The Hindu : Sport : Rain washes out first ODI

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Monday, Nov 20, 2006
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Rain washes out first ODI

S. Dinakar

PHOTO: AP

WET START: It was disappointment for all as rain played the spoilsport in the first ODI between South Africa and India.

Johannesburg: It was a rainy, wind-swept Sunday here. There was nip in the air and water on the turf. Cricket at the Wanderers suffered. The first match of the five-game MTN ODI series required a better start than huge covers being dragged on to the ground. The face off at the Bull Ring had to be abandoned without a ball being bowled.

The cut-off point for the contest to start was 8 p.m. local time. Despite excellent drainage facilities at the Wanderers, persistent rain ruled out any chances of play. The banners said `Rain Go Away,' but rain never really relented.

There is no reserve day in the series and the teams travel to Durban for the second ODI, another day/night affair, on November 22. It has been raining in Durban as well.

More time to ponder

The Indian think tank will have more time to ponder over the team composition for the future matches. The side requires foresight, with the World Cup on the horizon.

The conditions here are very different from what the Indians would encounter in the pitches of the Caribbean. But the Indian team-management has its thoughts trained on achieving the right balance in the side.

Rahul Dravid, the skipper, is keen on going into a contest with five bowlers. The strategy cannot be faulted since the non-regular bowlers often prove expensive in the crunch games.

But then, with several of its key batsmen searching for form, can India afford to pick an extra bowler? Dravid feels that the Indians need to approach the task on hand in a positive fashion.

The presence of Irfan Pathan obviously gives him an advantage, however, the all-rounder's bowling form has to take a turn for the better; there have been some encouraging signs lately.

If wicket-keeper batsman Mahendra Singh Dhoni booms with the willow, he adds some more meat to the batting. So, India has to choose the braver option.

With the batsmen dominating increasingly, teams across the world are opting for the extra bowler. In the event of a front-line bowler having an off-day, the captains are relying on cover and protection.

Interesting point

Dravid made an interesting point the other day when he spoke about Australia using pace bowling all-rounder Shane Watson as an opener to create a slot for an extra bowler. The Australian move had its critics but the strategy worked in the ICC Champions Trophy.

Let's not forget for a moment that Australia also has the big-hitting Andrew Symonds as a more than useful bowler in the one-dayers.

The Indians are certainly looking at a scenario where they would be able to play three pacemen, including Pathan, and both spinners, Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh. This is precisely why Pathan's form is so critical from an Indian perspective.

Even if the swing bowler is able to send down seven tight overs with the new ball and is not used later, India has someone like Virender Sehwag to chip in with three or four overs of off-spin. But to have Sehwag as a fifth bowler could be a recipe for disaster.

Experts' view

Former India all-rounder Ravi Shastri, here as a commentator, believes India should play two spinners on most times. He is also willing to recognise Pathan as a fifth bowler.

Another former India left-armer Maninder Singh wants off-spinner Ramesh Powar to be kept in the scheme of things.

"I would pick three spinners to the West Indies," he says. Both agree on the five-bowler formula.

Pressure needs to be created on the batsmen in the middle overs and this is where you would want specialists to keep the heat on the men in the middle. These bowlers have a better chance of picking wickets too, and often, the best way to contain is to strike.

There have been too many occasions in the past when sides have just wriggled out of trouble with the non-regular bowlers operating in the key moments of a match. These bowlers also allow the batsmen to settle down before the specialists are reintroduced.

Even if Kumble and Harbhajan do not bowl in tandem in all the games here, they are the players India will be looking up to in the World Cup, where the pitches should suit their kind of bowling.

Kumble could emerge the key man. India has to, first, create a place for him.

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