England vs India 2nd Test debate

First topic message reminder :

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

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?

Perhaps you are a romantic, fists , but what is wrong with that ? Some great memories of heroic "injured batsman" performances in Tests - Cowdrey in '63 , and remember McCosker coming out for Australia with his jaw all wired up in the second innings of the Centenary Test after Bob Willis re-arranged his face? Tough in those days - Bob bounced him immediately

Haha, exactly how it should be! 'go hard or go home', as they say!

Great straight drive for 4 from KP a few moments ago.

Oh where's my manners ? Good afternoon all.

Really has been England's day so far - Bell has played beautifully.

But this is the session in which everything has usually gone pear-shaped for England so I'm keeping fingers crossed.

After 2 sensational up and down days I'm sure drama isn't far away ...

Afternoon alfie, defo Englands day so far

Great 100 partnerhip

KP seems to be getting into his groove...nice pull for 4 , hundred partnership up and Bell is still outscoring him but he's chasing hard now ...don't think he's comfortable in the "slow and solid" part of the double act

4 more to finish the over

Indeed, Billy - looking good at present. But I'm sure trebs would counsel caution...has he really left do you think? I do hope he has another change of heart.

He'll be back. Nobody that pessimistic can stay away fr
Infecting others with it for too long ;-)

The lead is over 100 now :-).

I think that he has really left alfie, going to miss him. I think that he got frustrated with the people that didnt understand his special brand of posting.

Nice 50 from KP in the end

Pietersen gets to 50, Bell is on 98, the lead is at 112. Match is still poised and one wicket could bring 2 or 3 and India right back into the game, but it's been really good from these two today.

And a good 50 for KP

Bell to 98 with a lovely drive ...

2 down to fine leg, Bell's first hundred at number 3. Well played. His missus is all right too...

Very good half century, with a noticeable shift up through the gears in this afternoon session.

If bell makes his ton it'll be one of the classiest seen on English soil. Fantastic batting.

Well done Belly 100

...and a superb 100 for Ian Bell

Really well played ...number three again for the next match if Trott doesn't recover?

Excellent Ian. Hats off to you, sir. And a villa fan too, top bloke!

Agreed on the comment about his missus, well worth one!

Excellent stuff from these two, really wrestling the game back to Englands favor

Botham talking about the "lovely little cafes" in Amsterdam. Whatever could he be referring to?

200 up for England, great stuff

Hahaha, brilliant wasn't it. Does make me laugh, Sir Beef!

"I'd head out on the Monday for a game the following Saturday - need to get over the jet lag don't you!"

Misfield by Sreesanth gifts Pietersen 4, partnership up to 151 and the lead up to 141. India look lacklustre in the field, heads down and shoulders slumped. Drinks.

Remarkable change has come over this game. Batting looked generally difficult - sometimes very difficult - for 2 days and we were considering whether England could set India 180 to 220 and might that be enough... 3 day Test was assumed.

Looking like they'll want a lot bigger lead the way conditions have eased today.

So we still have a close and unpredictable match , just with more runs in it

Simply excellent stuff here. Bell and KP are in total control.

Fists of Fury wrote:Excellent Ian. Hats off to you, sir. And a villa fan too, top bloke!

Agreed on the comment about his missus, well worth one!

Yes he's done well for an undersized gingernut ...punching above his weight I reckon

KP losing his rag with one of the stewards around the sight-screen. Hopefully he doesn't do anything silly now.

The run rate from these two is brilliant as well.

KP gone. Shame, but a very good innings nevertheless.

Morgan time now, needs some runs.

KP gone ! Sreesanth happy to say the least ...

India really needed that , their fielding had grown pretty ragged.

Suppose it couldn't last forever but I was really enjoying that partnership

Now come on Mogs ...

KP gone, caught of Sreesanth - he should have been on straight after lunch.

Hopefully Morgan can deliver here. No hurry, just get in and then cash in!

Massive for Mogs to put in a performance here today. Well played KP though, he did his part with Bell to bring England into a good position.

Good by Dhoni, bringing on a front-liner with the new batsmen in there.

Watched the F1, great grand prix.

Switched back and Kp proves why he isn't as great a people make out. Bell showing his class tho.

Any news on trott?

Gregers, please talk some sense man. kP played fantastically well, and there is no shame in a 60-something score.

If you had watched the real sport, as opposed to that F1 borefest, then you might have known this for yourself.

You aren't a KP fan are you Gregers ?

Look it was a careless dismissal but he's done a fine job for England today despite struggling when he came in ...I'm not going to be too critical. If the rest of the bats play as well they'll post a winning score and that partnership will have been the key.

Athers was explaining it earlier, he has a sprained AC joint. Holding summed it up perfectly though, saying he had a sore shoulder!

Trott will only come in if necessary, and even if he does he probably won't be that effective. He probably will be okay for the third test though.

Oh nice one!.

Bell doing the biz very nicely. Congrats on a crucial ton for the Ginger Ninja.

Good contribution from KP too.

England nudging towards a lead of 200. Another 100 should be enough to put India back in.

I see Michael Vaughan has voiced my thoughts , that this is Bell's best innings for England.
He has perhaps had a couple (in SA for instance) which were tougher (situation, bowling) or against Australia , and he has made some bigger hundreds - well still bigger at the moment - but this is technically near perfect.

dyrewolfe wrote:Oh nice one!.

Bell doing the biz very nicely. Congrats on a crucial ton for the Ginger Ninja.

Good contribution from KP too.

England nudging towards a lead of 200. Another 100 should be enough to put India back in

Pitch seems to have really flattened out , wolfe

300 might be enough but I'd be looking for as many as they can get - plenty of time left in the match.

Was a good knock by KP in the end but at the beginning of his innings he looked a little shakey.

Mogs needs a big score here i think, i still remain split over his test credentials

Its just not the same here without Trebbs.

What's all this? Got a bad feeling.

Kp should have converted tho. 60ish is good, 100 is match winning.

My call for bell at 3 looks even better now, he has played superbly. Tbh from not watching while the F1 (which was actually a thrilling race today) I was surprised to see Kp still in as he looked troubled before and straight after lunch.

Until Kp converts 60/70s into hundreds on a more regular basis I will continue to give some balance to the Kp is great conversations. However ,what I feel I need to say is that I actually think Kp could be one of the modern greats. Him constantly "failing" to convert is what has made me critical of him, that and his technique and the fact he should have been dropped a year ago to reclaim some form and refocus.

Maybe its because I'm a huge Bell fan, and classical batting in general. Bells probably got a double hundred for the taking here....

Anyways, if Trott isn't 100% for the 3rd test I would risk him. Pick Hildreth/Taylor at 6 and plan Bell at 3.

As I type this not entirely sure what has happened there...

I think Bell's gone. Dhoni should call him back, this is a farce.

Oh dear, may be very costly.

Whats happened, lost my stream

Well that was cheeky. I think Bell should've waited for the signal for 4 from the umpire.

Bell out.

It was definitely out. Not a farce ,its the laws of the game.

Oh, sod off India.

Very unsportsmanlike from the Indians. Doesn't surprise me, though.