England's Summer of Cricket 2021

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Siraj will have a couple of deliveries at Anderson. The lead is already a nice 25.

eirebilly wrote:So, hypothetical here but what would ye lads do if England do bowl India out and leave a chase of 200+ in around 75 overs?

Do ye send Bairstow and Butler in to open with the orders to have a crack or do ye go full safety and open with Sibley and Burns?

Excellent 50 for Rahane. Some knock given the situation he walked into

You open with Sibley and Burns then see what happens. Buttler and Bairstow would be cannon fodder.

eirebilly wrote:So, hypothetical here but what would ye lads do if England do bowl India out and leave a chase of 200+ in around 75 overs?

Do ye send Bairstow and Butler in to open with the orders to have a crack or do ye go full safety and open with Sibley and Burns?

Excellent 50 for Rahane. Some knock given the situation he walked into

You play normally. Get Sibley and Burns to soften up the ball, then unleash the attacking batsmen in the late middle point of the innings onwards. You only deviate from that if there's a chase of, say, 160 in 25-30 overs - then you would need to attack from the off and shut up shop if you lose too many early wickets.

Missed the action after Rahul's wicket.
I see Rohit self-destructed yet again! And he'll insist that's his shot and he'll play. Unlike in the past, I am hopeful about him, that he'll realize the need for temperamental adjustment and evolution for success in test cricket. He has done it later rather than sooner in terms of his technique, and even in terms of temperament as far as tightening up outside off is concerned. Hope he brings greater sense and sensiblility to his shot selection. Con't tolerate too many more of this though.
But what about the skipper? Seems to be back in 2014. Ridiculous no-hoper pushes outside off that wouldn't bring him anything. Absolutely no chance of a run, a ball that has no chance of a taking a wicket really! Like Sachin Tendulkar in 2006, Kohli is going through a serious crisis in his game. Tendulkar did emerge out of it, Has Virat got it in him to do so? After that 2014 England tour, this is the first time he's struggling like this. He's still Kohli and would still get a decent score from time to time, but there is something missing...

Fine knock from Rahane indeed. Patient ; but has gone up the gears a bit lately and must be giving England a growing sense that this isn't happening for them...

Robinson has been sparsely used , hasn't he ? You would think he could exploit uneven bounce : though I don't think that has really been as big a factor as was expected earlier. Slow pitch perhaps hasn't helped him. Guess he will be back with the new ball.

Rahane score difficult runs...in difficult match and pitch conditions
India slowly , crawling, clawing & inching forward...attempting to get to a position of strength....not quite there yet
11 overs yet to the new ball...and India should neither lose a wicket nor go in a shell...add another 30 to 40 in these overs

Pujara and Rahane have done a mini rescue act, not just the team in this match, but possibly themselves and their careers.
But the job is far from done, and now they need to do it a bit differently to what they have done so far. The new ball isn't too far away, and India is leading only by 113. We no there are just 3 more wickets that England really need to take. So by the time the new ball comes, India should get close to a lead of 150+ with the 2 of them upping the tempo...

Soul Requiem wrote:

KP_fan wrote:

alfie wrote:

KP_fan wrote:

alfie wrote:England getting a bit desperate: second review burned.

KP_fan : your love affair with Moeen is getting almost embarrassing

good to see  you named him by name.

?  Why wouldn't I ?  He's not bloody Voldemort .  Really do not understand why you keep rabbiting on about Moeen as if he's being abused daily on this board because that just isn't true. Some rate him more than others , which is what happens to most players.

Your fixation is becoming tedious.

I didn't say Ali is being abused...you trying to put those words in my mouth
It's called attempting a Strawman Argument

What's with the constant Maligned Ali rubbish then?

Moeen Ali is a maligned( unduly , overly and perennially)  English player. Period

Duty281 wrote:Would like to see Root take a few overs, maybe from around the wicket.

Surely some value in Ali and Root burning through the overs to the new ball and hoping these two take a swing at something?

Oh, here he is!

The England skipper is on now. He can't do anything wrong with the bat in the series. Can he spark something with the ball here?

KP_fan wrote:Moeen Ali is a maligned( unduly , overly and perennially)  English player. Period

Whereas, in reality, Moeen is one of England's most popular players.

Duty281 wrote:

KP_fan wrote:Moeen Ali is a maligned( unduly , overly and perennially)  English player. Period

Whereas, in reality, Moeen is one of England's most popular players.

Moeen Ali is an incredibly popular player in England, especially in White Ball cricket.

I just do not get where KP_fan is coming from here...

Pujara completed his double-hundred!, of balls faced. Can he get a bit of a move on here? Find the 2nd gear if not more?

Wood's back on, for a burst before the 2nd new ball. Can we expect some short stuff, like India did with Siraj yesterday that undid Bairstow?

Wood gets Pujara

Cricinfo reports, that it is Pujara's 23rd double hundred of ball faced. Only Steve Smith among active players, have more such innings.

Bowling change works. Wood, what a day he's having, generates some extra bounce and catches Pujara unawares.

Just like India with Bairstow yesterday, England have an opening just before the new ball.

What do we get from Pant now?

Hundred stand...but that's where it ends. Wood produces a lifter and Pujara gone for a battling but vital 45...

He still never looked exactly comfortable ; but he might just have saved his team in this match.

Pant will probably play a bit differently

Pujara, just after playing his first real aggressive shot as a matter of option, gets out soon after, as Wood gets his 3rd. Pant time, lets see how he's going to go about it.
India lead by 128.

Moeen's throwing them up, Pant is going for it. Who will win the day?

Pant has the initial runs, but Moeen is getting the better of the early engagement. Pant beaten in flight, then edges through the slips.

Ahhhhh, absolutely hate fielders diving in such dangerous, kamikaze style just to save one run, especially when it's a fast bowler. Hope Wood hasn't hurt himself badly.

Moeen will appreciate having a left-hander to attack, now.

If it will be six overs of spin until the new ball then Pant may play one shot too many. He certainly won't need temptation to play attacking shots!

Yes don't want Wood injured !

Moeen to attack Pant ? Reckon Pant is likely to be doing the attacking ....Moeen just needs to reel him in...

Floodgates?

Ah, who cares about the left-hander? Moeen snares the obdurate Rahane. Just reward for a tidy effort.

England favourites again.

Big wicket ! Moeen nips out Rahane :

Deserved that...has bowled pretty well today. Well taken low down by Buttler. Good time to get two new bats in...

Huge wicket.

Keep Pant quiet till the new ball now. If he wants to do anything rash with everyone back then fine, but England will be happy for him to take singles and let Anderson and Robinson at him with the new ball.

One of my pet cricketing peeves - why are you coming out in a cap when you’ll be calling for a helmet in 24 balls time.

That was an excellent innings from Rahane . Doubt Pujara would have stayed as long as he did without the support from his partner in those pressure periods.
But he'll be annoyed with himself getting out like that just before the new ball.

Pant isn't going to go quietly...

Imagine it's going to be a very different game with Pant and Jadeja in...even with a new ball coming I'm expecting much more emphasis on scoring runs...

Could be wickets and into the tail - could be some rather fast scoring.

Could be both ...wicket ! Oh well bowled Moeen !

Ali again

Into the tail before the new ball

Beauty from Moeen!

Jadeja outfoxed by it, the tail exposed with 40 minutes left. England will be winning this test...bar some Pant heroics.

So Jadeja - a dangerous man - gone already and Moeen on a roll...

Might hold off on that new ball for a bit

Moeen gets Jadeja, the end is here for India.

alfie wrote:So Jadeja - a dangerous man - gone already and Moeen on a roll...

Might hold off on that new ball for a bit

May well do because the light situation is getting worse.

Maligned Ali and No Good Wood are doing a job here!

Ishant Sharma, Kohli's favorite all-rounder, what can he do here? Ishant, true to self, didn't make it easy for bowlers in the first innings. But this is a different pressure situation...

Duty281 wrote:

alfie wrote:So Jadeja - a dangerous man - gone already and Moeen on a roll...

Might hold off on that new ball for a bit

May well do because the light situation is getting worse.

Yeah, and if Pant gets hold of a few you just say we are taking the new ball and we’ll see you tomorrow with a fresh new ball then.

My TV looks bright enough but suddenly the light is a problem it seems ? Another reason not to take the new ball perhaps.

But with just four wickets to get England will be very keen to prise out one or two more tonight. Not sure Ishant would fancy facing Anderson in fading light with a new ball - if he's allowed to bowl at him.

Decisions for Root.

Think England fans will appreciate Moeen's selection a bitmore here. This pitch, had they gone in with just the 4 seam bowlers, would have been downright stupid! Moeen made the runs that their specialists are expected to score, and he's now showing with the ball. And he's the only playable spinner in England at the moment, and I would say, he's the best they've got.

No new ball from England. Light perhaps... Root's done an OK job and Moeen has been very good. But they wouldn't want India's set of number 11s to do any damage...

Pant is not bothering to farm strike. No point with this lineup. Take what you can, while it last.

Unless Ravindra Jadeja can switch over to his lethal attacking version and unless the pitch would let him do that, this test is done for India. Well done Virat Kohli!

Stumps.

New day, new ball tomorrow. All set up for an English victory.

Indian browbeating of the umpires eventually works, but it won't save them from defeat.

Wood and Moeen the standout players for England, though Anderson bowled well without reward and Curran was a threat with the angle he generated. Pujara and Rahane gave India hope with a strong resistance that frustrated the English.

Simple aim for England tomorrow. Get India out with the lead below 200 then knock off the runs. Big favourites from here, no rain expected. India have to hope Pant can swing them up close to 250.

So they are off for bad light. That actually ends whatever little chance that India had. Had Rishabh been able to get hold of a few, and somehow push the total to around 230, the only chance the other end had was to deal with the old soft ball though Moeen would have had other ideas. Now with Anderson and Robinson in the morning, India are highly unlikely to even reach 200, forget setting 200. Anything under 200 on this track, England should be absolutely comfortable...
Now all that they would manage to do is take out 2 or 3 overs possibly, the time for England to mop up...

So early finish after a bit of faffing about.

Might suit both teams.India clearly wanted to get off : but now England will have a new ball first thing tomorrow and rested bowlers to take it. With one end arguably open.

Not calling the match yet. India might scrounge useful runs from Pant and the tail ; and England's batting is not exactly rock solid. But I think the home team might sleep easier overnight.

Four days down and they've all been interesting. Good advertisement for Test Cricket. Might draw some fans over from The Hundred

And at the end of it all, Kohli would proclaim that there was absolutely nothing wrong with his strategy, just like Rohit would insist on trying to smash every short ball that comes his way, regardless of context and common sense.

So what will be next from Virat? Bring Shardul in for Shami, and drop Pujara?