D & L method - Fundas for 3rd ODI @ Madras

With Clouds all around Madras and rain round the corner, Rahul needs to brush up his D& L method fundas. Not that, Madras is a place, where once it starts raining, it does stop. You do not see the typical English stop-start rain here. Either it is steaming hot for 11 months or it pours for a month. But all the same, with more rain forecast for South TN, one might get a small spell of drizzle that might take an hour or two from the game. But, I am afraid that once it starts, the outfield at MAC, Chepauk can not take it anymore since it has been pouring there all month. At one point, the outfield had the same look as nearby Koovam. The general word around Bells road and Pycrofts road, 'tickets are available in black and that too at discounts'. The local Chennaivasis know their weather. MAC is getting a ODI after a long time and it is sad that rain is going to be a major dampener here.

Going back to Bangalore ODI : It is easy to say that I predicted most of the happenings, the chief among them being the SA weakness of playing spin. Having said that, you do not have to be a Nostradamus to predict that. It was quite obvious from the word go but everyone including the curator, who promised a 300 wicket was taken aback. But, more than the pitch, I will blame SA. Aswell Prince did not have a clue and the tall duo Kemp & Pollack defended for too long. They could have easily got 240 in this pitch, which by the way would have stretched India but they would have still won. A couple of other points :

• I have been shouting like a parrot about the run outs. Here too, a couple happened and in a more tighter chase, that would have spelt doom. Pathan’s calling and his response to his partner’s calls will create havoc against top fielding sides. If at all there is one area, he has to improve, it certainly is the ability to judge the singles; otherwise, he will become like an Inzamam in the making, even with his speedier legs. He is just a mess when a real good fielder is able to get it back. Coming at No.3, this can make or break an inning easily..
• I am neither convinced by Sachin’s form nor by Viru’s 77 n.o. Most of his runs came against innocuous SA spin duo and Pollack did not bowl to him.
• The first 3 SA wickets were gifted to deliveries that were not wicket taking International class ones but at any given game, a couple like this is always going to be there.
• Why is no one talking about the comical glares and laughs of Nel ?. It looks so out of place. What is Jeff Crowe doing? He promptly fined Bhajji at Hyd but how about the unsporting behavior or lack of that from Nel. Everytime, he is hit - his look says - as though ' who are you to hit me'. Gambhir and Pathan did the right thing by answering back with the bat and mouth. Well !! I hope that Sachin wakes up from his slumber and cleans him for something like 5 4s in an over. That should shut that giggle forever and he dare not repeat his antics with seniors like Sachin.
  

I guess, the Madras pitch should be similar to that of Bangalore. With so much rain, there should have been hardly any chance for Parthasarthy and gang to prepare a fully rolled, hard wicket. I just hope that the rains stay away.