England vs India 4th Test Debate

First topic message reminder :

England line-up:

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

India line up:

1) Gautam Gambhir
2) Virender Sehwag
3) Rahul Dravid
4) Sachin Tendulkar
5) VVS Laxman
6) Suresh Raina
7) MS Dhoni (C,WK)
8) Amit Mishra
9) Ishant Sharma
10) Sreesanth
11) RP Singh

Would it have been better to have sent in one of Prior/Bresnan/Broad, let them demoralize the Indians even more and they'd be likely to push on and score 100 tomorrow.

Anderson isn't going to so we are effectively 4 down anyways now

But Jimmy's job is to be the night watchman and survive the last overs. Thats what he did. By sending in Broad or Prior to swing the bat they may have lost their wickets.

Save them for tomorrow for an almighty push to put the Indians in dire problems.

I guess I just dont like Nightwatchmen. Never have, never will

I used to feel the same as you. I always thought that Broad was the best option as nightwatchman for England but his natural agression may cost him dearly in that position.

When you consider that 3 runs an over is very acceptable in test cricket Egland have already made up alot of the overs lost yesterday due to their run rate. A good fast morning session tomorrow may see them get close to 600 runs and a declaration. That will break any resistance that India have left.

india have no match winning bowlers whatsoever

They dont do they, its actually really sad for them

dont no why india didnt play ojha and go in with two spinners they would probably have done better today if they did.

[quote] [i]When you consider that 3 runs an over is very acceptable in test cricket Egland have already made up alot of the overs lost yesterday due to their run rate. A good fast morning session tomorrow may see them get close to 600 runs and a declaration. That will break any resistance that India have left[/i] [/quote]

They've made up a little time billy with an improving r/r but England need to score even faster for 40 or so overs tomorrow as we are still playing catch up to lost time.

Really positive to see 2 batsmen each scoring 170 + in less than a day . I hope Bell can get to that 200 on Saturday morning.

another shocking day for india, at least today they managed to field a ball

sometimes

But they are making up time Stellar, they are the only team trying to force a result in this match. This is a side with a winning ambition.

[quote="eirebilly"]But they are making up time Stellar, they are the only team trying to force a result in this match. This is a side with a winning ambition.[/quote]

They are and if they continue to play with the same intent as today then there will be only one outcome.

Bat for all but the last fifteen/twenty overs, get 700, and knock over the openers by the close?

Hopefully, Swann will do real damage later.

Bell on 196 and playing beautifully. I think he's the most elegant player I've seen, and that includes Gower, who was holder of the Cowshot Cup for the Most Beautiful Off Drive Ever until yesterday.

Decent little cameo from Jimmy, which he survived unscathed.

Expecting some fireworks from "Eowyn" Morgan and Prior to boost the score close to the 600 mark.

Bell on the brink of his first double century. Just one boundary will do it.

Or another 6 like the ones he hit yesterday.

What was all this between Jimmy and Sreesanth? Apparently they were chirping at each other and then exchanged stares after Jimmy got out. It will be interesting to see if Jimmy takes the ball when Sreesanth is batting!

Dammit!

I'll just keep my mouth shut for now...

Bopara now with the chance to answer his critics.

robbo: Nothing unusual - just a "fast"! bowler being aggressive.

Think Eirebilly is right about Morgan. He's just not quite there as a Test player.

200 up for Bell with a very nice boundary!

Yep. Well done Bell. Some wonderful shots.

501-5.

Gosh.

One of the unusual things about Bell is that in general I would say left handed bats are easier on the eye. Bell is an exception to that rule.

Just in case anyone hadn't heard, Morgan is captain for a one-off ODI match against Ireland on Thursday.

Squad in full:
Eoin Morgan (capt), Jonathan Bairstow, Ravi Bopara, Scott Borthwick, Steven Finn, Craig Kieswetter, Graham Onions, Samit Patel, Ben Stokes, James Taylor, Jonathan Trott, Chris Woakes.

KP Nuts 175
Bell 181 (stll ringing)
457-3

Afternoon lads, hows the cricket been so far today?

I wonder what the thinking was behind that? I thought Cook was the ODI skipper?

Meanwhile R-Bop is looking in good nick.

Dammit...I said I wouldn't say anything about our batsmen!

eirebilly wrote:Afternoon lads, hows the cricket been so far today?

Steady start. Jimmy was snaffled early on but put in a useful cameo. Morgan didn't hang around very long and barely troubled the scorers.

Bell picking up where he left off yesterday, looking relatively untroubled while cruising to his double ton. Bopara started cautiously but is starting to play some shots.

Cheers dyre. I am still not convinced by Moggs as cowshot mentioned but will give him the benefit of the doubt.

I am really happy for Bell to get his double, its the one thing that he has been missing.

Afternoon all , nice bright session so far.

Jimmy a quick 13 , Mogs unfortunately not much but didn't waste any time , and now Bopara has joined in with the fun ...

Oh bother ! Just about to praise Bell and he's gone

Top innings

But I was hoping he'd get 300 ...

Shame. Bell finally undone by Raina, trapped lbw. Raina seems to have a knack for getting established batsmen out.

Probably a lapse in concentration from Bell. Fantastic innings nonetheless. I reckon the MOTM award will have his name on it.

Hmm.

Had a feeling this might happen. England should've declared on 500-550 and put India into bat before lunch.

Sehwag is making Bopara and Morgan look like greatt test batsmen in this series...what a shocker

Good signs from India, Sehwag has scored 8 times more than what he managed in the entire series!.

India to be bowled out by the end of the day? Remember Praveen Kumar isn't there to slog a few at the end and prolong the innings a bit.

Praveen Kumar and Mahendra Singh Dhoni spoiled India's chances of creating a new record of defeat margins last time, this time there seem to be a greater sense of determination!!!!. Come on India, you can do it. How about losing by an innings and 500 runs!!.?

Well, two cheap wickets right from the off. Broad and Anderson getting the ball to move around very nicely.

Can Dravid and Tendulkar live up to their reputations this time? I actually wouldn't mind seeing Sachin get his 100th hundred, just to give the Indian fans something to cheer about.

Will have to wait till Dhoni for some entertainment. He sourt of rediscovered his natural game in test matches. The others are too shel shocked to make any meaningful contribution.

chuckle. Poor old msp83.

I followed England in the '80s and '90s. I know how you feel.

Now India should forget Sreesanth, Munaf, the one who was selected because he bowls left arm like Zaheer, and invest in someone like Varun Aaron and Umesh Yadav. These 2 are the quickest bowlers in India, both are still developing and aren't quite ready for international cricket. But they can't be no worst than the present lot who turn up to bowl for India. At least they can bowl fast.
Zaheer to guide them in the beginning, and they, if they have the right temprament should do well in the company of Praveen Kumar later.
and for heaven's sake think beyond Harbhajan, Mishra, Ojha and Chawla.
Ashwin to be India's lead spinner in all formats for some time, give him a long run, he should do better than the present imposters.

Tendulkar gone sweeping from way outside off, Swann's getting into the act, this is his big chance.

Oh well, so much for that. Swann gets in on the action, luring Tendulkar into spooning a catch to Anderson in the slips. India 68-3. Getting a strong sense of deja vu...

Worrying as there's still time for England to get another wicket or two. Could be a short-lived 1st innings for India.

Getting a strong sense of deja vu...

Yeah. Think Swann is sniffing an opportunity. Old Tuffers is twitching in the TMS commentary box and practically drooling at the prospect of bowling on this.

50 up for Dravid. Solid, if unspectacular, including 9 boundaries.

Raina playing the anchor role...literally with 0 off 24.

Blimey! Raina stumped...very close decision.

Out for a duck, Bet he regrets being so defensive for those 4 and a bit overs now. India 93-4 now.

India could be following on not long after lunch at this rate.

At leat Raina lasted longr than Sehwag

Anyone know the longest ever duck? Most balls faced then out for 0?

Swann strikes again! Nightwatchman Sharma gone for 1 and skipper Dhoni is forced to come out for the final overs. India 95-5. Still a faint hope of posting a decent total with him and Dravid in the middle.

I garauntee that record isnt held by sehwag

The English seamers never really gave Graeme Swann a real opportunity to get at the Indians, but in his first major chance, he's just ripping them apart, shows his real class.

Captain Cool is angry, very , verry angry. and unlike usual, its showing.

You do have to wonder though. England racked up nearly 600 runs, from over 150 overs, over a day and a half, losing just 6 wickets in the process.

India are 5 down for under 100, in just over 30 overs in about half a day.