India had to make do with net sessions on a basketball court, upon whichgreen-coloured mats had been thrown. There were the usual catching andfielding drills too, though Munaf Patel missed out with a sore left ankle.
Dileep Premachandran in Cape Town24-Nov-2006
‘Munaf Patel was present [in the practice session] but didn’t bowl, though the problem is unlikely to affect his participation in Sunday’s game’ © Getty Images
Newlands is one of the game’s storied venues, having hosted its first Testback in 1888-89. South Africa’s last one-day outing here produced one oftheir most famous victories, with Makhaya Ntini taking 6 for 22 in a196-run thrashing of Australia. Ricky Ponting’s men didn’t have to waitlong for retribution though, with Stuart Clark taking 9 for 89 on debut asSouth Africa were routed inside three days on a pitch that stayed damp fortwo days.India were to have their first practice session at Newlands on Fridaymorning, but persistent drizzle and grey skies forced them to relocate tothe indoor nets at the University of Cape Town. The historic campus, wheresome of South Africa’s best writers like Andre Brink have taught and whereDuncan Fletcher coached the cricket team, played a prominent role in thestruggle against the injustices of apartheid, but politics and liberalvalues would be the last thing on these Indian minds after the hammeringin Durban.They had to make do with net sessions on a basketball court, upon whichgreen-coloured mats had been thrown. There were the usual catching andfielding drills too, though Munaf Patel missed out with a sore left ankle.He was present but didn’t bowl, though the problem is unlikely to affecthis participation in Sunday’s game, or even Saturday’s practice session.Virender Sehwag, who missed the Durban match, tapped the ball around byhimself later, wearing no gloves, and appeared in no visible discomfort.If he’s cleared to play on Sunday, it’ll be a massive boost for anembattled side.South Africa practised at Newlands in the afternoon, on a slightly dampoutfield and under leaden skies. The wind whistled through the emptystands, and the top of Table Mountain, which provides such a breathtakingbackdrop to the venue, was wreathed in mist. For India, Cape Town and PortElizabeth, with slower pitches when compared to the high veld, offer thebest chance of success. But to achieve it will be as difficult as walkingup Table Mountain.