falooda'.


A thing for the bucket list is to witness a cricket match in which each Indian batsman plays to his true potential. Nothing looks more emphatic than an entire Indian batting line-up on song. One talented batsman after the other coming up on the stage to perform his magic trick, each in his own unique style and stance, is one of the pure sights of cricket. It does not happen as frequently as one would wish, but when it does, it intoxicates you like nothing else.


At Kolkata all the recognized Indian batsmen - bar the unfortunate Gambhir - responded to India's deficit in the series and brought up their hundreds in their typical methods. Sehwag compiled his ton with the usual calm of a remorseless mercenary, murdering the ball and ripping the hearts out of the bowlers. Tendulkar constructed his century with the usual smooth kinematics, judicious responsibility and the stamp of the imperative…just the way he is supposed to. Laxman's fruit-n-nut ice cream innings was not flawless but there was no question about its sweet fluency or flavor. It was a visual treat compiled with the typical ease and calm expected of him. Dhoni did his 3-figures on a fire and ice theme, something that he has begun to personify of late. It was a perfect episode...4 of 5 guys expected to make a ton with their team in dire need of a win,  actually did. 


SA played a perfect test in Nagpur. India showed its version of a perfect Test at Kolkata. Result, both teams are back to square one in the ranking deadlock. 


Cricket is a great leveller. An awesome performance from the worlds best bowler landed a lethal blow to the hosts in the first Test at Nagpur. Dale Steyn's 10 for 108 was one of the best shows put up by a touring paceman in India. He left the Nagpur Test just 3 wickets away from trouncing Dennis Lillee and Waqar Younis in the race to the fastest 200-wickets. Looking at his form in Nagpur, it was speculated that a mere session in Kolkata 7 days later would have been sufficient for him to claim this glory. Come Kolkata the same Steyn was literally taken apart by the famed Indian batting lineup leaving him begging at a paltry 1 for 115, and with practically no chance of South Africa bowling twice in the match ! This isn’t the first time the mercurial Indian batting has inflicted embarassment upon a bowler of repute. Shoaib Akhtar, Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson, Muruli (many times), Kaneria, Saqlain, Vettori, all have ended up frustrated and battered by this Indian line up in recent memory.


Hashim Amla. What a man. 3 innings 3 centuries, almost 500 runs, almost helped his team win a series in India. This underrated player eclipsed many a stalwart playing in this series,  with this massive statistic. (More on him coming up in future posts). For the time being let us just say that South Africa can rest assured that they have in him the right man to slip into the big shoes of Kallis, in the decade to come. 


Since their revival in International cricket, South Africa have conceded a lead in the first innings on 36 occassions. Of these 36, they have managed to win a match in just 4, losing 18. 


If one were to go by that, there was a 1 in 9 chance of South Africa winning in Kolkata, 1 in 4 of a draw and 1 in 2 of their loss. The strongest possibility prevailed, as expected.