Expressing satisfaction over a day’s job well done in Guwahati – constraining India by setting them their highest Test target at home and proceeding to dislodge the openers inside 10 overs – South Africa head coach Shukri Conrad overstepped into controversy, recalling an infamous cricketing reference.
Reviewing the day’s play in Guwahati, where South Africa stood 522 runs ahead and only eight wickets away from a series sweep, Conrad said the visitors had intended to make the Indian fielders “grovel” for as long as they possibly could before going out for the win.
“We wanted them (India) to really grovel, to steal a phrase,” Conrad said, referring to Greig’s controversial statement.
“Their bowlers spent a lot of time out there. We saw the effects of batting for two full days in the first innings and what sort of effect it had on them.”
It is unclear whether Conrad’s likely slip of the tongue during the press conference after the play on Day 4 can spur the Indian camp into a stunning turnaround for a draw on Wednesday.
But when the South African-born former England captain, Tony Grieg, gave a contentious preview to their home series against the West Indies less than 50 years ago, it redefined Caribbean cricket for nearly two decades that followed.
Before the five-match series in June 1976, the then-England captain, Greig, infamously said that he intended to make the dominant West Indies team “grovel” before his slower bowlers, led by off-spinner Brian Close.
Galvanised by the racial connotations from Grieg’s television interview, the Caribbean outfit proceeded to beat the hosts 3-0. The series also marked the arrival of West Indies legend Vivian Richards, who plundered 829 runs in seven innings, smashing a career-best 291 in the final match at the Oval in London.
Batting close to four-and-a-half hours, South Africa extended well past the highest successful Test chase in India to physically grind Rishabh Pant’s men out of the match.
India were bowled out for 201 in 83.5 overs in the first innings, courtesy of a six-wicket haul (6/48) from pacer Marco Jansen. “It was never going to be easy for the opening batters to come this evening, especially new ball, shadows across the wicket, we felt we could have struck there,” Conrad said, rounding up his assessment.
Conrad, however, strung his next words wisely and said that the reigning world champions would still need to put in the hard yards to knock over the remaining Indian wickets.
“So far so good, but we also know that they’re not just going to roll over. We’re going to have to be at our very best in the morning,” he said.
While questions were raised over the delayed declaration and the what-ifs of a draw, Conrad said his team stuck to its gut feeling.
“We’ve got to base it on our sound judgement, and if that doesn’t work out, well, it doesn’t. But I don’t think there’s right and wrong in any of this. Obviously, 2-0 is a lot better than 1-0.”
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