England's Winter of Cricket 2023/24

First topic message reminder :

After the disappointment of the World Cup, can England be the first away team in 11 years to win a test series in India?

Three ODIs v West Indies (3rd December-9th December)
Five T20s v West Indies (12th December-21st December)
Five Tests v India (25th January-11th March)

Jadeja taking the new ball now after 88 overs (while my occasional quick looks at Brisbane tell me the Australian chase is going smoothly with Smith and Green raising the hundred...I imagine PJ will be monitoring that one so will let him fill in the details. Can't really see West Indies causing an upset now , though all credit to their spirited efforts)

Spin at both ends with this new ball. Bumrah having a breather - and presumably happier to bowl with an old ball than a shiny one on this. Wood might take note for later ?

Just seen a shot of Leach hobbling off the bus. Hmm. Not looking good ; though I guess he doesn't run a long way. Hope Hartley can translate batting form into bowling today as he's doing a good job again with the former : 16 now after another boundary back over Jadeja's head. Followed by a lovely cover drive for three...

380/7

Siraj on now and another fifty partnership arrives with the drinks.

By the way I see I jinxed Australia . S Joseph has made a miraculous recovery from a smashed foot and just nipped out Green and Head for another golden duck ! 120/4 in Brisbane..game on

KP now asserting that England are favourites as the lead crosses 200...

Not sure about that . That bowling group rather lacks an obvious destroyer and the pitch is slow even if the bounce is a bit dodgy. But certainly the Indian bowlers and fielders are feeling the pressure at present.

As shown now ! Pope dabs an absolute dolly to slip from Siraj...and Rahul drops it !

Siraj not happy. Jadeja fuming. Pope carrying on happily... 397/7.

Meanwhile (sorry for mixing threads but it's too hard changing them on top of TV channels ) , S (for superman?) Joseph has now removed Marsh to leave Australia 132/5. Still need 84 so a lot up to Smith.

England cross 400. Lead by 215 , with Hartley on to 28 and three fielders now hugging the leg boundary for Siraj...

I hope I'm not the only one watching this.

S Joseph bowls Carey ! Bails came off fine that time . The young man has 4/23 and Smith is left with the tail with 80 left to make .

Now Hartley produces the reverse for four. Ashwin 2/126 from his 28 overs and doesn't look happy.

Both games boiling up nicely

Siraj is really putting effort into this spell.but not a lot for the pace man in this track. Crowd a lot less vocal than on Friday.

Axar on and tricky bounce is making life difficult for the keeper ...not the first ball to be beating everyone. 419/7. Pope on 195...

But Ashwin does the trick ! Bowls Hartley for an excellent 34 with another ball that nearly ran along the ground. 419/8

(Starc striking a couple of nice boundaries to ease the pressure for Australia)

103/2 today in 23 overs.

Aussie requirement down to 55 , so you'd think Smith (on 65) and his bowlers will see it done...but not over yet.

Now : will Pope trust Wood , or go ballistic ? Trying another reverse ; and India review the not out call as he misses...but I think that's turning too far. Yes , missing by a mile - they needn't have wasted all that time checking for a nonexistent edge.
The very large gentleman in the crowd is wearing a blue Hawaian shirt today after yellow and green...

And Jadeja has a wicket to delight the home fans ...Mark Wood edges and walks...

420/9 and Pope will have to swing now ...

As Leach limps to the crease and Bumrah returns to the attack , Starc is caught in Brisbane giving S Joseph five wickets ...Aussies need 45.

Aargh ! Pope tries one too many funky shots and bowled by Bumrah for 196...a truly great innings . He still looks annoyed with himself - probably because they've emulated India by losing the last three wickets for just one run...

Still : India need 231. No idea , to be honest. Pitch , injured and inexperienced bowlers , momentum (ha. Meaningless I think) ...anything could happen will wait and see after lunch...

Off to Brisbane...

Pretty amazing turnaround from England and Pope unlucky not the get his double century.

Would have thought something like 250-300 runs would be the upper limit of an England 2nd innings total (after watching the 1st) leaving India with a much smaller chase of around 50-100 runs but they proved me very wrong - finishing with that lead of 126 last night. That was just what the doctor ordered... and then another 105 runs added on today.

230 runs seems gettable enough and I see England have concerns with Leach's fitness now... but you never know. A few lucky breaks early on, the Indian middle order getting to the crease earlier than expected and somehow feeling the pinch as Joe gets into the thick of the action again.

He's opening the bowling I see... love it!

Going to be very compelling to watch... hope everyone's up now and tuned in to what could be a real thriller.

Glad to see Root with the new ball. Pity Leach is OOA as I'd have had him at the other end.

Wood starts ...and nearly had Rohit at slip by Crawley spilled a low chance . Can't be missing chances today...

But I see Leach is taking the field now which might be a good sign.

Going to be tough for Stokes to manage this attack. Especially if Root is going to bowl two full tosses in an over

England don't need to bowl "dry" . But they can't be gifting boundaries like that.

Hartley now in place of Wood. Pleased they didn't waste a review on that hopeful lbw appeal at least !

Wonder if Jaiswal will destroy the young fellow again ?

I know Wood went for a couple of boundaries- and I would not have opened with him : but as he did induce a dropped chance I'm slightly surprised to see him off immediately ?

Apart from that chance , Rohit has looked very sound. Early signs are that India probably favourite to run this down but a long way to go.

Now then : lbw appeal by Hartley and they're going to send this upstairs...might be close... But no ! Missing leg ? Honestly can't believe that ... Is he really turning it that far ? I thought that was either dead out or just possibly UC...

Going to give them pause reviewing anything after seeing that...

All going India's way so far. But at least Hartley is looking a lot more composed than on Thursday. 24/0

Getting dizzy. Back from Brisbane briefly to see Pope continues his great game ...and revenge on Jasiwal for Hartley ! 42/1

Hartley bowling much much better here to start off - and two sensational catches by Ollie Pope

Well all done in Brisbane so can concentrate on this : and I come back to see I've missed a wicket ! Rewinding...Blimey ! Pope again with a sharp catch at silly mid off even sharper than the short leg one to dismiss Jaiswal ! Two for Hartley...Gill gone already.

Nearly another as a ball in the air towards cover finds Crawley somehow unsighted : might he have been able to catch that had he not obviously lost it completely in the background ?

48/2 now with Leach into the attack , not sure for how long. Get one of these and England will be very hopeful

Rohit settling Indian nerves a bit with three boundaries in a few balls...two with audacious reverse sweeps. As long as these two are together I think India are probably still in pole position ; but if one or both can be winkled out the pressure would mount on the less experienced and the all rounders.

Balls keeping low a lot so always a chance for the bowlers if they land it right. Really pleased to see Hartley coming back after his first innings bashing.

Lbw out ? Review by Rohit but surely this isn't missing ? No it isn't ! 63/3 and Hartley has them all

This is interesting. Axar Patel promoted to presumably mess with the two left arm spinners' lines... Might be a good move by India ; as Hartley has looked very comfortable bowling to the right handers.

And of course the counter move...Root back on. Chess

Wood having a good go at Axar but hasn't quite got those short balls in the right spot. With Rahul bringing out the sweeps this is an important passage of play ..and an interesting time to introduce Rehan ... This could go either way ...

Two fours to Axar...make that three ! The risk of the wrist spinner... That batting order change is paying off for India

I am getting good at coming back to the view just in time to miss a wicket...

Moments late back from tea and see Axar walking off... Four for Hartley and England needed that , eh ? 95/4 getting tense...

Ready for this one though ! Root pins Rahul...pending review , but surely ? Yes ...stone dead !

107/5 and it's India burning reviews this time round...

With Jadeja at the crease this game is on a Knife edge ... India halfway to 230...England halfway to ten wickets. I presume lots of people are watching but not game to comment ? You can't all be at church

Stokes has just done a Flintoff 2009.

What's happening to test cricket? It's upside down today.

Stokes ! Brilliant backhand flick on to the stumps and the dangerous Jadeja is run out for just 2 ! Huge wicket...and brought about by the man who has been fumbling the odd ball in the field today : he loves the big moments...

119/6 as KS Bharat arrives...

What an unbelievable piece of athleticism from Stokes that was

Still Ashwin to come after these two so a lot more to do. But if Hartley and Root can keep landing the ball in the right places another 112 runs is looking a fair way off...

Actually time for Leach now two right handers are in. Stokes handling his bowlers creatively.

And bingo ! Shreyas caught at slip and it's seven down

A very good bowling change

Ashwin now ...he will be ready to take them on , I reckon. But it ain't easy batting on this fourth day pitch...

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:What an unbelievable piece of athleticism from Stokes that was

I just flicked on when after that, so seeing replays. For a second, I was wondering what match it was from. I haven't seen Stokes moving like that for a long while. That athleticism again is great to see in general. Let alone in the situation!

Iyer goes now. Smart to get Leach on with the two RH batters at the crease.

Wow, oh wow. What a turnaround this is. Big humble pie needing eaten by myself on Pope and Hartley in particular.

It is ragging square out there.

India have never lost a home test after leading by 100+ after the first innings.

This has been a staggering comeback, led by two players who looked pretty hopeless in the first innings!

If Foakes were an umpire, he'd be worse than Joel Wilson.

Ben Foakes call a good review challenge (impossible)

England going for a review for caught behind...Foakes was adamant...

Just shows he's in the Stuart Broad class when it comes to reviews

Two burned by each side now. Tough for umpires on these pitches too.

In Foakes' defence, Pope was absolutely desperate to review that one too. Missed it by a distance!

I thought The Pope was supposed to be infallible ?

I'll forgive this Pope just about anything today

Time for a bit of Wood as a change of pace. He's had a fairly quiet game so far ...sure he'd love to make an impact now. Don't think he's quite got his line right in previous spells - certainly hasn't been anything like as effective as Bumrah.
With the odd ball keeping low targeting the stumps seems to me the logical tactic.

13 overs these two have batted now...adding 23. Slow progress ; but they've stopped the rot ; and England will be thinking it is high time for another wicket. Not surprised Ashwin is proving so resistant , but a little bit that Bharat - whose batting is not rated highly by the Indian posters on here - is hanging on so well.

Still 88 to make so probably the right time to give Rehan another try ? He'll want to improve on the previous venture...

This game isn't over yet.

Yep, England could do with another before the day is out (7 overs away?) or it'll be a nervy overnight wait.

Only 8 overs left so looks like we are going to day five...

Wouldn't have thought that two days ago. Rehan missing his length too often for comfort...think his spell will be short ...that last boundary wasn't his fault of course...but he does leak precious runs : 23 from just three overs.

78 to get and Indian fans finding voice again...

Renan releasing the pressure unfortunately. India have hung in there, keeping this alive into day 5

This Rehan spell is proving dangerously expensive. Until he came on the runs were essentially creeping at about one per over...this burst of scoring is making the target look much less imposing for India.
Still 70 needed ; and if Rehan isn't bowling that should take at least thirty overs so no need to panic : but England need to find a way through one of these as they're both growing in confidence . This partnership starting to resemble the Pope/Foakes one in method and trajectory. Admirable batting under a lot of pressure

Leach back to close out the day...

England looking ragged. They need stumps more than India right now.

It's only going to take another 12-18 overs for India to chase this.

What a strike. Hartley has five. Utterly unrecognisable from the first innings.

Might get the extra half hour now?

Hartley fifer!

Late but crucial bonus

Hmm. Runs flowing from Leach too. This is getting nervy with now just 58 needed. Afraid that - not unreasonable- decision to try Rehan again seems to have turned the game back India's way. Think England need a bit of magic to break this pair...preferably tonight !

And there it is !!! Hartley does the trick...a ripping delivery bowls the stubborn Bharat

Extra half hour perhaps? Fiftyfive or two wickets...

And that's five for Hartley: what a turnaround from Thursday ...

I will give Duty credit for that wicket "ragged " eh ?

Nearly one for Root then too...

Think I need a whisky

And again! Ashwin gone and surely the extra half hour coming now

Yep, 8 more overs or 30 minutes

Ashwin rush of blood ! Charges Hartley and stumped by a mile...

Six for Hartley

177/9 ...good call by Stokes to request the extra half hour

Whisky tasting great...

There's the game.

Wow. Just the fourth away test win in India since 2013, and the first time India have lost a home test after leading by 100+ in the first innings.

One of England's greatest ever comebacks, after we were all fearing an innings defeat.