‘It could be a nail-biter’ - Arthur

By Celeste Ganga
12 April 2008


According to reports from India, the much debated Kanpur pitch played better on Saturday’s second day of the final Future Cup Test against India than Proteas coach Mickey Arthur expected, but he still believes that a fourth innings target of 160 will be very taxing.

“I would feel very comfortable if we could set them a target of between 210 and 220,” Arthur commented on Saturday.

"We are only on day two and already it's playing like a fifth day pitch. By the fourth and fifth days it should be very difficult,” explains Arthur.

He adds that India are probably three or four percent ahead of the Proteas at the moment- home side’s current lead of 23 runs (288/9 in reply to 265 all out), “with the proviso that we finish them off very quickly in the morning. “

He adds that he isn’t fussed about a lead of 20 runs but the picture would change if they had a lead of 40 or 50. “The key to India was four successive 50 partnerships. In the context of the game both Laxman and Ganguly played outstanding innings”.

“Every run from now on is going to be critical and I believe we could be in for a nail-biter,” says Arthur.

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