ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 - Day 6: Preview & Prediction

Trivandrum: When South Africa and West Indies clash in a Group B clash on Day 6, the spotlight might well drift away from the players. The eternal chokers in world cricket cross swords with the unpredictable Carribean Kings in what should be the first real tough match to predict in the tournament. And for once the spotlight might not be as much on the players as it is on how the pitch performs.

The pitch at the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi has been under the scanner for the last year or so, ever since the December 2009 ODI between India and Sri Lanka was abandoned as a result of unfit pitch.

‘Unfit and a disgrace to the sport’, was how many sections of the media portrayed the track after that match, and since then the ICC has been keeping a close eye on the re-laying of the turf at the Kotla. While a few domestic games and T20s have been played at this venue, the results have been mixed.


With Hashim Amla proving himself as a class opener even in ODI cricket, and with AB de Villiers, Jacques Kallis, Graeme Smith and JP Duminy in imperious form, the Proteas have a quality batting line-up that will send shudders down the spines of the best bowling attacks in the world. Faf du Plessis, even though he only made his debut during the India series, has loads of experience under his belt in domestic cricket and Colin Ingram is an exciting prospect.

In the bowling department, Dale Steyn is the premier fast bowler in the world by a distance and is backed up well by Morne Morkel and Lonwabo Tsotsobe. And the crucial thing about this particular South African outfit is that for the first time, they have a few quality spinners in their ranks. Johan Botha the vice-captain and Robin Peterson have been around for a while and are handy spinners as well as decent bats lower down the order.

But the real dark horse could be Imran Tahir, the former Pakistan A player, who comes into this tournament for his adopted nation as a real unknown. It will be interesting to see how and when Tahir is employed by Smith and whether the legbreak bowler can make use of the opportunities thrown his way.

With this side, South Africa will once and for all look to dispel the chokers tag. With 11 players of this side making their Cup debut, the ghosts of the previous tournaments should not hang heavily on the exuberant new crop.

Coming to the Windies, Chris Gayle will hold most of their fortunes, even though the side led by Darren Sammy has other potential match-winners in their ranks. All-rounder Dwayne Bravo, with his experience of subcontinent conditions during his stint with the Mumbai Indians, will be a crucial figure. But also to watch out for will be his younger half-brother, Darren, a stylish left-hander, who has already drawn comparisons with Brian Lara, and happens to be his first cousin.

The Windies batting is packed with powerful hitters and Keiron Pollard is a name familiar to all IPL followers. This six-hitting machine will be part of a middle-order that will feature the two Bravos, Shivnaraine Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan and the captain Sammy. However, the injury-forced ouster of in-form opener Adrian Barath and first-choice keeper Carlton Baugh, will be a blow for the side and may force Chanderpaul to open the innings with Gayle.

The bowling is heavily reliant on pace with Kemar Raoch and Ravi Rampaul leading the attack backed up by medium-pacers Bravo and Sammy. It will be a close tussle between Suleimann Benn and Nikita Miller for the lone spinner slot.

The match can swing either way and a lot could depend on the toss. Dew might be a factor later on in the second innings but then under lights, the fast bowlers will find some swing with the new ball. So winning the toss might in many ways be a double-edged sword as the conditions can play havoc.

But overall, South Africa should be able to hold off the Windies but the volatile nature of Gayle, Pollard and co, makes them a deadly opposition. It just takes one of them to click and the momentum can soon swing in a matter of minutes.

Prediction: Proteas to win a close encounter.