Kumble must provide more support

Rarely do you have even a remote chance to win Test matches when the opposition puts up more than half a grand in runs in their first innings. Fortunately, the first Test in Bloemfontein is developing into a rare batsman-dominated match that is evolving at such a rate -- match run rate 3.9 -- that an Indian victory seems a little way from the impossibility that the scores otherwise suggest it should be after three days.

For that to happen, though, the second innings support for Javagal Srinath would have to undergo serious improvement, or else South Africa will likely canter to whatever target is set. It could be argued that India are in no worse position at the end of day three than they were at stumps on day two, or are perhaps even better placed, and in that sense the bowlers did a reasonable job. But given the start India had to the third day, the rest of it was as equally uninspired as on day two.

With a day of bowling behind them, it had seemed that all India’s bowlers had largely corrected their faults. Whereas on day two there was an absence of pressure, with no two bowlers able to form an effective partnership for long and the batsmen allowed to easily rotate the strike, the opposite was true from the outset of the critical first session. It had to be, as a continuation of events from the previous day, when South Africa claimed all three sessions in an impressive top-order display, could have seen India batted out of the match.

The improvement in discipline was evident from the first over from Zaheer Khan, when he put six balls in the right place outside off. Trying to affect a breakthrough with the old ball, Khan was supported by Kumble and vice-versa, making a significant difference in the pressure applied to Kallis and a cautious Dippenaar. Gone were the singles borne of an inconsistent line, as each bowler was allowed to work at one batsman. It may not have resulted in the desired early wicket, but it set the pattern for the session and Ganguly got it just right.

It took half an hour for Dippenaar to score, a measure of the improved accuracy, and when Khan eventually began to lapse India were able to take the second new ball with confidence and not desperation, which was what the situation had previously been approaching.

India were rewarded for the improvement with Kallis’ wicket. Nehra, who also seemed to have benefited from some work, moved the ball just enough through the air to be threatening. Kallis's scalp from an induced edge was immensely valuable because, as the stats prove, he does not give it away. The first hour was a perfect example of the best way, without an explosive attack, to dislodge a quality batsman on a good wicket. With Srinath seaming the ball sharply in what was also his best spell, there was a sense that India could make further inroads with the new ball.

With an edge behind the wicket being a seam bowler’s most efficient method of dismissal, most right-handed handed batsmen aren’t used to the ball consistently seaming into them, which seems to be Srinath’s forte. With Dippenaar having just driven him through cover and undoubtedly expecting the ball to come into him, Srinath instead got one to hold its line and bowled him comprehensively. It was also evidence of just how he had been hitting the right length.

Good length from Srinath was in evidence again when Pollock was out immediately trying to force one that wasn’t full enough. Three wickets in the session, with South Africa passing India’s total with four wickets in hand, represented a fine and much-needed comeback.

It should have demonstrated the approach needed to remove the last four, but with Klusener at the crease, India relapsed into day two form. The intensity of the first session dissipated all too quickly, as did the scoreboard pressure, due largely to Lance Klusener. Though chancy against the seamers, Klusener batted with a sense of purpose that out-did India’s efforts in bowling to him. Klusener sensibly hit Kumble fairly straight and nudged the ball for runs square, as opposed to hitting across the line in the manner Kirsten perished.

The spread field for Khan and the worthwhile but still desperate move of introducing Sehwag was a concession that South Africa were again in full, accumulative command. India needed a frontline bowler to support Srinath’s effort and logically it should have been Kumble, who was back to being taken for easy singles. The damage may not have been inflicted against him on the scoreboard as rapidly as when Nehra or Khan were erratic, but given his role Kumble was just as ineffective.

Without inconsistent bounce to exploit, Kumble was too easy to milk for runs by batsmen without need to be wary, which appeared entirely due to lack of spin. Even for a leg-spinner reliant more on bounce and subtle variation, any amount of turn would have made him infinitely more dangerous.

Even on a good pitch, Kumble could have been expected to do more damage than 3/132 in a workload of 50 overs, of which only 12 were maidens. When he did eventually get Klusener caught and bowled, it was significant that the ball kicked up out of the rough.

In the absence of Harbhajan Singh, that kind of dismissal could make Kumble dangerous in the second innings. Certainly, he needs to step up in support of Srinath and either create pressure by becoming more restrictive or take wickets. At the moment, the slow death in ones and twos goes some way towards explaining his poor away record, and a second innings repeat would not give India a chance.

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