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[fineleg]

New Pitch in offering at Goa for 3rd ODI
A virgin square is in the offing for the third cricket one-dayer between India and England to be played in Margao at the Nehru Stadium on April 3.

The old square has been re-laid and groundsmen have been working on the wicket for the last two months.

The ground had been taken over by the Goa Cricket Association on January 9 and no National Football League matches have been held during this period at this venue, which is the home ground for four Goan NFL teams.

Meanwhile, the GCA has made elaborate security arrangements for the smooth conduct of the first ODI being held here since the April 6, 2001 encounter between India and Australia which was marred by the fake ticket scam.

Several genuine ticket holders could not enter the Stadium and were lathicharged by the police.

The association has taken all necessary precautions to prevent a repeat of the 2001 incident.

All entry points will be barricaded and CISF personnel will be posted to scan the tickets before the holders can enter the Stadium, according to GCA Secretary Chetan Desai.

The venue, however, does not hold happy memories for India who have lost all the matches they have played here, twice to Sri Lanka and once to Australia.

In general, new "virgin" pitch - Does that mean WIN TOSS and BOWL FIRST...becos untested pitch, may be better to bowl first to assess how it behaves? What suggestions WIN TOSS - do what? Any other pitch information or reports? Please post.

[justforkix]

In general, new "virgin" pitch - Does that mean WIN TOSS and BOWL FIRST...becos untested pitch, may be better to bowl first to assess how it behaves? What suggestions WIN TOSS - do what? Any other pitch information or reports? Please post.

Not exactly. The Faridabad pitch was also a newly laid pitch. Depends on what the pitch looks like. If it is bone dry, bat 1st and let our spinners loose in the afternoon. Otherwise, bowl 1st because our eugnsters play better if they know what the target is. They don't seem to be very good in setting targets.

On a sidenote, is the selection meeting at the end of the 3rd ODI ? If yes, then IMO, the 3rd ODI is the last lifeline for GG as far as WC2007 is concerned.

[fineleg]

In general, new "virgin" pitch - Does that mean WIN TOSS and BOWL FIRST...becos untested pitch, may be better to bowl first to assess how it behaves? What suggestions WIN TOSS - do what? Any other pitch information or reports? Please post.

Not exactly. The Faridabad pitch was also a newly laid pitch. Depends on what the pitch looks like. If it is bone dry, bat 1st and let our spinners loose in the afternoon. Otherwise, bowl 1st because our eugnsters play better if they know what the target is. They don't seem to be very good in setting targets.

On a sidenote, is the selection meeting at the end of the 3rd ODI ? If yes, then IMO, the 3rd ODI is the last lifeline for GG as far as WC2007 is concerned.

What if GG scores 30+...what is the criteria they are going to use? Above 30, Above 40, 50 is a must?
Not clear what criteria will be used by 5 WISE MEN to determine if GG is in for ODI#4-7

[sudzz]

It all depends on whether GG gives and GC takes...nothing else..of course and lets More Watch....         

[justforkix]

What if GG scores 30+...what is the criteria they are going to use? Above 30, Above 40, 50 is a must?
Not clear what criteria will be used by 5 WISE MEN to determine if GG is in for ODI#4-7

IMO, GG needs 50+ and not get out the way he has in the 4 innings to retain his place in the next 4 ODIs. But I have a feeling if GG is dropped it will be for SG, so that there is some stability in the top order (because of SG's experience). GG won't be dropped to include Vidyut, Jaffer or another opener. Becuase GG is looking good and then getting out. It is more of a temperament issue rather than a form issue. This is easier to correct. And it is upto the coach to do that.

[dhruvdeepak]

hows this for a disgusting title:

" 'More runs' likely in hot and humid Goa"
http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/indveng/content/current/story/243003.html

Already down 2-0 in the seven-match series, England need to turn the momentum around quickly, else the second half of the series could be reduced to a time for experiments and trying out new talent. India hold the whip at the moment, but they would do well to remember that one season back they were 2-0 up in an ODI series at home against Pakistan, and then went on to lose four in a row.

Though England lost at Delhi and Faridabad, they have by no means been outclassed - in both matches, they held the whip for significant portions, and could have been 2-0 up with better application and some luck. Paul Collingwood said as much in a chat with the media before the game: "We are not down and out yet. There were passages of play when we dominated during the series. Really, we have got to transform that into a win in the game on Monday," he said. "I think it is probably the mental side of it rather than anything else. We have got the skills and personnel. We have to take that a little bit further and elevate it."

Despite the results, India's performance, especially their batting, has hardly been convincing - at Delhi they lost their top five for 80, while they slumped from 61 without loss to 92 for 5 at Faridabad. Rahul Dravid, though, sought to play down the batting concerns, and instead chose to concentrate on the superb comeback in the second match. "The top order performed well against Sri Lanka, South Africa and Pakistan. Overall I am happy with the batting in the one-dayers," Dravid emphasised. "I agree there could have been a few more runs from the top order especially in the last two games where we could have done better. "[But] the last game was won by two batsmen [Suresh Raina, who made an unbeaten 81 and Mahendra Dhoni, who made 38]."

A major concern has been the form of Virender Sehwag, who has only managed three fifties from his last 30 ODIs. However, Dravid indicated that the think-tank would keep their faith in the Sehwag-Gautam Gambhir duo at the top of the order. "We have got good starts though we would have liked them to have carried on. But this is a seven-match series and hopefully they would do so in the remaining games."

The pitches at both Delhi and Faridabad made run-scoring a difficult proposition, but Dravid indicated that batsmen will have more reason to look forward to the one at Goa. "It looks a good cricket wicket. It looks firm. It seems to be a better wicket than the one in the last game. I can't say what will be a good score on this wicket but it probably looks to be a 250-plus score wicket."

What won't please either side, especially England, is the hot and humid conditions at Goa. "It is a big challenge, the humidity, for both batsmen and bowlers," Dravid said. "We need to make sure we stay hydrated." Collingwood echoed those sentiments: "The key is the humidity. It is very hot and I think it is going to be a cauldron out there. We have to be careful about dehydration. We have played in Sri Lanka which is close to these conditions. We have experienced this before and it should not be an issue."

The heartening news for India is that Munaf Patel has recovered from a bruised heel and is available for selection. India might opt to play him in place of Sreesanth, who has gone for 79 in 11.5 overs in the first two games.