Day One at the Basin :- The Waiting Game
0Well that was frustrating. Like some US teen comedy where pubescent boy goes round for a date, arrives late, gets made to watch Twilight, and then the parents come home early.
This was really frustrating. The weather was probably at its best in the late morning but this was the main action we got to see.
The Governor General arrived at the match at 10 and confidently predicted a 2pm start. And, look at that, he was right.
Understanding the finer mechanics of how long it takes to prepare a cricket ground is clearly a Vice regal necessity. Because he was spot on.
So, in the meantime there was the sight of a certain SKY commentator strutting around in a full-length coat, watching overdressed Radio Sport commentators, and the super-sucker.
By the way, the Super sucker is pretty impressive.
Meanwhile the new practice facilities were going through their paces.
Play finally got underway at 2pm.
New Zealand won the toss and elected to bowl. Despite what was to follow, that was the obvious choice.
Early success with Smith going; although there were questions over the decision. Smith’s an experienced batsman; it took him a second to appeal that.
But following that the home side bowled so short and wide it was hard to know exactly how much there was on the moist first day pitch.
And, in the 23rd over we saw Dean Brownlie brought on. Downwind too. And from the other end we got Vettori with an obvious brief of keeping the scoring rate down.
Following tea, the mutterings in the Press Box (otherwise appearing as a library) was that New Zealand bowlers had bowled too short. Next minute, Gillespie sucked Amla into a stupid hook and suddenly South Africa were two down, and both bowlers were touching Duminy up.
Look at this; a bowling side with the backs up.
But the skied hooks fell into space, and South Africa ended the day, prematurely, at 136 / 2. It wasn’t that dark but it’s a batsman’s game these days
At the end of the day, a learned colleague pointed out that the debate over whether Vettori still justifies his place in the team can’t be that far away.