NOT REALLY A PRETTY SIGHT: Precautionary measures were on at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai after it poured heavily on Monday, leaving cricket lovers anxious ahead of the third one-dayer. — Photo: V. Ganesan

Chennai: The giant covers spread across the arena told the story. The third match of the Pepsi Cup ODI series between India and South Africa could be undermined by inclement weather. There were spells of rain in the city on Monday and the forecast for Tuesday is not heartening either.

Their practice affected, the teams spent a frustrating period at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium. The ground staff worked hard, but as India captain Rahul Dravid said, "you cannot control the weather." If the match is either washed out, or abandoned at some stage, there will be no replay. The five-match series is on a knife-edge at 1-1.

India roared back into contention in Bangalore with some clever, tactical cricket. Putting together a side is a fascinating exercise, more so in the era of the Super Sub. The Indians have used the extra man judiciously; visible is thought and planning.

Key to success

Balance in the team is often the key to success, and the Indians had five bowlers — Pathan, Agarkar, R.P. Singh, Harbhajan and Kartik — when Rahul Dravid inserted the South Africans in Bangalore. In the process, the problem of the fifth bowler had been overcome; Dravid also had the option of pressing into service Virender Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh.

Then, when the Indians chased, the host was able to bring in Gautam Gambhir as the Super Sub and carry out the switch in the batting order that saw Sehwag returning to form at No. 4. But then, the Indians had the luck of the draw in the form of the toss.

`Opening' options

In the event of India taking first strike, it would be interesting to see whether Sehwag continues in the middle order. If he does so, what are the `opening' alternatives before the team management?

Only in the case of an emergency, triggered by a collapse, would the Indians be forced to bring in a batsman as Super Sub during the innings and end up a bowler short while defending.

The think-tank could use Mohammed Kaif in the opening slot — he has been successful at No. 3 in the past — and still keep Sehwag in the middle-order. In the event of a truncated contest though, Sehwag could still boom at the start.

Team India has endured with match-winners such as Yuvraj Singh and Sehwag and its patience has paid. Coach Greg Chappel said, "Good players don't lose their talent." Dravid had words of praise for his spinners.

Both captains agreed that the surface was good for batting, but the skipper winning the spin of the coin is likely to field. The moisture in the air and the fact that there could be some sweating under the covers suggest there might be some assistance for the pacemen in the first hour.

D/L method factor

If the Duckworth & Lewis method comes into play, then the chasing side might stand to benefit since it will have the chance to pace its innings according to the revised target. Dravid said, "the Duckworth and Lewis method is complex, you cannot worry too much about it."

The Indians have managed to surprise the opposition with flexibility in tactics. The side has created situations, not waited for events to unfold. Irfan Pathan and Mahendra Singh Dhoni have sparkled upfront, but as Dravid pointed out, the changes have not been confined to the one drop slot alone.

The South Africans were ambushed on a dry Bangalore pitch that assisted spinners. The visitors have to be more decisive against the spinners and this will hinge on their footwork. The visitors also disappointed with their stroke-selection in Bangalore, when Irfan Pathan swung the new ball. The role of Smith and Jacques Kallis will be crucial to the outcome here.

Opener A.B. de villiers's form is a cause for concern for the visitors, while Smith indicated swing bowler Charl Langerveldt had not recovered sufficiently from his injury.

The dew will remain a factor in the day\night games. To overcome the disadvantage of operating with a wet ball, the batting side has to put sufficient runs on the board. South Africa is a versatile all-round side, but will have to find a way through the `spin conundrum in India.' In Bangalore, the side did not make enough to pressure the Indians.

If the contest gets underway, Sachin Tendulkar will be figuring in his world record 357th ODI at a venue where he has a symbiotic relationship with the audience. Chappell dwelt on the maestro's enthusiasm and keenness even after 16 years of international cricket. Dravid spoke about his hard work and commitment.

Question mark

There is a question mark about the timing of the match since it generally rains hard during this part of the year in Chennai. The India-New Zealand ODI in 2003 ended without a result and the final day of the India-Australia Test last year was washed out. January or February would have been better months for an international match here.

The teams:

India (from): Rahul Dravid (captain), Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Mohammed Kaif, Yuvraj Singh, M.S. Dhoni, Irfan Pathan, Ajit Agarkar, Harbhajan Singh, Murali Kartik, R.P. Singh, Gautam Gambhir, S. Sreesanth, Suresh Raina, Jai Prakash Yadav. Coach: Greg Chappell.

South Africa (from): Graeme Smith (captain), A.B. De Villiers, Jacques Kallis, Ashwell Prince, Mark Boucher, Justin Kemp, Andrew Hall, Shaun Pollock, Johan Botha, Andrew Nel, Mkhaya Ntini, Charl Langerveldt, Justin Ontong, R. Peterson, J. Morkel. Coach: Micky Arthur.

Umpires: Darryl Harper & K. Hariharan. Third umpire: A.V. Jayaprakash. Match Referee: Jeff Crowe.

Hours of play: 2.30 p.m. to 6. p.m., 6.45 p.m. till the end of Match.

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