For the visiting Indians all is not well – they lost 2-0 in the Onedayers – while the 3rd one was washed out by rain after de Kock made the 3rd century ….. now in the 1stTest starting today…. It is time Indian batting line up and the team dishes out a different performance….. it is also time the highly-paid foreign coach makes some impact…… it is stated that Duncan Flethcer hardly interacts with anyone except his bosses and the players, and the players have always been full of praise for him without being able to articulate how exactly he helps………………. One praising the other and in turn getting praised may be part of Corporate strategy ~ but offers little in Cricketing arena.
Duncan Fletcher performed reasonably with the bat in his playing days, as the Englandcoach was ruthless, result-oriented- preferred pace, and didn't mind gamesmanship – in short ensured Englandwins….. now what is he doing after despicable eight straight away defeats in Tests ~ and providing no clue in building a team for the future…. Indian batting line up of Dhwan, Murali Vijay, Pujara, Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane and Dhoni lacks experience and looks brittle. Fletcher may not have any role in phasing out Gambhir, Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Ganguly, SAchin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman – but has done little in picking their replacements. Attending press conferences and talking can be done by anybody – even those with no field performance. It was claimed that Fletcher has knowledge of SA, its players, conditions and will provide great support……….really nothing could be point out as a value addition by having him as a support in the dressing room. He has a young side and their confidence has not been peppered the way Gary Kirsten did… A general supporters role is of creating a good environ, ensuring good practice facilities and doing liaison work ….. a Coach’s role is far different .. There is no point in endorsing achievement badges when India wins – one needs to analyze whether it is simply individual performance or any strategic move brought in thoughtfully by the exalted coach. It is just common knowledge that pitches in SA bouncy and SA cricket is synonymous with fast bowling… the just released book of Drew Forrest is on 100 years of SA fast bowlers titled ‘the pacemen’ – which has bowlers from Krom Hendricks to Dale Steyna – 32 of them. The book covers South Africa's quicks through the ages and across various divides, though some them never played test cricket. Of them Krom Hendricks was born more than 140 years ago in South Africa to a Dutch father and St Helenan mother, he never played a first-class match. It is stated that his cricketing claims were ignored, and he was rejected on the grounds of his color and religion. Now, today’s test is at Johannesburg, also known as Jozi, Joburg, Joni, eGoli or Joeys, the largest city in South Africa, by population., having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is a not situated on a river, lake, or coastline.[no Marine connection !]Johannesburg ~ Some History - Gandhi Connection as the 1st Test Starts
Posted on the 18 December 2013 by Sampathkumar Sampath
He is no stranger and in fact belonged the same party and succeeded Nelson Mandela… but was booed by his own country men… now comes the news that those who booed President Jacob Zuma at Nelson Mandela's memorial service will be identified, named and shamed, SA Communist Party secretary is quoted as saying. Speaking at an event to commemorate the life and times of Nelson Mandela in Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium, he said the party's Gauteng branch had been instructed to identify those who booed Zuma in front of the world's leaders.