South Africa coach Shukri Conrad said he wanted India to “grovel” during the second Test at Guwahati. Speaking to the media after day four, Conrad shed light on why the Proteas chose to bat on in the final session.
“We obviously looked at how best we were going to use the new ball, because in the morning we still wanted a newish, hardish ball,” Conrad said in the press conference, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. “What we felt is that when the shadows come across the wicket in the evening, there’s something in it for the quick bowlers, so we didn’t want to declare too early and not be able to use that.
“And then, obviously, we wanted the Indians to spend as much time on their feet out in the field, we wanted them to really grovel, to steal a phrase, bat them completely out the game, and then say to them ‘Come and survive on the last day and an hour this evening.’ So, so far so good, but we also know that they’re not just going to roll over, we’re going to have to be at our very best in the morning.”
Grovel meaning: Word in the spotlight again after nearly 50 years
According to the Oxford Language Dictionary, grovel means to “lie or crawl abjectly on the ground with one’s face downwards” or “act in an obsequious way in order to obtain someone’s forgiveness or favour.”
In a cricketing context, the world can mean to drive home an advantage and have no mercy on the opposition. However, the term has long had racial connotations too. Its meanings include submission and humiliation, and many believe it reinforces division and power.
This reared to its head in 1976. The late Tony Greig, captaining England at the time, used this word before their series against the West Indies.
“I’m not really sure they’re as good as everyone thinks,” Greig said on the BBC’s Sportsnight programme. “These guys, if they get on top they are magnificent cricketers. But if they’re down, they grovel, and I intend, with the help of Closey [Brian Close] and a few others, to make them grovel.”
West Indies captain Clive Lloyd spoke very passionately about it in the aftermath. Vivian Richards, on his first four of England, described it as a great motivator for the Windies team.
“The word ‘grovel’ is one guaranteed to raise the blood pressure of any black man,” said Lloyd. “The fact they were used by a white South African made it even worse. We were angry and West Indians everywhere were angry. We resolved to show him and everyone else that the days for grovelling were over.”
“Everyone was stunned,” Richards. “This was the greatest motivating speech the England captain could have given to any West Indian team.”
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South Africa need eight wickets to seal a 2-0 series win. India, 27/2 at stumps, need a very improbable 522.
