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

Sreesanth is bowling brilliantly here

Bell with a lovely shot down the ground for 4

I could watch Bell play all day

Gregers wrote:I could watch Bell play all day

Hopefully we will

KP's the big wicket now, if India manage to get him and Bell soon, the pressure will be very much on England. But they are just one good partnership away from evening out things and then gaining an advantage, anything above 200 will be very, very dificult in the last innings.

Bell is the key wicket.

KP will get out stupidly anyway...

Where's trebell today? I sometimes find his ultra-negative comments infuriating, but I miss them punctuating the discussion!

Strauss gone, game gone. 1-1 and India have all the momentum.

I'm gonna say absolutely nothing about Bell or KP...merely watch, wait and hope...

Gregers wrote:Bell is the key wicket.

KP will get out stupidly anyway...

I just hope KP would gift his wicket away. Because if he gets going, India will have a real tough time in the 4th innings!.

robbo277 wrote:Where's trebell today? I sometimes find his ultra-negative comments infuriating, but I miss them punctuating the discussion!

Strauss gone, game gone. 1-1 and India have all the momentum.

As myself and eirebilly explained to Fists of Fury, trebs does it in the hope of generating "reverse mockers"...hence the ludicrous negativity

Well India will have to bat again...

dyrewolfe wrote:

robbo277 wrote:Where's trebell today? I sometimes find his ultra-negative comments infuriating, but I miss them punctuating the discussion!

Strauss gone, game gone. 1-1 and India have all the momentum.

As myself and eirebilly explained to Fists of Fury, trebs does it in the hope of generating "reverse mockers"...hence the ludicrous negativity

I read that yesterday, and it does put what he says into context, but it can be infuriating when you're trying to remain positive at 124-8!

Now England can go on and build a lead, the deficit has been cleared. Bell looks in decent touch out there. He has had problems batting at 3, will today be the day when he turn things around?

50 up for Bell

50 for Bell in pretty quick time as well

Pietersen has no real technical issue vs Left-arm spin, but cricket is 90 % played in the mind, and can KP hold his own against Yuvraj? These 2 have a bit of a history don't they?
anyways good move from Dhoni, bringing Yuvraj on before Harbhajan.

Essentially 17-2 now, Bell in good nick, could do alright today. Our openers keep handing the momentum to the Indian bowlers, need Bell and KP to steady the ship.

Only 257 runs from probable victory!

Afternoon lads, hows the cricket been?

EnglishReign wrote:Essentially 17-2 now, Bell in good nick, could do alright today. Our openers keep handing the momentum to the Indian bowlers, need Bell and KP to steady the ship.

Could be 17-3 missing Trott though. Hopefully Bell and KP can go on and make scores, then Morgan, Prior and the tail chip in with some quick runs and let Trott rest up.

eirebilly wrote:Afternoon lads, hows the cricket been?

Afternoon Eire still even ,Bells playing well and KP's settling in.

Bell having a real go here. Not often we see KP taking the back seat in a partnership

About to head off to watch the GP.

Looking good so far. Keep it going Bell and KP.

In the ast 5 overs, only one ball troubled the batsman, and on that occasion the edge from Bell didn't carry to the fielder.
England are going along nicely, in the best of batting conditions available. Bell's playing a potentialy match winning hand here.

What a chance for Belly to get a big score here. Plenty of time left in the match and he is timing the ball well

High class innings from Bell so far. Don't want to say too much, just keep it going, chaps.

I know that Harbhajan Singh is a bit of a legend in India but is he really worth his spot in this team?

eirebilly wrote:I know that Harbhajan Singh is a bit of a legend in India but is he really worth his spot in this team?

No!, No!, NoNoNoNo!.
But the team management doesn't seem to think so. If ever Harbhajan is to vindicate them, now is the time.

If these two can keep this partnership going for another 100 runs then England will start to have the advantage. Right now, India are still favourites in my eyes

At the moment, the only thing Harbhajan has managed is to go for over 6 pir over.

When was the last time Harbhajan Singh had a true match winning performance msp3?

Starting to get a bit worried about KP here

its in these kinds of situations does India mis Zaheer Khan. The wicket has almost flatend out, there neither swing nor seam movement available in plenty. No extra carry either. 2 batters well set, and you need some magic from the bowler. Only Zaheer is capable of producing that, and lifting the entire team with him, even the usually lackluster Harbhajan Singh.
Sharma and Sreesanth can be pretty ok whtn the track does something, but otherwise, serious problems of lack of penetration for India.

Khan's absence is a huge loss for India

Why are you worried about KP? He has played very well and very correctly.

Englands session that one. Its amazing that this is all down to individual performances from Broad, a man that i honestly would'nt have picked for this series. I say again, thank god i am not a selector

eirebilly wrote:When was the last time Harbhajan Singh had a true match winning performance msp3?

more than a year ago, at the Edan Gardens, against South Africa. His next significant contribution with the ball came in January this year, again against SA, where he almost won the match for India, finally Jacques Kallis saved the match for India, with Harbhajan going back to his usual defensive ways by the end, even after ripping out the SA top order, all by himself. His last consistent performance in a series was way back in NZ more than 2 and a half years ago.

England's session, well and truly!.
also valuable time for Jonathan Trott!.

After seeing the video of Trott trying to bat in the nets this morning, I'd be very surprised if he batted at all.

Fists of Fury wrote:Why are you worried about KP? He has played very well and very correctly.

Because i didnt feel that KP looked that comfortable at the time. He was trying to be positive which generally points towards frustration and him loosing his wicket.

Trott wont bat unless absolutely necessary and even then it will be to hold one end as he doesnt have any power in his shoulder.

Amazing how Broad has gone from the man we should drop to the next Ian Botham in two weeks. Great performance.

Fists of Fury wrote:After seeing the video of Trott trying to bat in the nets this morning, I'd be very surprised if he batted at all.

He should try if the situation requires him out there. Is there a way they can dull his shoulder pain without dulling Trotty's brain.

I suppose it all depends on the risk of it causing him further long term injury - if there is such a risk, then you can be sure that they won't allow him to bat.

I am already having visions of Trott putting in a heroic performance with his injury, ambling his way to 20 hard fought runs at the end of our innings that could make all the difference...or am I just too much of a romantic?

These two have to really focus after lunch, they've got to get settled again. We need them to put on a big partnership, at least another 100 runs, or the pressure will be on an-already-under-pressure Morgan.

If I were Dhoni I would open the afternoon with Sharma and Sreesanth. If Sharma keeps spraying it around though I'd quickly bring on Kumar. He needs a wicket quickly, because the run-rate will be worrying him.

Fists of Fury wrote:I suppose it all depends on the risk of it causing him further long term injury - if there is such a risk, then you can be sure that they won't allow him to bat.

I am already having visions of Trott putting in a heroic performance with his injury, ambling his way to 20 hard fought runs at the end of our innings that could make all the difference...or am I just too much of a romantic?

I'm trying to visualise him as a modern Colin Cowdrey striding out heroically covered in bandages but it seems to go pear shaped from then on ..........

Well let's remember Freddie's injured shoulder at Egdbaston '05. Remarkable innings from a remarkable player.

That was one of the great innings, given the circumstances - can't imagine Trott clubbing them into the pavilion with one arm though, somehow!

Fists of Fury wrote:That was one of the great innings, given the circumstances - can't imagine Trott clubbing them into the pavilion with one arm though, somehow!

Couldn't imagine Trott clubbing them into the pavilion with 3 arms...

I hope that these to stay together for a while, there is still loads of time left in this match