<p>Grassy embankments compete with impeccably maintained seats in stands, exposing the fans to the harshness of nature -- a blazing sun, blustery winds and the occasional sharp spell of rain.<br /><br />Kingsmead possesses the reputation of having the quickest, bounciest playing surface in this country. The changing tides and their effect, real or imagined, on the conditions merely adds to the mystique.<br /><br />If India had arrived hoping to glean psychological points from South Africa losing their last two Tests here, they had to emphatically push those thoughts away after no more than a cursory glance at the pitch.<br /><br />It is debatable if the Indians have ever come across a track with as much grass this one sported until late on Friday afternoon. The grass might not do too much more than bind the top – there are cracks visible underneath. But the surface is so hard that it is difficult to see those cracks widening – but its very presence could instil seeds of doubt in the minds of a batting unit still struggling to come to grips with 136 all out in Centurion.<br /><br />The practice pitches just outside the main playing arena did have good pace and bounce but not quite the same coating of grass as the match pitch. India’s batsmen had long work-outs against their own pacers and a set of local hopefuls, but there was no one of the class of Dale Steyn or Morne Morkel to put them through the wringer.<br /><br />Heartening from an Indian bowling perspective was Zaheer Khan steaming in and subjecting the batsmen to a serious examination. India’s pace attack looked pedestrian and bereft of ideas in Centurion without Zaheer; if the experienced left-arm quick can fire on all cylinders and goad Ishant Sharma and the moody S Sreesanth to raise their levels, South Africa could yet have a fight on their hands. The Proteas have made their liking for pace and bounce all too obvious, Graeme Smith believing that those very South African attributes will assist them in plotting and executing India’s downfall. <br /><br />The perception that India’s batsmen don’t like smelling leather has gained ground in the last week, and there was no mistaking Smith’s desire for Kingsmead to re-embrace its historical character after the dryness of last year when English off-spinner Graeme Swann lured them to their doom.<br /><br />“I don’t think the Kingsmead wicket has been like it has normally been over the last couple of Test matches here,” Smith bemoaned. “It’s probably spun a bit more, it has taken a bit more reverse swing, got real flat over the middle period of the Test. I am hoping this one will have a bit more pace and bounce than we have been accustomed to here of late. That’s generally what Kingsmead has always had.<br /><br />“It has always had carry, has always been seen as the bounciest wicket in South Africa. Maybe it has lost that a little bit over the last period of time due to overuse or whatever, but it will be nice to see the wicket going back to what it was when I first started playing.”<br /><br />Curator Wilson Ngobese has tried his best to give the South Africans what they want, though the rains of the last week hampered his work temporarily. The last four days have been hot and dry and offered huge respite; the pitch has been baked by the blazing sun but subterranean moisture should remain intact, given that the ground is hemmed in by the Indian Ocean and the Umgeni river. <br /><br />South Africa have struggled of late in Boxing Day Tests, winning just once in the last seven years. “It’s a tough one to put a finger one,” Smith conceded as he looked for explanations. “We would like us to put in a couple of big days first up. India being 1-0 down, if we can keep creating a lot of pressure on them through getting our skills right, it will be tough for them” <br /><br />India were blown away here for 100 and 66 by Allan Donald in 1996 as Venkatesh Prasad’s ten-wicket match haul went in vain. Four years back, Makhaya Ntini sent them spiralling to a 174-run drubbing. For Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s men to escape an unwelcome hat-trick will necessitate the top-order to show the kind of nous and skills that has netted them such outstanding returns in international cricket.</p>
<p>Grassy embankments compete with impeccably maintained seats in stands, exposing the fans to the harshness of nature -- a blazing sun, blustery winds and the occasional sharp spell of rain.<br /><br />Kingsmead possesses the reputation of having the quickest, bounciest playing surface in this country. The changing tides and their effect, real or imagined, on the conditions merely adds to the mystique.<br /><br />If India had arrived hoping to glean psychological points from South Africa losing their last two Tests here, they had to emphatically push those thoughts away after no more than a cursory glance at the pitch.<br /><br />It is debatable if the Indians have ever come across a track with as much grass this one sported until late on Friday afternoon. The grass might not do too much more than bind the top – there are cracks visible underneath. But the surface is so hard that it is difficult to see those cracks widening – but its very presence could instil seeds of doubt in the minds of a batting unit still struggling to come to grips with 136 all out in Centurion.<br /><br />The practice pitches just outside the main playing arena did have good pace and bounce but not quite the same coating of grass as the match pitch. India’s batsmen had long work-outs against their own pacers and a set of local hopefuls, but there was no one of the class of Dale Steyn or Morne Morkel to put them through the wringer.<br /><br />Heartening from an Indian bowling perspective was Zaheer Khan steaming in and subjecting the batsmen to a serious examination. India’s pace attack looked pedestrian and bereft of ideas in Centurion without Zaheer; if the experienced left-arm quick can fire on all cylinders and goad Ishant Sharma and the moody S Sreesanth to raise their levels, South Africa could yet have a fight on their hands. The Proteas have made their liking for pace and bounce all too obvious, Graeme Smith believing that those very South African attributes will assist them in plotting and executing India’s downfall. <br /><br />The perception that India’s batsmen don’t like smelling leather has gained ground in the last week, and there was no mistaking Smith’s desire for Kingsmead to re-embrace its historical character after the dryness of last year when English off-spinner Graeme Swann lured them to their doom.<br /><br />“I don’t think the Kingsmead wicket has been like it has normally been over the last couple of Test matches here,” Smith bemoaned. “It’s probably spun a bit more, it has taken a bit more reverse swing, got real flat over the middle period of the Test. I am hoping this one will have a bit more pace and bounce than we have been accustomed to here of late. That’s generally what Kingsmead has always had.<br /><br />“It has always had carry, has always been seen as the bounciest wicket in South Africa. Maybe it has lost that a little bit over the last period of time due to overuse or whatever, but it will be nice to see the wicket going back to what it was when I first started playing.”<br /><br />Curator Wilson Ngobese has tried his best to give the South Africans what they want, though the rains of the last week hampered his work temporarily. The last four days have been hot and dry and offered huge respite; the pitch has been baked by the blazing sun but subterranean moisture should remain intact, given that the ground is hemmed in by the Indian Ocean and the Umgeni river. <br /><br />South Africa have struggled of late in Boxing Day Tests, winning just once in the last seven years. “It’s a tough one to put a finger one,” Smith conceded as he looked for explanations. “We would like us to put in a couple of big days first up. India being 1-0 down, if we can keep creating a lot of pressure on them through getting our skills right, it will be tough for them” <br /><br />India were blown away here for 100 and 66 by Allan Donald in 1996 as Venkatesh Prasad’s ten-wicket match haul went in vain. Four years back, Makhaya Ntini sent them spiralling to a 174-run drubbing. For Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s men to escape an unwelcome hat-trick will necessitate the top-order to show the kind of nous and skills that has netted them such outstanding returns in international cricket.</p>
