We’re not afraid of losing: Smith
25 Dec 2013 5:19 AM IST
In a pulsating finish to the first Test on Sunday, South Africa fell short by only eight runs in what could have been the highest ever fourth innings’ run-chase. Instead, it was a drawn match, as both teams head to Durban for the second and final Test starting December 26. Proteas’ skipper was pointedly asked whether the hosts were scared of losing and hence squandered a position of strength.
‘I don’t think it was that (fear of losing). We were on target. But even at lunch, we didn’t believe we will get as close as we did. We were just batting, trying to make sure we build a partnership. We knew to save the game we needed a session without losing any wickets and we got that after lunch,’ Smith replied.
Smith said centurion Faf du Plessis’ run out changed the scenario slightly for the batsmen out there in the middle. ‘With Faf getting run-out in the final session after AB (de Villiers) got out, the batsmen in the middle thought it was in the best interest of the team to play for a draw,’ he explained.
‘Morne Morkel was struggling to stand (after twisting his ankle on day three) and with Imran Tahir, we don’t really know what we could have got. So the team has to support and believe in the decision Vernon (Philander) and Dale (Steyn) made in the middle,’ he added. Du Plessis scored his third Test hundred while de Villiers notched up his 18th Test ton as they put up 205 runs for the fifth wicket. But both fell in the last session of the match, allowing India to come back and hold on for a draw. ‘The message to the batsmen was to set the game up for the last over. Then, there were a couple of maidens bowled, which made it difficult. We needed to give Vernon an opportunity to win us the game, I think he was the guy that probably would have done that,’ he said.
‘It never happened. At that stage you can’t send out messages between overs. That is not allowed. Ultimately the strength of this team is that there are good decision makers. Each player is mature and has made great decisions over a period of time, and won cricket games for South Africa. That’s how we have got to number one, trusting each other and trusting each other’s decision making. Dale and Vernon have hundred per cent support from me,’ Smith said.
Team India did surprise everyone, playing the way it did. The visitors dominated for four days of the match, but two sessions in the game went South Africa’s way and denied India the victory.
Debate rages on drawn Test, SA claim no regrets
Meanwhile, most of South Africa cricketers might have expected to wake up on Monday morning to headlines praising their valiant batting effort in saving the first Test against India at Wanderers. But instead the country was locked in a heated debate over whether the hosts should have pushed on for a historic victory. Playing ‘brave cricket’ has become a mantra for this South Africa team in recent years and has helped them to back-to-back series wins in Australia and series victory in England which put the team at the top of ICC Test rankings.
But as Vernon Philander and Dale Steyn shouldered arms for the final three overs as boos from the home support rang out around the ground, questions were raised as to where that bravado had disappeared to. Only once the draw was secured that Steyn launched the ball over the boundary for a six, an act that was perhaps ill-advised given the incensed the crowd as it only took South Africa agonisingly close to the target. India too admitted they were surprised to see South Africa taking foot off the pedal after having played themselves into a position of superiority. A number of former players have expressed astonishment too.
Wessels lauds India’s show
Hailing the technique and mental approach of the Indian batsmen in the first Test, former South Africa captain Kepler Wessels said the visitors are expected to continue their ‘brilliant’ show in the second match, starting Thursday in Durban.
‘They were brilliant, just brilliant in the first Test. There was a lot of talk before the series and both the Indian batsmen and bowlers were able to top that in this match with their performance on the field,’ Wessels, who also played ODIs for Australia, said.
He was referring to ‘scared’ and ‘scarred’, two terms often used in the build-up to this series by Proteas, in particular by their ODI captain AB de Villiers and premier fast bowler Dale Steyn during the preceding three-match one-day international series.
‘The technique displayed by the Indian batsmen was just brilliant. They were excellent. Leaving the ball was a key feature of their innings. Their mental approach in building the innings and the way almost all of them went about constructing the innings, on both occasions, was quite something,’ said Wessels.
The second match of the two-Test series will begin on December 26 at Durban.
‘I don’t think it was that (fear of losing). We were on target. But even at lunch, we didn’t believe we will get as close as we did. We were just batting, trying to make sure we build a partnership. We knew to save the game we needed a session without losing any wickets and we got that after lunch,’ Smith replied.
Smith said centurion Faf du Plessis’ run out changed the scenario slightly for the batsmen out there in the middle. ‘With Faf getting run-out in the final session after AB (de Villiers) got out, the batsmen in the middle thought it was in the best interest of the team to play for a draw,’ he explained.
‘Morne Morkel was struggling to stand (after twisting his ankle on day three) and with Imran Tahir, we don’t really know what we could have got. So the team has to support and believe in the decision Vernon (Philander) and Dale (Steyn) made in the middle,’ he added. Du Plessis scored his third Test hundred while de Villiers notched up his 18th Test ton as they put up 205 runs for the fifth wicket. But both fell in the last session of the match, allowing India to come back and hold on for a draw. ‘The message to the batsmen was to set the game up for the last over. Then, there were a couple of maidens bowled, which made it difficult. We needed to give Vernon an opportunity to win us the game, I think he was the guy that probably would have done that,’ he said.
‘It never happened. At that stage you can’t send out messages between overs. That is not allowed. Ultimately the strength of this team is that there are good decision makers. Each player is mature and has made great decisions over a period of time, and won cricket games for South Africa. That’s how we have got to number one, trusting each other and trusting each other’s decision making. Dale and Vernon have hundred per cent support from me,’ Smith said.
Team India did surprise everyone, playing the way it did. The visitors dominated for four days of the match, but two sessions in the game went South Africa’s way and denied India the victory.
Debate rages on drawn Test, SA claim no regrets
Meanwhile, most of South Africa cricketers might have expected to wake up on Monday morning to headlines praising their valiant batting effort in saving the first Test against India at Wanderers. But instead the country was locked in a heated debate over whether the hosts should have pushed on for a historic victory. Playing ‘brave cricket’ has become a mantra for this South Africa team in recent years and has helped them to back-to-back series wins in Australia and series victory in England which put the team at the top of ICC Test rankings.
But as Vernon Philander and Dale Steyn shouldered arms for the final three overs as boos from the home support rang out around the ground, questions were raised as to where that bravado had disappeared to. Only once the draw was secured that Steyn launched the ball over the boundary for a six, an act that was perhaps ill-advised given the incensed the crowd as it only took South Africa agonisingly close to the target. India too admitted they were surprised to see South Africa taking foot off the pedal after having played themselves into a position of superiority. A number of former players have expressed astonishment too.
Wessels lauds India’s show
Hailing the technique and mental approach of the Indian batsmen in the first Test, former South Africa captain Kepler Wessels said the visitors are expected to continue their ‘brilliant’ show in the second match, starting Thursday in Durban.
‘They were brilliant, just brilliant in the first Test. There was a lot of talk before the series and both the Indian batsmen and bowlers were able to top that in this match with their performance on the field,’ Wessels, who also played ODIs for Australia, said.
He was referring to ‘scared’ and ‘scarred’, two terms often used in the build-up to this series by Proteas, in particular by their ODI captain AB de Villiers and premier fast bowler Dale Steyn during the preceding three-match one-day international series.
‘The technique displayed by the Indian batsmen was just brilliant. They were excellent. Leaving the ball was a key feature of their innings. Their mental approach in building the innings and the way almost all of them went about constructing the innings, on both occasions, was quite something,’ said Wessels.
The second match of the two-Test series will begin on December 26 at Durban.
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