India aim to break duck at historic St George’s Park

The St George’s Park ground is unique. Experts here consider it a throwback to the early 19th century. There is nothing corporate about it. The stands are old-fashioned, a long room is basically a glass enclosure within the stands, and the stadium has red-brick walls in Victorian style with newspapers from the early 1970s, when South Africa had just been banned from international cricket, adorning them.

The venue has historical significance -- it hosted South Africa’s first cricket Test (1889), first rugby Test (1891) and their first international baseball game (first half of 20th century).

India though will be focused on the present, aiming to seal the series after losing on Saturday. India though have lost all their five matches here, four to the hosts and one to Kenya in 2001.

Usually a wicket that doesn’t help score many runs, grass on the St George’s Park pitch points to the pace that can be expected. It may not stay that way when the match starts on Tuesday, but it shows the aim is to lay out a pitch with bounce and pace.

The home side needs to win the last two matches to draw the series, which India lead 3-1. South Africa would prefer a surface like Johannesburg , bouncy and a bit quick, though without much lateral movement.

In the 25 years of ODIs here, 300-plus scores have been achieved only five times in 39 matches. This decade, the milestone has been crossed just once, in 2011 when the hosts made 303 against Australia. Wanderers and Centurion have seen 300-plus scores 17 times, in 46 and 51 matches respectively.

In a way, it is like the other port city, Durban, which hasn’t been a batting paradise. However, Durban has become more batting friendly in limited-overs cricket of late.

If it is a typical wicket, batsmen will have a tough time. The Indian middle-order will have to be ready if the law of averages catch up with Kohli and Dhawan.

India have a forgettable link to Port Elizabeth as well. The second Test of 2001 descended into chaos after ICC Match Referee, the late Mike Denness, penalised five Indian fielders for excessive appealing – Virender Sehwag was banned for a game. It turned worse when Sachin Tendulkar was charged with ball-tampering (ICC later altered it to changing the condition of the ball without umpire’s permission.)

The ICC-BCCI stand-off saw the world body strip the next Test in Centurion of its official status. It took a while before the issue was settled.

IN 25 YEARS OF ODIS HERE, 300PLUS SCORES HAVE BEEN ACHIEVED ONLY FIVE TIMES IN 39 MATCHES. THIS DECADE, THE MILESTONE HAS BEEN CROSSED JUST ONCE.