A down-and-out Indian team will head into the final day of the second Test against South Africa needing 522 runs for victory with just eight wickets in hand to try a salvage the series. But in case they needed motivation to fight with their backs firmly against the wall, they might hear South Africa coach Shukri Conrad’s words after stumps on the fourth day.
When asked why the Proteas had opted to bat for so long rather than declaring, Conrad said: “We wanted the Indians to spend as much time on their feet out in the field, we wanted them to really grovel, to steer afraid, bat them completely out the gate, and then say to them : survive on the last day and an hour this evening.”
The word “grovel” has a place in cricket infamy, with England’s Tony Grieg using it before a series against West Indies in 1976. The use of that word–Grieg had said that he wanted to make the West Indies grovel–had incensed the West Indies so much that they thumped England in England by 3-0 in a five-match Test series.
Here’s the full explanation that Conrad gave for why the South African side batted on for so long on Tuesday:
“Yeah, a few factors. We obviously looked at how best we were going to use the view ball, so that we don’t, in the morning we still want a newish, hardish ball because also what we felt is that when the shadows come across the wicket in the evening, there’s something in it for the quick bowlers. So we didn’t want to declare too early and not be able to use that,” Conrad said.
“And then obviously we wanted the Indians to spend as much time on their feet out in the field, we wanted them to really grovel, to steer afraid, bat them completely out the gate, and then say to their well-cupped, survive on the last day and an hour this evening. So, so far so good, but we also know that they’re not just going to roll over, we’re going to have to be at our very best in the morning,” he added.
‘We wanted India to really grovel’: South Africa coach Shukri Conrad on why they batted so long on Day 4 of Guwahati Test | Cricket News
A down-and-out Indian team will head into the final day of the second Test against South Africa needing 522 runs for victory with just eight wickets in hand to try a salvage the series. But in case they needed motivation to fight with their backs firmly against the wall, they might hear South Africa coach Shukri Conrad’s words after stumps on the fourth day.
When asked why the Proteas had opted to bat for so long rather than declaring, Conrad said: “We wanted the Indians to spend as much time on their feet out in the field, we wanted them to really grovel, to steer afraid, bat them completely out the gate, and then say to them : survive on the last day and an hour this evening.”
The word “grovel” has a place in cricket infamy, with England’s Tony Grieg using it before a series against West Indies in 1976. The use of that word–Grieg had said that he wanted to make the West Indies grovel–had incensed the West Indies so much that they thumped England in England by 3-0 in a five-match Test series.
Here’s the full explanation that Conrad gave for why the South African side batted on for so long on Tuesday:
“Yeah, a few factors. We obviously looked at how best we were going to use the view ball, so that we don’t, in the morning we still want a newish, hardish ball because also what we felt is that when the shadows come across the wicket in the evening, there’s something in it for the quick bowlers. So we didn’t want to declare too early and not be able to use that,” Conrad said.
“And then obviously we wanted the Indians to spend as much time on their feet out in the field, we wanted them to really grovel, to steer afraid, bat them completely out the gate, and then say to their well-cupped, survive on the last day and an hour this evening. So, so far so good, but we also know that they’re not just going to roll over, we’re going to have to be at our very best in the morning,” he added.
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