Faf du Plessis - The darling of Adelaide Oval

Had JP Duminy not hurt his Achilles tendon in the first Test in Brisbane, Faf du Plessis might not have featured in the second Test at Adelaide in 2012. The Australian team led by the marvellous Michael Clarke, were in no mood to repeat the story of 2008 and tightened the screw each day of the second Test in Adelaide. While Clarke’s bat slaughtered the Proteas attack, the Aussie bowlers led by the hard-working Peter Siddle, kept the Proteas batsmen on a knife’s edge. 

On the final day, survival was nothing but a dream, let alone winning the Test match. The cream of South Africa’s batting line-up kept on tumbling and it was left to Faf – an unknown figure at that time, to script one of the most outstanding fightbacks in the history of Test cricket to deny Australia a win which was a surety since the first ball was bowled on day 5.

du Plessis batted for seven hours and 46 minutes, in 34-celsius degrees heat and high humidity, with five different partners – one of whom could barely run – and injected extreme exhaustion among the Australian bowlers to salvage an extraordinary draw from the jaws of defeat. His herculean knock rejuvenated South Africa, who ended the tour in style by beating Australia for the second consecutive time.

Faf returned to Australia four years later with the aim to maintain the outstanding record of the Proteas Down Under. With the passage of time, he has proven to become the backbone of South Africa’s batting line-up and a lot depended on his batting and temperament; firstly, he was the stand-in captain of the side and secondly, he would have to challenge the might of the Aussies without AB de Villiers and Dale Steyn.

Both Australia and South Africa’s recent record in Test cricket has not been great. Both teams have experienced some nightmarish outcomes at home and abroad, for which, a lot of character was needed from the captains of the respective teams to instil motivation and confidence among his players.

While Steve Smith failed to live up to the expectations, the Proteas captain led his men brilliantly, defying all the odds to nail Australia.

The world had experienced Faf’s captaincy abilities, but his bat was yet to bloom flowers.

While the atmosphere in the South African camp was ecstatic after the rout at Hobart, world cricket was jolted when the South African captain was accused of ball-tampering and was fined his entire match fee from the Hobart Test. This triggered enormous criticism from a section of the Australian press and an ugly tussle between South African security and a journalist at Adelaide airport made matters even worse.

The day-night Test match at Adelaide was a dead-rubber, but it became one of the most anticipated Test matches of this year. The world awaited to watch how the Proteas could cope with such pressure and how du Plessis, the villain in the Australian public’s eyes, responds in front of the crowd, who were expected to be harsh, vociferous and at times, ugly.

Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood swung the ball and Hazlewood’s length was immaculate and posed a big threat for the South African middle-order. Elgar, Hashim Amla and Duminy melted quickly and then entered Faf du Plessis.

His entry was not greeted warmly, with boos ringing around the ground; he was not a welcome guest but a villain who should not have featured in South Australia.

Faf’s partner at the other end was Stephen Cook, who had been in a terrible lean-patch throughout the series and it was left to the skipper again to guide the ship through the troubled waters.

Firstly, he needed to marshall Cook and calm him down to help stitch a partnership and arrest a collapse and secondly, he needed to blow away the demons which haunted him in the past few days.

Cook started to settle while the early part of the South African captain’s innings at the crease was scratchy. Jackson Bird’s length found the edge which fell short of slip cordon and Starc’s short-ball damaged his eardrums and when he returned the ball to the bowler, the crowd booed again.

The hostility of the crowd began to increase, Faf gradually dished out his best.

He mixed caution with aggression. He targeted the onside field and flicked in style to fetch boundaries in a quick fashion. As soon as Nathan Lyon was introduced, he curbed his attacking instincts and slowed down. He kept rotating the strike rather than trapping himself into a shell. At the other end, Cook discovered his scoring mojo and supported his skipper very well to stitch a 51-run partnership for the fourth wicket.

As soon as Cook was dismissed, the South African innings started to lose its way and yet again, du Plessis stepped up to keep South Africa afloat.

Faf’s timing was delightful. The shots he executed were exquisitely timed rather than being powerful. He hardly went hard at the ball and timed them wonderfully on both sides of the wicket. Even when he was needed to play Hazlewood on the backfoot, his ability to middle the ball perfectly allowed him to drive on the front foot. Some of his drives were of high quality while his fierce cut shots showed a glimpse of the anger that had built up due to recent events.

du Plessis kept on losing partners, but in Kyle Abbott he discovered a stable batsman who provided the perfect foil. 54 runs were added for the eighth wicket and when Abbott was dismissed, Faf was two runs away from glory.

In the next over, he paddle-swept Lyon for two runs and ran towards the River Bank stand to celebrate his epic ton. He had given a mighty blow to the face of the hostile crowd with a sucker-punch and applause from the Adelaide crowd drowned out the hostile booing from one section of the crowd.        

Only time will tell how effective his hundred will be for South Africa, but he has conveyed a message to the world that pressure always brings out the best in him and he is one of those fighters who relishes big occasions and uphill tasks.

It was on this ground four years ago that he announced his arrival with a fighting knock and four years later, he made Adelaide his own with another gallant knock.

Without a doubt, he is the darling of Adelaide Oval.

Note: This article was published at Sportskeeda on 25/11/2016 Faf du Plessis - The darling of Adelaide Oval

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

England need to fix middle-order and bowling woes ahead of Mohali Test

England needed 405 runs to win in the fourth innings on a track which had not become one of the toughest to survive. The track had wear and tear, but not demons underneath to make the turning balls behave like a spitting cobra. The English batsmen just needed to occupy the crease for a bit more time and mix caution with composure according to the demand of the situation.

Alastair Cook and Haseeb Hameed’s approach on the fourth day was not eye-catching, but more like Michael Atherton’s defiant resistance in the fourth innings at Johannesburg against the likes of Allan Donald and Shaun Pollock in 1995 on a testing track. Such a ploy never ensures entertainment, but guarantees saving Test matches.

Cook and Hameed concentrated on leaving and blocking the ball to weather the storm, but their brief resistance was cut short at the last moment of the fourth day. What could have been 87 for 0, turned into 87 for 2 at stumps on day 4. It was up to the rest of the batsmen to carry on the Cook-and-Hameed style of batsmanship on the final day and ensure a draw.

But sadly, the English batters could not even manage to take the match into the final session and ended up on the losing side quite early. Mohammed Shami, Ravi Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and the debutante Jayant Yadav knocked out the English batsmen within 38 overs of day 5.

The Indian bowlers bowled well, but one cannot term those as unplayable or blame the track for such a disgraceful capitulation.    

Survival on the fifth-day track tough, but not impossible

Alastair Cook hinted that winning the toss was a lucky one for Virat Kohli and in the subcontinent, the flip of the coin matters a lot. But if a team wishes to win matches, they should have a plan B to deal with the tougher matters. Alastair Cook cannot expect to win the toss everyday and so it’s a must for him and the team’s think tank to come out with an alternative plan which can be effective.  

England’s batting and spin attack were a thorn in the throat in Vizag. Their batsmen, not only let them down in the first innings, but let them down miserably in the second as well. It seemed as if they were haunted by the ghosts of Mirpur on both occasions and neither their middle order exhibited the right intent nor the correct footwork or defense against spinners. 

So, before they focus fully on the third Test, it will be ideal for them to fix the middle order and spin attack.

England’s number four position is occupied by Ben Duckett. Duckett is a very promising prospect and his talent was evident during the limited overs series against Bangladesh. But in white-clothings, he failed to justify his talent, especially against the turning ball his miseries knew no bound.

So far, he has failed to use his feet properly and get behind the line of the ball and thus invited strings of failures which dented his confidence. And, his short stay at the crease only invited enough pressure to the English batting line-up. His dismissal in the final day hinted he has lost it at the back of the mind needs a break to sort out his shortcomings.

The English think tank has made a smart decision to consider Jos Buttler instead of Duckett for the third Test. He can be used as a wicketkeeper and free Jonny Bairstow from his keeping duties and used as a middle-order batsman. Bairstow has been fantastic with the bat throughout this year and should not be wasted at number seven. Moreover, technically and temperamentally, Bairstow is perfect to end England’s middle-order woes. 

Bowling woes

Meanwhile, the spinners of England have been flat at Vizag. Yes, Adil Rashid came out better in the second innings, but in the first, he failed to pitch it up against Virat and Pujara and bring them forward. Thankfully, Adil rediscovered his rhythm later on, but his partner Zafar Ansari remained the same.

Ansari simply lacks the cutting edge as a spinner. The captain of any team would love his left-arm spinner to spin the ball away from a length, deliver the arm-ball and use the rough as much as possible. But Ansari’s nag to pitch it short more often made Cook suffer. When a spinner delivers short and half volleys too much, it gets tough for the captain to maintain the pressure.

If the English think tank sticks to the plan of playing three spinners, it will be ideal to invest faith in Gareth Batty instead of Ansari. He is neither a Graeme Swann or Monty Panesar, but has the experience which can be productive for England.

Above all, England must realise that their main strength is the pace bowlers and it is always sensible enough to script a game plan around your strength.

England are still not sure whether Stuart Broad will feature in the third Test or not, but the fast bowler has not given up yet. The England seamer revealed that he will wear a protective "moon" boot to try and help his recovery, with four days between the second and third Test.

Broad sustained the injury diving in the field in the opening moments of the match, but still produced an impressive performance with the ball.

If Stuart Broad is fit and features at Mohali, England should include Chris Woakes who was rested at Vizag due to a niggle and “normal wear and tear of bowling” according to Cook. Woakes’ aggression gives England’s bowling attack the pressure-building opportunity which was wasted by Ansari’s flat bowling. Moreover, Woakes is a very good batsman as well.

England can utilise Moeen and Rashid as spinners and rely more on the pace bowling prowess of James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Ben Stokes and Chris Woakes.

Note: This article has been published at Sportskeeda on 23/11/2016 England need to fix middle-order and bowling woes ahead of Mohali Test

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

Pakistani batsmen's lack of composure cost them the 1st Test against New Zealand

The New Zealand skipper was happy when he won the toss. After losing three tosses in a row during the Test series against India, Kane Williamson finally got an opportunity to take control of proceedings. Without a second thought, he decided to bowl first at the Hagley Oval which was tailor-made for swing and seam bowling and his pace bowlers didn’t let him down at all.

‘Grand’ debut for Colin

Tim Southee and Trent Boult tested Sami Aslam and Azhar Ali for the first twelve overs, but as soon as the medium-pacer Colin de Grandhomme came into the attack and moved the ball from a three-quarter length, Pakistan batsmen found the going tough. 31 for 0 became 88 for 5 and after a while, Pakistan were all out for 133.

When the Pakistan pace attack started to bowl with fantastic rhythm and guile, 133 looked to be a decent total. Despite Jeet Raval and Henry Nicholl’s stubborn resistance, New Zealand managed just 200 runs on day 3, but they still possessed a handy lead of 67 runs.

By then, the track had lost its volatility and became a bit easier for batting. It provided a wonderful opportunity for Pakistan to overshadow the horrors of the first innings by batting productively and stabilise their position in the Test.

The ideal way to establish authority in such conditions is to spend more time at the crease and give the fast bowlers the first hour. It’s an old fashioned way of batsmanship, but still very effective when the new ball poses a lot of threat. 

Azhar and Azam steady Pakistan

Pakistan lost Sami early, but Azhar and Babar Azam followed the old fashioned way of Test batsmanship. They weathered the new-ball storm with a lot of patience and determination. Both of them slowed down the scoring rate but were able to block and leave the balls which posed a threat. Such batting was not pleasing to the eye, but at least they ensured there was no further collapse with just an hour or so remaining in the day's play.  

Williamson was desperate for a breakthrough and threw the ball to his most trusted ally, Neil Wagner, to apply pressure on the Pakistan batsmen via his barrage of short-pitch and ribcage bowling.

Wagner triggers the collapse

Time and again, Wagner’s tireless spells from around and over the wicket have tested the batsmen to their limits and he has been successful both in breaking partnerships and triggering collapses. 

Sri Lanka experienced the same last year, while teams like Australia could sustain the heat of Wagner only by remaining composed and technically sound. Bowlers like Wagner unleash crucial passages of play when they build heads of steam and charge in like raging bulls. To counter the same, a batsman has to be patient and composed enough to weather the storm and then cash in at a later stage.

But the Pakistani batting line up melted.

Wagner banged the ball short on a middle-and-leg stump line. Azhar and Babar found the going extremely tough and in the fifth ball of the 40th over, Babar was caught down the leg side to a ball which he could have easily left. 

Lack of composure proves to be the downfall

Then Younis Khan was done in by a ball which reared from short-of-a-length around leg stump and hurtled towards him. Younis failed to keep his hands down and was caught behind. Two quick wickets and it was up to Misbah-ul-Haq to arrest a collapse and end the day without further damage. But he also capsized against the short stuff. But this time, it was a rush of blood and poor shot selection that did him in.

Misbah is not known for his attacking strokes and when the circumstances are tough, he concentrates more on keeping his composure and strike rotation rather than dealing with boundaries. But at the fag end of day 3, he lost his cool and went for the hook shot which led to a collapse from which Pakistan never recovered.

New Zealand bagged the first Test with an eight-wicket win and Pakistan were left to ponder that eventful one hour or so in which they failed to maintain their composure under pressure.  

On day 3, in the second innings, Pakistan’s plan was to spend time at the crease. It was a good move under the circumstances, and with proper application, could have proved to be fruitful. However, a brain freeze from the batsmen ensured that they paid a heavy price.

The picture could have been different had they not failed to maintain their composure. Misbah and his men will be looking to bounce back from the disappointment and level the series when the two sides clash in the second Test at Hamilton.

Note: This article has been published at Sportskeeda on 21/11/2016 Pakistani batsmen's lack of composure cost them the 1st Test against New Zealand

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

Brazil v Peru, FIFA World Cup Qualifiers 2018 - Brazil end 2016 on a high

At Estadio Nacional, Brazil ran past Peru. Gabriel Jesus not only scored a goal, but also set up one. It could have been 3-0 had Paulinho not missed that superb cross from Douglas Costa narrowly. What I loved was Brazil’s ability to press the opposition at their own half most of the times and the organized midfield and defence, which gave the players up front the freedom to attack. 

The fans of new generation might have missed the pace and guile against Argentina, but they must remember, those things don’t show up every day. Maintaining the winning momentum and compactness matter.

Brazil have won their last six games and all those have come under Tite. Gabriel Jesus has scored five goals and three assists since debut this year. Renato Augusto has developed as an effective player under Tite while the likes of Paulinho and Fernandinho are proving a point in the midfield. Then what can I say about the dynamism of Neymar and Coutinho? They are just special. Meanwhile, Douglas Costa, Thiago Silva, Willian etc. are sitting in the bench giving the impression of old Brazil, whose bench strength was so strong, a classic XI could have been built easily.

Brazil have ended 2016 on a high.

Thankfully, Brazil are free from a lunatic named Carlos Dunga.

Thank You

Faisal Caesar  

England re-gain momentum after Mirpur debacle

Steven Finn tried to flick a Mehedi Hasan delivery off his pads, but the ball hit his back leg. Bangladesh appealed and Kumar Dharmasena raised the finger. England’s agony and frustration were overshadowed by crazy celebrations at Mirpur. Alastair Cook and co. were left to ponder about their collapse in the final session of day 3 and the inability of the English batsmen to handle spin.

Neither had the England batsmen fared well against the turning ball nor had their spinners impressed on weary pitches in Mirpur.

England’s next assignment would be against India in India. Those who toured India over the past few years experienced humiliation on rank-turners. Ravi Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Amit Mishra are Virat’s lethal weapons who devour the opposition batsmen with turn, zip, flight and accuracy.

Australia in 2013, South Africa in 2015 and New Zealand in 2016 were all steamrolled in ruthless fashion, and considering the circumstances, England’s chances of doing well on Indian soil were low. And, after getting nailed by Mehedi and Shakib Al Hasan, very few dreamed of a better outcome in India.

As soon as the first Test started, the pessimistic hopes and statements about England’s poor show took a back seat as the Three Lions exhibited a professional display throughout the five days and ended with their heads high.

England’s performance has surprised many, but it was not a flash in the pan.

What changed?

Firstly, the English batsmen stuck to basics while batting against Ashwin, Jadeja and Mishra. They did not try to attack by coming down the pitch. They also did not succumb to the dreaded sweep shot. Instead, they used their feet excellently and picked the gaps very well by getting behind the line of the ball more. They played the ball with a straight bat and executed strokes by allowing the ball to come closer to the body. The bad balls were not spared, but either punished or pushed for singles or twos.

Secondly, the best way to neutralise spinners is by rotating the strike rather than blocking them and inviting pressure. Whenever a batsman rotates the strike, automatically it creates doubts in the minds of the spinners  which results in loose balls. England batsmen invested more time in strike rotation. It not only helped them to dominate the Indian spinners but also contributed to effective partnerships. 

Thirdly, the English spinners learned from Bangladesh about how to be more productive on subcontinental tracks. They brought the Indian batsmen forward by pitching it up more rather than pitching it on the short or good length. Rashid and Moeen Ali’s length hardly gave the Indian batsmen the freedom to go on the back foot and thus, they were able to test and tease the top order and fetch wickets.

Fourthly, the reverse swing and aggressive intent from the English pacers reaped rewards. Yes, it paid rich dividends in Chittagong and Mirpur as well and in India, it didn’t help to trigger a collapse, but always kept the Indian batsmen under pressure. The aggression and skill of Chris Woakes, Stuart Broad and Ben Stokes created the platform for breakthroughs in the crucial juncture of the match. 

Finally, during the Test series in Bangladesh, there lacked a certain amount of composure and self-assurance among the English players, especially the batsmen. Lack of composure denied them the opportunity to graft partnerships while absence of self-assurance dented their ability to focus and read the turn of the ball. Also, the English spinners, short on confidence, failed to pitch it up more and were hence, unable to gain positive results from the weary tracks in Chittagong and Mirpur.

Mental toughness

At Rajkot, England were able to remain more composed and self-assured in what they were doing. They were not gripped by depression at Mirpur and they did not lose their self-confidence but instead, held their heads high and arrived ready for a battle. The English think tank learned lessons from their mistakes in Bangladesh and studied different ways to improve their game.

Their perseverance was evident during the first Test at Rajkot which was supposed to be a forgone conclusion in favour of the home team. To the astonishment of all, it was England who ended the Test dominantly. Without a doubt, England have gained some much-needed momentum. It will be interesting to see whether they will be able to maintain such a high level in the remaining Test matches.

Note: This article has been published at Sportskeeda on 14/11/2016 England re-gain momentum after Mirpur debacle

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

Another nightmarish experience for Australia against swing bowling

On January 3, 2010, Ricky Ponting won the toss and decided to bat first on a grassy wicket at Sydney Cricket Ground against Pakistan in the second Test. Mohammad Asif and Sami took no time to put the Australian batting line up in the soup. At one point, they were 62 for 7 and a humiliation was looming large.

Mitchell Johnson and Nathan Hauritz hung around to help Australia past 120 in the first innings. Somehow, Pakistan managed to lose the match like only Pakistani can.

Seven months later at Leeds, Ponting elected to bat first on a grassy track with a gloomy sky above. It was one of Pakistan’s home series played in foreign soil. It took 14 deliveries for Mohammad Amir to trigger a collapse and then Asif put a spell on the Aussie batsmen to leave Australia stunned. They were all out for 88 runs and lost against Pakistan in a Test after 15 years.

A few months later against England at the MCG, James Anderson, Chris Tremlett and Tim Bresnan swung the ball brilliantly on a greenish pitch under overcast conditions and skittled out Australia below hundred. Five years later, Stuart Broad did it again on another chilly morning at Trent Bridge. Australia were all out for just 60.

Overcast conditions and a bit of green tinge on the track have always given the Australian top order batsmen tough times over the years and despite so many bad experiences, it seems that they haven’t learnt from their mistakes.

On the first day of the second Test at Hobart against South Africa, the Aussies experienced nightmare again on a cold and gloomy morning.  

Faf du Plessis, sent the home team to bat on a swing-friendly track without any hesitation. Vernon Philander, who had an outstanding Test match at WACA, pitched the ball full and in the right line. David Warner was patient for five balls and then went hard against a wide delivery, which was almost near the return crease, and was dismissed caught behind.

Surely, such sort of adventures were not needed on such conditions from an opener.

And sadly, that dismissal did disturb the rhythm of the Aussie batting line-up. 

In the next over, Kyle Abbott jagged one back in to trap Joe Burns lbw. Usman Khawaja and Adam Voges were squared up by Philander, Rabada nailed Peter Neville, Dane Vilas chipped in with another run-out, JP Duminy and Quinton de Kock took eye-popping catches and Australia were bowled out for 85 – another first innings shame since that nightmare at Leeds six years ago.

After Allan Border took charge of Australia as the captain in the 80s, they developed the courage and technique to counter the fast and swing bowling. Border created a wonderful foundation on which Mark Taylor and Steve Waugh’s men polished themselves as one of the finest willow-wielders against fast and swing bowling which helped them to conquer West Indies, South Africa, England and Pakistan.

Be it David Boon, Dean Jones, Steve Waugh or Matthew Hayden; none of them were worried about the movement or bounce off the pitch and applied appropriate technique and temperament at the crease to frustrate the likes of Wasim Akram, Curtly Ambrose, Allan Donald and Darren Gough.

The story is different with this Australian batting side consisting of Joe Burns, Adam Voges, David Warner, Shaun Marsh, Steve Smith or Usman Khawaja. Whenever the track offers enough for the swing bowlers, they fail to script the right sort of attitude to apply the ideal technique against swing bowling.

Philander and Abbott were brilliant with the new ball, but how good was the technique of Australian batsmen remains a moot question. Except, Steve Smith, none of them, tried to cover the swing with the horizontal bat nor did they keep the bat straight when the ball was coming back in.

Again, Philander and Abbott pitched the ball further up to gain enough swing, but the Australian batters never got to the pitch of the ball to reduce the deviation time of the ball and stop catching the edge. They never got behind the ball and executed shots with hard hands.

The end result was disastrous. A clueless Steve Smith witnessed his partners get dismissed in a shambolic manner from the other end. None of them could spend time at the crease and support Smith. They lacked the fighting spirit big time and even though Mitchell Starc gave the home team the important breakthroughs, it’s very tough to defend such a small total in the first innings.

The Australian batsmen lack self-belief to play shots with the right technique and the temperament against swing bowling. Such a nightmarish performance has not happened for the first time, and the Aussies haven’t learnt from their mistakes since 2010. David Warner or Steve Smith look graceful on batting wickets, but if the track offers a challenge, they find it tough to handle.

The Australian think tank needs to fix this problem and give more importance on selecting players who are courageous and technically sound enough to represent Australia in Test cricket.

Note: This article has been published at Sportskeeda on 12/11/2016 Another nightmarish experience for Australia against swing bowling

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

Brazil v Argentina, 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers - Brazil nail Argentina at Belo Horizonte

Brazil 3 Argentina 0. The sky above the stadium at Belo Horizonte was made to spark by the men in yellow shirts, who displayed the football for which the Brazilians and its billions of fans were waiting for a long, long time. The average fans were afraid of Messi and Aguero, but if they really understood Brazil football, they would not have lost faith in Tite who is the student of TeleSantana and a big follower of his philosophy. I never lost faith in Tite and I knew he will deliver the best and will transform Brazil into a spectacle.

What was Brazil at Belo Horizotne tonight? They were a spectacle – cared the ball like a man would care for his charming lady and delight her every moment. Brazil essayed delicacy on the pitch and mesmerized Messi’s Argentina so much that they looked like a puzzled unit. Brazil simple toyed with each and every Argentine player. Argentina were given the scare from the word go. Argentina were left clueless.

Neymar and Coutinho had been just world class. When you have these two up front, man, you don’t need to shout about creativity in the midfield. They are the players blessed with allround talents who can control the game from anywhere. Meanwhile, the flying wing backs were too pacey and skillful and cut the flanks like a sharp knife while the midfield was compact and at times moved up to join the attack.

What an exhibition of delightful football by Brazil! What a way to start the morning!

Tite’s Brazil is not afraid of anyone! 

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

Australia vs South Africa 2016: Tough challenges didn’t melt South Africa at Perth

Last year, South Africa landed in India as one of the best Test teams in the world. After winning the one-day series in a commendable fashion, the Proteas were expected to finish the Test series in style. They had the bowlers and batsmen to dominate against the home team, and above all, the charisma of AB de Villiers was always there to give the team an extra boost even on the spin friendly tracks.

However, as soon as the Test series commenced, the visitors were found wanting. A lingering groyne injury limited the participation of Dale Steyn in the Test series while the service of Vernon Philander was also missed due to an injury. The Proteas attack already lost it’s killer punch and then, the rank-turners simply devoured the best batting line-up in world cricket mercilessly. South Africa ended the tour in a shambolic manner as they failed to stay strong under pressure.

When England came to visit South Africa last December, Dale Steyn had hurt his shoulder midway through the series in Durban and had to be sidelined for the rest of the series. The outcome was not good for the home team as England won the series and shrugged off the frustrations of the defeat against Pakistan.

South Africa were left wondering about their terrible lean patch while Russell Domingo’s credibilities as a coach came under scrutiny. The team had yet again failed to regroup and rediscover their fighting spirit when the going got tough, and the inability to exhibit composure under difficult circumstances made them a soft target.

Another difficult situation

At Perth, in the first Test against Australia, David Warner and Shaun Marsh were scripting a jolly-bash against the South African bowling attack. The Proteas batting line-up minus AB de Villiers failed to weather the storm of the Australian pace attack and were bundled out cheaply. Warner and Marsh were rubbing salt in their wound by scripting an opening stand of 158.

Steyn succeeded in halting Warner’s hundred, but he could not bowl further in the match due to a shoulder injury. The situation was bemusing for the South African captain Faf du Plessis as he would have to rely on his three-man bowling attack and one of them playing in his first ever Test match.

The task for Kagiso Rabada, Vernon Philander and Keshav Maharaj was like climbing a mountain against the Australian batting line-up whose plan was to bat out the visitors in the first innings. The South Africans came under the same pressure, which has always proved to be their undoing and even a die hard Proteas fan must have given up the hopes of a bounce back when they witnessed Steyn leave the field with a sad face.

A turnaround

In such situations, a lot depends on the captain. The members of the team look up to their skipper in search for inspiration. At Perth, Faf was not down and dusted by the heat of the situation, but searched for wickets despite Australia’s strong position.

He utilised his limited options smartly and encouraged his bowlers to attack. Rabada and Philander bowled full and at pace with an attacking line. They made full use of the conditions which aided reverse swing and set jitters in the Australian batting line-up who collapsed from 158 for 0 to 244 all out.

Such an exhibition of character rekindled the fighting spirit within the team and worked as a tonic to gain authority over the home team who were well known for their fighting qualities.

JP Duminy and Dean Elgar scripted one of the inspiring partnerships ever played on Australian soil by a visiting team to build the platform for a historic win against all the odds. Both Duminy and Elgar smashed hundreds while Quinton De Kock and Philander added more agonies to the Australian cause who looked pale under the hot sun at Perth.

The WACA track was still better to bat on, and the opportunity was there for the Australian batters to hang on for a draw. But this South African team are like wounded Tigers and would not get satisfied with just a tight finish.

The 21-year old Rabada was a like a black panther and hunted for his prey. His inswing, outswing, yorker, late movement, length balls and utilisation of the cracks intelligently sunk Australia and made this Test match a part of South African cricket’s folklore.

Tough challenges didn’t melt South Africa at Perth. The lads from the rainbow nation maintained their composure better than the home team. Especially, Faf deserves a lot of credit for his attacking captaincy. In Test cricket, a defensive mindset never fetches better results, and Faf is well aware of this.

A great victory for South Africa and they are expected to get better and better from here in the upcoming Test matches.

Note: This article has been published at Sportskeeda on 08/11/2016 Australia vs South Africa 2016: Tough challenges didn’t melt South Africa at Perth

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

How important is the victory at Sharjah for West Indies

Shane Dowrich and Kraigg Brathwaite kept their calm and didn’t blow it away when it mattered the most. It is well known, how the Pakistani bowlers can change their colours in the twinkle of an eye to set jitters in the opposition batting line-up and snatch victories from the jaws of defeat. But on the final day of the third Test, no such hiccups took place as West Indies ended the tour with smiles on faces.

Pakistan handed West Indies a high dose of heavy defeats in the one-day series and little was expected from Jason Holder’s young team in the Test series. Critics and fans expected the same fate, but to the surprise of all, Holder’s young guns put up a spirited display throughout the Test series.

The West Indies could have gone on to win the series had they shown a bit more intent in the thrilling first Test at Dubai. Darren Bravo’s epic vigil almost gifted Pakistan a shocking defeat, but in the end, West Indies just failed to reach the shore safely.   

The way the West Indies regrouped despite losing the ODI series 3-0, indicates, there is still something left for West Indies in Test cricket.

The West Indian batting line-up in Test cricket has always been regarded as fragile, but in the Middle East, they exhibited the ideal temperament -  batted 100 overs in the fourth innings of the first and second Test and took all the three Test matches to the final day.

Batsmen like Kraigg Brathwaite, Dowrich, Jason Holder and Darren Bravo performed brilliantly and handled the might of Yasir Shah better than most of the touring sides in the Middle East.

Then the pace bowlers proved a point as well while a legspinner named Devendra Bishoo spun a web around the Pakistan batsmen and fetched 18 wickets in three Tests. His strike rate of 45 in this series is better than Yasir Shah’s.

Will this victory motivate the West Indies?

Well, yet another surprising victory, but whether this victory will motivate the West Indies or not remains a moot question. Because, in the past, there had been some surprising wins like this, but they always gave the impression of a false sunrise. 

The state of West Indies cricket never changed.

West Indies’ victory in the World Twenty20 triggered massive celebrations throughout the world. But such victories are like winning a battle rather than war. While the top teams in the world are more focused on winning the war, West Indies were seen to be too satisfied with just a victory in a battle. No matter how many limited-overs titles you win, at the end of the day, stamping authority in Test cricket matters the most.

The victory at Sharjah should act as a significant motivating factor and for which, the West Indies Cricket Board must act and plan sensibly.

First of all, they need to end the petty quarrels between the Board and players. Such things have given West Indies cricket nothing but shame and it will be tough for the Board to plan for a bright future if there is a lack of harmony between the Board and players.

Secondly, WICB should realize what made West Indies a force in the past. It had been the pace bowlers who took West Indies to the pinnacle of glory in the late 70s and 80s. They must think about preparing home tracks which aid Shannon Gabriel and Alzarri Joseph more. This will not only help to encourage the growth of pace bowlers but give West Indies the boost to fare well at home.

Moreover, one cannot deny how fast and bouncy tracks attracted a huge amount of spectators in the past, and the appeal of the speed merchants have not yet diminished in West Indies. Therefore, an appropriate branding of Test cricket is needed in West Indies. 

The empty stands during the India-West Indies Test series hinted how the popularity of Test cricket diminished in the Caribbean region! Once upon a time, a Test match in Antigua or Barbados was like a festival, and it only happened due to the ideal branding of the format. The passion about the best form of the game still exists in West Indies but the right plan to brand that passion is only absent.

World Cricket is in need of a strong West Indies in Test cricket. The sooner the West Indies players and authorities realize this, the better it would be for them and world cricket.

Note: This article was published at Sportskeeda on 06/11/2016 How important is the victory at Sharjah for West Indies

Thank You

Faisal Caesar