MS irked with batters after Durban debacle
10 Dec 2013 5:50 AM IST
After being reduced to 34 for four, India were bowled out for 146 in 35.1 overs, chasing 281 runs in the second One-dayer on Sunday. No batsman crossed the 40-run mark.
‘In the last few series our middle order, to some extent, was a bit of a bother. In this series we lost the top three quite early and our middle order was exposed. So if you assess, then that’s maybe why we haven’t been able to perform to our potential,’ he said.
Dhoni said he was surprised that Indian batsmen could not take advantage of a flat track. ‘The wicket was on the flatter side and there wasn’t much for the fast bowlers in it, so I am disappointed with the batting. The kind of shots we played, well, few of them were on. But the shot execution was not great to some extent, as they went to the fielders,’ he said.
Dhoni though expressed his pleasure about the bowlers’ performance. ‘Compared to the last game, our bowling did a fantastic job especially in the middle orders. Spinners bowled well and so did the fast bowlers when they came back on, in the latter stages of the South African innings. I am happy with the bowlers’ performance because 280 runs on this pitch was a decent score.’
South Africa were put into bat by Dhoni and while his bowlers eventually finished on top, early on they were once again defied by Quinton de Kock and Hashim Amla with the opening duo putting up 194 runs for the first wicket and smacking a hundred each in doing so. ‘They have done really well for South Africa. They did so in the last series as well (versus Pakistan). The way they were batting in the first 20 overs, I thought this may be another 300-plus run chase but we came back into the game.
SA retain squad for Tests
Durban: South Africa have made no changes to their Test squad for the two-match series against India starting December 18, retaining the 15 who drew the away series against Pakistan in October. Graeme Smith, who was released from the ODI squad to prepare for the Tests, will lead the side in the series starting December 18 in Johannesburg.
SA are currently on a roll having beaten India in the first two ODIs of an ongoing three-match series. The Test squad features four fast bowlers in Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Vernon Philander and Rory Kleinveldt, and two spinners in Robin Peterson and Imran Tahir. The second Test will be played in Durban, from December 26.
SA Test squad: Graeme Smith (capt), Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers (wk), JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Dean Elgar, Imran Tahir, Jacques Kallis, Rory Kleinveldt, Morne Morkel, Alviro Petersen, Robin Peterson, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Thami Tsolekile
‘In the last few series our middle order, to some extent, was a bit of a bother. In this series we lost the top three quite early and our middle order was exposed. So if you assess, then that’s maybe why we haven’t been able to perform to our potential,’ he said.
Dhoni said he was surprised that Indian batsmen could not take advantage of a flat track. ‘The wicket was on the flatter side and there wasn’t much for the fast bowlers in it, so I am disappointed with the batting. The kind of shots we played, well, few of them were on. But the shot execution was not great to some extent, as they went to the fielders,’ he said.
Dhoni though expressed his pleasure about the bowlers’ performance. ‘Compared to the last game, our bowling did a fantastic job especially in the middle orders. Spinners bowled well and so did the fast bowlers when they came back on, in the latter stages of the South African innings. I am happy with the bowlers’ performance because 280 runs on this pitch was a decent score.’
South Africa were put into bat by Dhoni and while his bowlers eventually finished on top, early on they were once again defied by Quinton de Kock and Hashim Amla with the opening duo putting up 194 runs for the first wicket and smacking a hundred each in doing so. ‘They have done really well for South Africa. They did so in the last series as well (versus Pakistan). The way they were batting in the first 20 overs, I thought this may be another 300-plus run chase but we came back into the game.
SA retain squad for Tests
Durban: South Africa have made no changes to their Test squad for the two-match series against India starting December 18, retaining the 15 who drew the away series against Pakistan in October. Graeme Smith, who was released from the ODI squad to prepare for the Tests, will lead the side in the series starting December 18 in Johannesburg.
SA are currently on a roll having beaten India in the first two ODIs of an ongoing three-match series. The Test squad features four fast bowlers in Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Vernon Philander and Rory Kleinveldt, and two spinners in Robin Peterson and Imran Tahir. The second Test will be played in Durban, from December 26.
SA Test squad: Graeme Smith (capt), Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers (wk), JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Dean Elgar, Imran Tahir, Jacques Kallis, Rory Kleinveldt, Morne Morkel, Alviro Petersen, Robin Peterson, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Thami Tsolekile
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