England vs India 2nd Test debate

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Sides

England:

1) Andrew Strauss (C)
2) Alistair Cook
3) Jonathan Trott
4) Kevin Pietersen
5) Ian Bell
6) Eoin Morgan
7) Matt Prior (WK)
8) Tim Bresnan
9) Stuart Broad
10) Graeme Swann
11) James Anderson

India:

1) Abhinav Makund
2) Rahul Dravid
3) Sachin Tendulkar
4) VVS Laxman
5) Yuvraj Singh
6) Suresh Raina
7) MS Dhoni (WK)
8) Harbhajan Singh
9) Praveen Kumar
10) Sreesanth
11) Ishant Sharma

we are just lucky that dravid dropped bell at slip

Sreesanth cant throw from deep!

If we could get to 250 then I'll be ecstatic with Bell/Bresnan/Broad/Swann/Jimmy

Did Strauss say we would have bowled first as well?

Just to stir the pot a little, Bopara is 151* for Essex against Leicestershire at the moment...

250 is 150 short of what india will post. they can't fail.

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:You cant expect to be in with a serious chance against any team if you dont make 200 regardless of conditions. Against a middle order like Indias England will be in trouble even if they get the swing and have posted 250.

Its not that bad a pitch, England have batted poorly.

I don't call it a bad pitch , PSW (But I am a bowler )

I call it a rather difficult pitch to bat on - nothing wrong with a few of them in Test Cricket , too many flat roads...

But I believe most teams would struggle to get 200 against a decent seam attack on this , in today's conditions. Still think England will fancy bowling on it later, even against India.

robbo277 wrote:Just to stir the pot a little, Bopara is 151* for Essex against Leicestershire at the moment...

Why Ravi, why?!

This is a great test pitch, its nice to see a bowler friendly pitch.

Bresnan gone.

117-7... Its all on Bell now

Great comment on cricinfo feed " Sreesanth would never get called for chucking, he cant throw to save his life" (in reference to his fielding)

What the hell is wrong with England today?

They had to bat in difficult overcast conditions during the 1st day at Lords and only lost a couple of wickets on the first day. Granted India's bowling attack has been better, but thats no excuse for this shambles!

England will be VERY lucky to make 200. Personally I reckon they'll be all out for under 180.

Unless our bowlers can wreak similar havoc on the Indian batsmen its "game over man, game over..."

Bresnan gone now! Good bowling again ...Sharma this time.

So now we either need a 200 partnership from Bell & Broad or a quick wrap-up and shoot the first 5 Indians out tonight...

...okay England will be all out for under 150...

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:Great comment on cricinfo feed " Sreesanth would never get called for chucking, he cant throw to save his life" (in reference to his fielding)

All over by tea on Sunday at this rate...

dummy_half wrote:All over by tea on Sunday at this rate...

May well be - but which way ?

Never judge a pitch until both teams have batted on it. But it is hardly sticking ones neck out to suggest it might be rather a low-scoring match...

alfie wrote:

dummy_half wrote:All over by tea on Sunday at this rate...

May well be - but which way ?

Never judge a pitch until both teams have batted on it. But it is hardly sticking ones neck out to suggest it might be rather a low-scoring match...

Under 200 is bobbins on any pitch of test standard. The conbditions will get better in this one.
You can colour me amazed if England bowl India out for 200 in the first innings, and its highly unlikley they will get there themselves.

India are firmly in the driving seat.

relying on the notts boys then

Oh dear what a tame end for Bell ! He'd worked so hard and then rather gave that one away reaching for a wide one...

So, no 200 partnership then...

Swann and Broad should hit anything hittable , try and rattle on another quick 40 or 50 and then see what damage England's bowlers can do tonight.

alfie

You noticed I was very non-committal. Seriously, if we can somehow scramble to 170, I think we're well in the match. However, with Bell just getting out I can't see it.

PSW : I won't deny India are in the driving seat. I just have a bit more faith in the ability of this England side to fight back from bad sessions - and bad days.

May well fail to bowl India out for 200 , and certainly look unlikely to get near that themselves. But that isn't the match is it? If India can be held to a modest lead the second innings could still turn things around.

Long way to go in my view , though I'm sure I'd get good odds in the betting tent if I were that way inclined

Alfie. True,.

But if people are talking about 200 as being a par score then they are dead wrong. Its a poor score. It doesnt spell instant doom, but it will leave them fighting to save the test and relying on the bowlers to really get at India both innings.
No question theyve fought back from tough situation befortre , but there does seem to be a wierd attitude that if England can get bowled out this easily then India somehow automaticaly will fold like a pancake too. It may happen, but Id be suprissed if they were as bad as this shambles.

Yes I did notice , dummy half ... And I reckon Strauss would kill for 170 right now.
But even 150 could serve if they can make big inroads into India tonight.

Yeah I know I'm an optimist ...

Anderson could always try and block them out for the next 4.5 days, he is the god of nightwatchmen after all.

all credit to the indian bowlers, but if we can make early inroads to the indian batting then game on

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:Alfie. True,.

But if people are talking about 200 as being a par score then they are dead wrong. Its a poor score. It doesnt spell instant doom, but it will leave them fighting to save the test and relying on the bowlers to really get at India both innings.
No question theyve fought back from tough situation befortre , but there does seem to be a wierd attitude that if England can get bowled out this easily then India somehow automaticaly will fold like a pancake too. It may happen, but Id be suprissed if they were as bad as this shambles.

Well I certainly wouldn't expect India to fold easily - players like Dravid and Tendulkar are legends and will take shifting. Not sure about some of their other bats on this type of pitch...

I do disagree with you a bit though about par scores etc : most of the batsmen have been genuinely beaten by good balls (Bell was a bit of a gimme, and arguably Strauss too) but just looking at the number of balls that have nearly taken wickets as well , even against in-form batsmen who have been in for a while , I reckon it is a very tough assignment today. Obviously 120 odd is well under , but I wouldn't understate the difficulty involved against some pretty handy bowling in that last session.

We could have a debate about modern players learning to grit it out on pitches that do a bit , of course

Here we go again then, this'll be an interesting session.

We need to get 50-60 more, then have a go at india tonight

I thinking of a two word phrase that rhymes with "clucking hell"

??? Plucking Bell ?

Yes Stuart!

Wow, just in from work where i have not seen the scores all day. Mouth wide open here

Anyone else itching for us to bowl? Gutted we lost the toss but want India in sooner rather than later, so we can join the wicket haul party.

Is it the Indian bowlers doing well or the English batsman having a mare?

Broad giving it a bit of a whack! Good tactics I reckon ...and fun to watch.

At least he's got the 150 on the board ... and changed the bowling!
Bet Harbhajan wasn't expecting to bowl again here...

eirebilly wrote:Is it the Indian bowlers doing well or the English batsman having a mare?

Conditions and wicket giving the batsmen a tough time. The bowling has been much improved though, to be fair. Can't wait to see what England will do.

You've missed the worst of it mate, I'm surprised we surpassed 120 but Broady and Swann are giving it some! If we can get 200-220 we'll be well in this.

eirebilly wrote:Is it the Indian bowlers doing well or the English batsman having a mare?

India have bowled (mostly) pretty well , Billy , especially in the second session. Couple of England batsmen might be viewing their dismissals ruefully but really only KP looked at all comfortable today.

Cheers Reign, so who won the toss? I imagine India and the sent England in if the conditions are so bowler friendly?

Cheers alfie, looks like i have missed alot today

Bit of a partnership starting , pity some of the earlier guys didn't have a dash in the afternoon session. At least this will put the bowlers in a good mood.

The pessimist in me says India will make around 350-400 in their 1st innings, with Tendulkar finally getting his 100th Test hundred.

eirebilly wrote:Cheers Reign, so who won the toss? I imagine India and the sent England in if the conditions are so bowler friendly?

Yep, India won the toss again. It was a shaky start like the Lord's test really but India took their chances this time on a livelier wicket.

Broad in danger of being England's top scorer here...

Yeah you've missed a lot of fun for the Indian seamers , Billy. An interesting couple of sessions , even some controversy and "dissent"...

Trebell has declared the game lost and gone off to stick his head in the oven

But your arrival seems to have sparked the Notts pair into a fightback...

All i can say is thank god i am not a selector as i would'nt have selected Broad for this series

Aahh alfie, what a test match be withou an extreme over reaction from trebbs lol

Gutsy performance from Broad and Swann, forcing India to go defensive with their fielding. Have conditions really changed that much, or are they just showing the right sort of mindset and going after the bowlers?

You and I both, Billy. Have to say I'm loving this final slog from these two. Could prove crucial.

I could'nt have imagined that Broad would do this well, so far this series, after his poor form of late. Its great to see

I would drop eoin morgan next game and give someone like hildreth or taylor a chance.

Bright batting! Very enjoyable watching Broad and Swann ...

Bit like their batting at Headingley in 2009 second innings - which was all too late and essentially pointless of course , but this time they are actually getting England up towards a possibly defendable total.

They are doing exactly what I suggested they should moments before tea (Sensible chaps ) but even more successfully than I'd hoped.

Signs of Dhoni being a bit rattled here ...

Wow - these 2 are going T20 and pushing England up to the 200 mark. Broad on course for a rapid-fire 50.

Why did we have to lose 8 wickets before we started playing?

Anyone else think that Dhoni is overrated. He cannot keep very well, he is not the best batsmen either.