Australia could be headed for a nightmare Test series on green seaming pitches in South Africa based on the very bowler-friendly surfaces the Proteas have requested in their current home series against India.
South Africa captain Faf du Plessis has openly admitted the Proteas have asked for juicy decks against India, with two of the three pitches used favouring quicks to an extreme extent.
So moist was the pitch for the third Test held over the past few days in Johannesburg that play had to be called off late on day three due to the dangerous state of the surface. This rare occurrence was prompted by South Africa opener Dean Elgar being struck on the helmet by a ball from Indian quick Jasprit Bumrah which reared viciously from short of a length, making it nigh-on impossible for Elgar to protect himself.
Batsmen from both teams had received similarly unplayable deliveries across the course of the Test, with some balls deviating sideways by an enormous amount and others either shooting low or exploding up at the batsmen.
The green deck for the first Test at Cape Town also offered massive assistance to the quicks, with extravagant seam movement and variable bounce. South Africa have not tried to hide the fact they requested the home curators prepare pitches which would suit their elite pace attack.
(AP Photo/Rob Griffith)
Clearly the Proteas believed the Indian batting line-up, so used to playing on slow, low pitches at home, would be unable to adapt. India’s batsmen have struggled badly, skipper Virat Kohli apart, but then so too have South Africa’s.
At the time of writing, no fewer than 13 top-seven batsmen had averaged 30 or less for the series, including accomplished players such as Hashim Amla, Quentin de Kock, Cheteshwar Pujara, Murali Vijay, Ajinkya Rahane, Dean Elgar, Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul.
The bad news for Australia is the Proteas surely will view them as being similarly vulnerable on seaming pitches. Australia’s batsmen have floundered time and again in such conditions in recent years, most recently against the Proteas in Hobart just over a year ago. South Africa’s quicks demolished Australia in that Test, dismissing them for 85 and 161 as the visitors claimed victory by an innings and 80 runs.
The previous year Australia were twice routed on juiced-up pitches in England. In the third Test at Birmingham Australia were embarrassingly bowled out in fewer than 37 overs on Day 1. If that wasn’t bad enough, they fell even lower in the fourth Test at Nottingham, all out for 60.
In the recently completed Ashes Australia’s batsmen dominated except for one innings at Adelaide where, with the ball seaming and swinging around, they collapsed for 138. The Proteas will be more wary of Australia’s pace attack than they were of India’s far less potent battery of quicks, but there’s still a strong chance they’ll back their phenomenal fast bowlers to outperform the Australian group of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood.
(AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
The strength of that Australian trio is their ability to overcome sleepy pitches thanks to their pace and bounce. But on seaming pitches accuracy is far more valuable than dynamism. That’s why the likes of South Africa’s Vernon Philander and England’s James Anderson are the world’s best bowlers in such conditions despite operating at a gentle pace.
Philander took 15 wickets at an average of 15 across the three Tests against India and was ably supported by Kagiso Rabada (15 wickets at 20), Morne Morkel (13 wickets at 20) and newcomer Lungi Ngidi (nine wickets at 17). So strong are South Africa’s pace stocks that they opted to play four quicks in the first two Tests against India and five quicks in the third Test.
There is a very real possibility Australia will have to battle a similarly pace-stacked Proteas line-up on seaming pitches in the four-Test series which starts in just over a month. This would be in stark contrast to the easy task of facing England’s limited pace attack on flat home pitches this summer.
Australia look set for a rude wake-up call after stacking up runs in the Ashes. A potential horror show awaits in South Africa.
Sumit
Guest
Kohli has had 2 bad series. One in England in 2014 and one in the the OZ India visit. Smith is ahead of him in tests. As a complete package - Test + ODI + T20 Kohli is ahead.
Sumit
Guest
There were 2 grassy pitches, one for Cape Town and the other in Joburg. Both tests shared. Starc's the only guy going at 150. I have done my research.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
I was merely identifying a blemish on his career that counts against him as far as "best test batsman" ranking goes. That English series and his very poor series at home against us are the only real blemishes he has had. They were both important series and I expect he will be passionate about making amends. The four batsmen I have listed are all at such a smiliar stage in their careers. Between 60 and 70 tests each and captain of their test sides, making for an interesting next few years to see who rises and who slips in the rankings. Everyone will look for different things. For example, I know some discount Kohli and Pujara somewhat because they have barely played outside the subcontinent in the last three years. Pujara, I understand (away average of only 35. Also why I don't include Warner with the other four) but Kohli has runs on the board almost everywhere.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
Playing 5 fast bowlers on a green pitch is not that bright I reckon. 4 is probably overkill as the odds are well in the bowlers favour plus Australia has a very fine spinner . You do yourself out of a proper batsman who might get you 20 or 30 handy runs in difficult conditions in close matches. Similarly Australia's obsession with playing allrounders on the subcontinent who do little bowling and are up and down with the bat has probably cost them vital runs by weakening the batting in close matches.
anon
Roar Pro
Little Davey Warner will average < 20 in this upcoming series. There will be a lot of talk about workloads, a hectic summer, hectic international calendar. Before he runs off to India to collect his IPL cheques of course hehehe. Mitch Marsh will come back down to earth with a thud as well on these pitches. Maybe Mitchy will use that old injury chestnut again. Claim shoulder injury before you get dropped from the side hehehe Not sure how Smithy will go. He's a gun in the Test arena afterall. Not so much when wearing coloured clothing. The pressure is on him to deliver after being a big reason for the 1-4 loss to England in the ODI series. Can he rebound? He hasn't been afraid to tell others what he thinks of their form.
magic
Guest
so, you know or not australia's bowlers speed are close to 150kmph not 140kmph you also should do some research before and that will be very dangerious for south africa if they choose grassy pitch it may backfire
Savage
Roar Rookie
Many people here underrate Kohli as a test batsmen(probably because he is not as good in Test as he is in ODI/T20).Kohli stats against SA(16 innings) are better than Amla & ABD vs India who are superior than Kohli in Test http://bit.ly/2rQ901O And he has played 10 innings in SA and 6 in India
Savage
Roar Rookie
John Erichsen Surprisingly I don't disagree with any of your points this time around. "Smith, Kohli, Williamson and Root is my top 4. I know the ICC rates Root ahead of Williamson" Good to see you've now realised that Kohli is as good or better Test batsmen than KW(KW stats is underrated) and especially Root(despite being one of the most complete batsmen he has massively Underachieved in Test)
Savage
Roar Rookie
Those two dropped catches were during kohli's 54 in 3rd Test and I think LBW decision was of Pujara.
Savage
Roar Rookie
matth I'm not starting anything.I've already mentioned that Smith is best Test batsmen in the world.However,I do think John was kind of undermining kohli performance in South Africa.By using same logic,I can also undermine Smith effort in India by saying that he failed in 3/4th innings of series apart from Ranchi 100 where he was dropped 5 times.Being highest run scorer in SA is no mean feat.(Same with smith in India)
Melvin Pukely
Guest
Warner will be having nightmares about this following his performance against Philander and Co in Australia last time. And he won't have the Nine commentary team to talk him up either.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
Savage- Did I say Smith had made runs on tricky English wickets? Why Boycott labelled Smith is pretty easy to explain. Boycott has more chips on his shoulder than a lumberjack working overtime. Bagging someone who has 10 away tons from 32 away tests. Surely, Geoffrey doesn't all those cricketing nations are preparing flat tracks for Smith? Perhaps Boycott was getting Steve Smith and David Warner mixed up? Its actually a bit rich coming from a player who only scored 8 away tests hundreds in 51 away tests Kohli was dropped twice and out LBW, if South Africa reviewed a not out decision. His 153 in this series was a good innings but, like one of Smith's three hundreds in India, he was gifted multiple chances to make runs. It was also made on the most Indian-like pitch of the series, which is exactly what I said. As for Kohli's MOM hundred in 2013 at the New Wanderers, it was certainly a lively pitch for the first two days. Didn't South Africa finish 7/450 on the last day, needing just 8 more runs for a record run-chase victory? Kohli's first innings hundred in this match revealed his class, but he needs runs in England before he truly threatens Smith for the best test batsman tag. I actually had them closely aligned until Kohli made no runs in a home test series while Smith made 3 hundreds. Now, for me, Kohli has some catching up to do. Thankfully, he has the chance this year with the BCCI actually allowing India to play test cricket off the subcontinent. I expect Kohli to exercise some English pitch demons when they tour there later this year. The other player I rate highly is Kane Williamson. Root simply doesn't make enough hundreds away from home to be up with the other three. Smith, Kohli, Williamson and Root is my top 4. I know the ICC rates Root ahead of Williamson
matth
Guest
Don't start this up. Smith's away average is higher than Kohli's overall average (and root's and Williamson's by the way). Kohli failed the last time he went to England as well, worse than Smith.
matth
Guest
The one thing Kohli definitely is, is a fighter.
matth
Guest
The Indian quicks showed some promise last time around in Australia, so if they stay fit, they can only be better again.
matth
Guest
The other reason SA got to 300 is our bowlers are also not used to bowling on those decks.
matth
Guest
Indian/Asian pitches are not necessarily the flattest. Favouring spin over pace does not make a wicket flat. Favouring nothing (no spin, no seam, no bounce, no deterioration) is what makes a pitch flat - Melbourne.
matth
Guest
Totally agree with your last paragraph. I believe it was his performance in that India series which has turned Smith from 'great flat track player' to 'best since Bradman'. He showed he didn't need the right conditions to dominate.
matth
Guest
I think you are naively expecting people to read the article properly before commenting.
matth
Guest
I'm glad they played on though. It would have been seriously unfair if India, after taking the risk of batting first, and then sticking it out for all of day three, were denied the opportunity to take advantage of all that hard work. Interestingly, only between 9 and 11 wickets fell each day. That doesn't scream out unfit pitch. Maybe we have gotten too used to uniform, flat, boring pitches.