England vs India 4th Test Debate

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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

King Beer wrote:

eirebilly wrote:In fact i would'nt be suprised if they set England a tricky little target.

Given how they've played this series, i don't imagine England will have a problem knocking off 10 runs!

Not bad King Beer

Just 79 runs to go as well for 15,000 runs for Sachin

Thanks.

Question, given Gambhirs concussion, do you think it would be classed as 'unsportsmanlike' to deliver some sweet chin music to him if he bats? Or do you think he's playing with a potentially severe injury and should be treated with care?

Chin music. Gambhir would'nt expect any less

Seconded. Give him hell.

50 for Sachin. Well batted.

Tendulkar 50 , India started pretty well today...

What has happened to Mishra? Looked like an ordinary ball-hits-pad : shouldn't be crippled surely

Time wasting, already, possibly?

Think they have to bowl the overs anyway so time wasting isn't actually possible...

Unless there is weather coming?

Weather seems fine, but the game cannot go beyond 7.30 I believe.

alfie wrote:Think they have to bowl the overs anyway so time wasting isn't actually possible...

Unless there is weather coming?

If there is no chance of a result the captains can shake hands. That can't happen till after tea though.

I think I've seen enough already today to think that India will save this and Sachin will get his hundred. Hopefully I'm wrong, although I wouldn't begrudge Tendulkar his century.

Mishra seems comfortable out there - pitch seems rather dead.

Wouldn't start writing it off as a draw yet though, one wicket and it can all change.

Broad has looked a bit more dangerous, beaten the edge a couple of times already since coming on.

Make that 3 times.... So unlucky! Is it Tendulkar's day?

Mishra has done well with the bat in this match.

Perhaps one would be uncharitable to suggest if he could take a wicket he'd qualify as an all-rounder ...

Why is Bopara bowling ahead of Bresnan? Does Swann just want to change ends?

Seems quite ridiculous, get Big Bres on.

Wow, i go out for 45mins in the hope of coming back to see that wickets had fallen. This is very frustrating for England and pretty much why i said that India will survive today.

Get Bopara off and get Bresnan on, for crying out loud, he bowls absolute guff at snails pace.

Well no easy wrap up today then...nearly hour and a half and no break , both batsmen looking safe enough.

Temptation is to say the draw is looking good , but we all know how quickly things can change - when a wicket does fall the pressure builds again...

Think Strauss is doing the right thing in keeping spells short : it may well be that a big effort will be needed much later (new ball in 23 overs for example) and he wants the strike bowlers as fresh as possible.

Could be a good (fullish) day for the crowd.

I think 1 wicket can bring 2 or 3, but we need to strike before lunch really. Get Raina in with a tricky 20 minutes before lunch, and then look to strike early in the afternoon. 20 overs to go to a new ball, and if they're 5 down (with Gaumbhir and Sharma injured) then we could wipe them out quickly.

Alot of credit to Mishra here. He has more than held his own opposite Tendulkar. Great fight back in all reality. Sachin on for his 100 of 100's

Yes you have to give Mishra credit. His bowling was pretty bland to say the least but he has been excellent with the bat , in both innings.
For all Dravid and Tendulkar's efforts , it would be pretty much "game over" already without Mishra's contribution.

England could really do with one before lunch , but hard to see where it will come from.

Maybe time for a run-out

Looks like a draw.
Well played India.
100 100s for Sachin.

Cook's dropped Sachin! Pretty easy as well. Definitely Tendulkar's day.

Its got to be destiny doesnt it

Hoggy_Bear wrote:Looks like a draw.
Well played India.
100 100s for Sachin.

Stop this defeatist nonsense. We could have done with a wicket or two, yes, but India haven't got much batting left after these. Raina is a gutless bunny, Dhoni is hardly a defensive master, Gambhir is incapacitated and the rest are rubbish. Achievable with the time we have left, providing we get a spark pretty soon to get the wheels in motion.

Does seem like it's Sachin's day, he has played well but that is a couple of times now that he should have been gone.

Not sure how much I rate Cook's fielding in close, Bell is certainly the better of the two - fantastic reflexes.

My feeble attempt at a jinx nearly got a result ...but I think we need Trebell

Bring out the heavy artillery , as it were...

Yep, this is all set up for one last monumental effort from trebs.

Personally i feel that India will have enough to see out the day or get a lead big enough for England to be unable to chase.

Cograts to Mishra on a very fine 50 That could not have come at a better time for India. He is leading their charge for a draw.

If only he could bowl....

Good 50 for Mishra

Looks like a wicket-free session. Surprised me.

Can still happen , but they've scored a few runs too , so I think the draw is now 50/50 at least. An hour more of these two and it's nailed on.

Can you believe it? India have managed to survive a session without losing a wicket. First time in the series.
Tendulkar is still out there, all be it rather chancily, and Mishra has given him major support.
Although Harbhajan and Mishra have been liabilities with the ball, both have made major contributions with the bat at crucial moments. I just hope they apply to their main task with the same determination and grid.

Sky Bet have the draw at 2/7, England at 5/2 and India out there at 200/1. I would be tempted to put a little money on England at those odds, as I think that's a little long.

Its amazing how we just assume that England will roll sides over now. SHows just hwo good they have been.

Still quite possibel but draw defiantly the favourite now.

Certainly looking that way now. Even if England get a wicket right after lunch there is still a fair bit of batting to come...Raina, Dhoni and Gambhir (possibly). Plus Singh and Sreesanth are fairly handy with the bat.

Strange session for England...and the first one where India have not lost a wicket.

That said, I'm glad to see Tendulkar on course for his 100th hundred. Great knock from Mishra too for his 50.

It would be nice to see India salvage something out of this test and for Sachin to get his milestone. He actually has the chance of 2 milestones. The 100 100's and 15,000 runs. Really hoping for him here.

So: here we go again.

Reckon England need two wickets before the new ball if they're to do this ...

Big 40 minutes now.

Broad to have a burst straight after lunch.

Good choice I think.

Triffle has bottled it, the Tendulkar lbw law strikes again. No shock.

Broad has got Tendulkar a couple of times this series but i am more certain now that Tenders is on for his ton

Tendulkar again should have been given lbw

Good lbw shout for Swann !

Sachin got a bit lucky there ...

Just have a feeling a wicket is just around the corner ...

Oh well, thats what happens i guess

Double post

Sentiment creeping into the umpiring?

Bit of a race on here for the ton

swanny is fuming!