It is here, in J.M. Coetzee's “city of beauty, of beauties”, that this series will be settled — a series that has so moved South Africa that talk on the picturesque waterfront, where the revellers welcomed the New Year, was of cricket.
Not all the time of course — the wood-floored wharf, the taverns, the bistros offer other distractions — but pretty much everyone knew that India and South Africa were locked one apiece heading to the deciding third Test. The question most asked: ‘Who will win?'
It's a difficult question to answer. Although the teams are even, their differing skills stacking up nearly levelly, they have at different stages looked outrageously superior to the other. Much of it has had to do with the conditions; some of it with fortune.
For the third time this series, it rained on the day before the Test. Table Mountain, at whose feet lies Newlands where the third Test will be played, couldn't be seen. It cleared, however, and the famed mountain's weather-scarred, tree-stubbled face turned distinct.
Despite the rain, the conditions here — unlike those at Centurion and at Durban, particularly on the first day — aren't expected to assist the quicker bowlers. The pitch at Newlands has traditionally been flatter and slower than the rest of South Africa, taking spin as it wears.
Tennis-ball bounce
The groundsman doesn't expect it to change, saying it will have, at best, “tennis-ball bounce”; the strip hasn't had as much sun as he would have liked, however.
In many ways, South Africa's best chance lies in backing its bowlers and challenging India's to take 20 wickets in less helpful conditions.
As M.S. Dhoni conceded, India's faster bowlers do better when there's bounce and movement whereas Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel, with their rapid velocity through the air, are better equipped to flog a non-responsive surface for its grudging gifts. (Steyn, of course, is a swing-bowler of high skill, but he can take wickets differently, while Morkel gets disconcerting bounce anywhere).
Besides, South Africa's batsmen, despite Smith's vehement denial, have been troubled by bounce and movement. Why play into India's hands, particularly seeing how toothless its bowling was in uncooperative conditions in Centurion when the sun came out?
India's bowling though is a different beast with Zaheer Khan directing it. They did splendidly to bowl South Africa out for 131 when the conditions while encouraging bounce and seam didn't bring the swing of the first day.
With neither deviation nor lift expected here, India's bowlers will, for a cutting edge, need to find swing, conventional if it's overcast or reverse if the pitch is abrasive (which they did in the second-innings in Durban).
Valuable weapon
The bumper is a valuable weapon where the bounce isn't true — expect Zaheer, a past master at it, to use the short-ball not just to exploit how it reacts off the surface but also to bruise one side of the ball's leather and make it ready for reverse-swing.
Ishant Sharma has progressed over the two Tests, gaining rhythm. Sreesanth's bowling on the fourth morning of the second Test, when he got Jacques Kallis with a rip-snorter, was his best in some time, a dramatic improvement from the first-innings, where he was poor despite producing one wicket-taking delivery, to A.B. de Villiers.
How they go here will be watched keenly, for both have shown a tendency to regress after seeming to advance. Harbhajan Singh's role will be vital. South Africa's batsmen went after him in a concerted ploy not to let him settle in the first Test.
With enhanced seam support, he posed a greater threat in the second Test. He also does better when the wicket contains bounce — he was very good at times in Kingsmead.
Here at Newlands, his variety and imagination will be tested: he will have to fulfil various roles, of attacking, of retreating tactically without giving up on taking wickets.
Out-cricket
India's out-cricket was markedly different in Durban. Never the most athletic ground-fielding side, it caught magnificently and showed better intent. The luck that is so essential for turnarounds was with it as well, in Alviro Petersen and Kallis' wickets in the first innings. India will again require all three.
With Gautam Gambhir expected to return at the top of the order, India will be at full strength. It will need every last bit of its resources, for a maiden series win in South Africa beckons.
Four years ago, India came to Cape Town in a similar position, 1-1, and despite starting well, stuttered, playing inexplicably defensive cricket to lose the series. India can't allow a repeat.
The sides (from): South Africa: Graeme Smith (capt.), Alviro Petersen, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, A.B. de Villiers, Ashwell Prince, J.P. Duminy, Mark Boucher (wk), Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Paul Harris, Wayne Parnell and Ryan McLaren.
India: M.S. Dhoni (capt. & wk), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, V.V.S. Laxman, Cheteshwar Pujara, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, Sreesanth, Pragyan Ojha, M. Vijay, Suresh Raina, Wriddhiman Saha, Umesh Yadav, and Jaidev Unadkat.
Umpires: Simon Taufel and Ian Gould. Third umpire: Brian Jerling. Match referee: Andy Pycroft.
Hours of play (IST): 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., 4.40 p.m. to 6.40 p.m., and 7 p.m. till close.
