Need to focus after eye-opener

HARSHA BHOGLE

THERE were a few red faces in the media centre at St George’s Park after Kenya’s stunning, and uplifting, win on Wednesday. Nobody gave them a chance, not even this column, and that is why covering cricket can be such a humbling experience. At least I was in very distinguished company!

Now, at East London, India will have to show that they have the strength to bounce back from what was really an eye-opener. Good teams learn more from defeats because success can sometimes blind the most pragmatic people and the biggest learning from Port Elizabeth was that teams relax at their own peril. I still think the idea of playing the bench was good but, and this is the second learning, the bench isn’t good enough.

India’s best attack, and one they must field at East London, is Srinath, Agarkar, Kumble and the increasingly impressive Harbhajan Singh. And though that is not the primary consideration that set also represents the best tail-end batting available to India. I think they will also look at the number three option very closely.

There is a theory in the Indian camp that batting Rahul Dravid at number three makes the line-up top heavy.

But that is also the best line-up because one down is where Dravid bats best. Yuvraj Singh and Virender Sehwag can follow and then Indian can choose to use the option of playing either Martin or Reetinder Sodhi at number six. There is no harm in having a dasher at number six and I think Sodhi is more than just that.

Also, it is now clear that the category of all-rounder is a little too big for him to occupy. He has to be a batsman who bowls a bit. Ganguly did not trust him for more than three overs at Port Elizabeth and that is a statement in itself.

South Africa have made an interesting addition to their squad by picking Nantie Hayward.

He has had to battle injuries and rather more disturbing matters of the heart but that is apparently behind him. Kepler Wessles was telling me here that this is the weakest South African attack since their return to international cricket, and certainly the slowest. He knows, and so does everyone here, that what rattles India is sheer pace and that is why I think they will play Hayward here. I also think that if he plays, he will go flat out because India’s reaction to him could well determine whether or not he plays the first Test.

The interesting selection for South Africa, and the key to the balance of the side, will be Nicky Boje. South Africa want to nurse his bowling back to top form but he is a very long way from being there just now and it is ironical that his batting is perhaps his stronger suit at the moment. Leaving him out will mean South Africa play an all seam attack which has worked against them at times. They will probably still play him and hope that in case he goes for a few runs, Klusener will cover up for him.

But the focus will be on India. An invigorating performance from them will send a strong message to the South Africans.

Teams

India: Sachin Tendulkar, Saurav Ganguly (captain), Jacob Martin, Rahul Dravid, Yuvraj Singh, Virender Sehwag, Deep Dasgupta (wk), Ajit Agarkar, Javagal Srinath, Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble, Shiv Sundar Das.

South Africa: Gary Kirsten, Herschelle Gibbs, Neil McKenzie, Jacques Kallis, Jonty Rhodes, Shaun Pollock (captain), Lance Klusener, Nicky Boje, Mark Boucher (wk), Mornantau Hayward, Makhaya Ntini, Boeta Dippenaar.

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