SoS from S038;S

Out-of-form Sehwag and Smith have a sinking feeling before final game

If you could, for a moment, forget that India have nothing left to play for but pride at the Centurion tomorrow, you may be interested in this fascinating story that has been unfolding beyond the boundary rope.

For the first time in this series, South African coach Mickey Arthur was spotted at nets today spending extra time with his skipper Graeme Smith, tuning his batting skills. An hour later, there was Team India coach Greg Chappell working the bowling machine for his skipper Virender Sehwag.

Smith and Sehwag, two batting styles, two personalities, two teams, but now under the same pressure 8212; to come up with that big one tomorrow.

After scoring 1, 0 and 0 in this series, Smith is now poised on the edge, quite like Sehwag. The South Africans have bought in the other left-hander Ashwell Prince, who led the side in Smith8217;s absence for the Sri Lanka series 8211; possibly as the next one-day captain in case the 25-year-old fails again.

Sehwag, of course, is already on the edge with scores of 0 and 18 8211; the 27-year-old8217;s Test vice-captaincy has been handed over to VVS Laxman. The Indian management wants Sehwag to show more focus and play tighter, the South African coach Mickey Stewart today admitted to this paper that Smith does have a few technical problems to sort out, too. 8220;His head has to be still, he is also falling forward,8221; said Stewart.

There8217;s also talk of Smith being asked to take a personal break after this series, and before the Tests, to 8220;clear his head8221;. Especially, after the mid-field spat with convenor of selectors Haroon Lorgat over the final XI a few minutes before the Cape Town one-dayer. On the other side, Sehwag has been told to work on his 8220;attitude8221;, off the field, with that u-turn on batting down the order two months ago still fresh in many minds.

Yet, both coaches are desperately hoping that the two will fire in the final one-dayer of the series tomorrow. They believe that the two are proven match-winners, they don8217;t want to lose that crucial push at the top. Going into the day game, though, it8217;s Sehwag who has a slight edge over Smith. He8217;s just got a win behind him, and the bat had begun to boom again in the Twenty20 match yesterday, including that trademark six over third man, before he was run out for a 29-ball 34. Smith, however, has got just one convincing stroke to back him 8212; a lofted ondrive 8212; in a 21-ball 16.

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8220;I was confident in the last game too but unluckily, the ball went straight to the fielder. I have now got some confidence in my batting and I8217;ve been working hard in the nets,8221; said Sehwag.

Smith, meanwhile, continues to deny that he has a technical problem, shrugs off the fact that he8217;s now turned into Zaheer Khan8217;s bunny 8211; he walked before the finger came up on the lbw appeal yesterday 8211; and saw no reason why his team should read much into the Twenty20 result when his side was without six key players.

Sehwag, of course, would have none of it. 8220;We played against South Africa, it doesn8217;t matter who8217;s playing and who wasn8217;t,8221; he said. Instead, he prefers to look back on the last time India played here in the 2003 World Cup, when he and Sachin Tendulkar ripped into Shoaib Akhtar and Co to set up that famous win. 8220;What was good was that we put on 50 runs in the first five overs and that gave us confidence for the rest. We8217;ve also beaten South Africa here when we came in 2001. So maybe this is a lucky ground for us, let8217;s see what happens,8221; he said.

Tomorrow then, get ready for Smith vs Sehwag at the green, windswept SuperSport Park. Or is it Smith and Sehwag vs the rest?

Live on ESPN; 1.30 pm