England vs India 1st test debate

First topic message reminder :

England side:

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

India side.

1) Abhinav Makund
2) Gautam Gambhir
3) Rahul Dravid (WK)
4) Sachin Tendulkar
5) VVS Laxman
6) Suresh Raina
7) MS Dhoni (C)
8) Harbhajan Singh
9) Zaheer Khan
10) Praveen Kumar
11) Ishant Sharma

Should be a terrific match and series!

My Prediction: England to win

Series Prediction: 1-1

C'mon England!

We really don't need a run out! Nerves getting to Straussy a bit, I think.

Thats the best approach for him to take hodge.

True Peter but that was a year ago and Cook has improved immensly since whilst Strauss has not been looking that comfortable against swing bowling.

PSW: Yeah, doesn't sound as though the radar is quite there for the Indians. Gavaskar saying both English openers now looking comfortable. Strauss still doesn't sound that comfy to me!

Weather still very grey here. Got to reckon on interrupted play, I'd say.

Im listening on TMS and they are talking about Strauss looking shakey at this point, just played and missed again.
Dhoni seems to have his tactics and field right encouraging his bowlers to pitch it up and let the ball do its magic, but no result so far. If they get through this its a big plus for England.

According to Vaughan, Strauss has changed his alignment to left arm over bowling a touch. Really intriguing battle between him and Zaheer.

It occurs to me that this battle might determine the whole series.

Just as long as these two can keep it together and see off the new ball and these conditions (somewhat) then they will have done a great job and it will sow a seed of doubt into the Indian bowling.

fastest ball of the match 83.1 by khan.

OOOH DRS

Nope fair decision.... well done Rauf and Khan.
Exactly the problem Cooks always had in these conditions.

Cook fell asleep while waiting for the ball.

'Morning all...

All going OK until Cook has just overbalanced a bit and been trapped lbw... well bowled by Zaheer.

Testing time now for Trott...

Nah. That one was eirebilly's fault. Look at the timing!

I will put my hand up for that one. Sorry lads

doh.. after such a great run Cook runs into the brick wall that is India.

I can see us struggling to make 180 on here, very typical Lords day one under cloud.

India winning the toss has probably sealed the match for them given past experiences of england failing under cloud on day one here.

oh and Billy! don't make me have to start reversing you already.. keep any praise to yourself for day 1 please

Woohoo! Strauss 4. His first of the innings, I think. Slash hard, etc...

Hello trebel.

Trott reported as walking across his stumps a bit. Chancy against a swinging ball.

trebellbobaggins wrote:doh.. after such a great run Cook runs into the brick wall that is India.

I can see us struggling to make 180 on here, very typical Lords day one under cloud.

India winning the toss has probably sealed the match for them given past experiences of england failing under cloud on day one here.

Optimistic aren't you.

I am going to have to take trebbs approach here today i think lol

Nah, it getting easier now and we have brilliant batters too come in who all are in form.

Raymond: chuckle. Standing joke re trebs I understand. My guess is he had a run of making positive comments about English batsmen and their wicket promptly falling.

I certainly am not making ANY comment about getting to lunch and wickets until we've got there.

trebellbobaggins wrote:oh and Billy! don't make me have to start reversing you already.. keep any praise to yourself for day 1 please

Hi Trebell

You just weren't quick enough with the counter-curse when billy stuck his neck out ...

I'm sure you'll be more alert as the day goes on

Bit of luck for Trott there...

Interesting to see the offie on before lunch despite the conditions - and nearly brought a breakthrough !

Trebs doesnt have to be alert alfie, i wont be doing anymore curses today.

You think that things would have improved for me once the 606 closed

alfie wrote:Bit of luck for Trott there...

Interesting to see the offie on before lunch despite the conditions - and nearly brought a breakthrough !

Think England will have a lot of luck in this series, bar Raina the Indians can't field. Edit, and Dhoni he's a good wicket keeper.

alfie: Good captaincy from Dhoni. Get an extra over and add pressure.

England slightly edged the session?

I would say that was India's session but England did well to only be 1 down in these conditions.

Ended up a decent session for England . Not many runs but only one man out , in conditions that made batting quite tricky.

First forty minutes after lunch could be very significant now.

Raymond wrote:

trebellbobaggins wrote:doh.. after such a great run Cook runs into the brick wall that is India.

I can see us struggling to make 180 on here, very typical Lords day one under cloud.

India winning the toss has probably sealed the match for them given past experiences of england failing under cloud on day one here.

Optimistic aren't you.

never on a day like this at a ground where first often loses in these conditions.

lords will flatten and india will bat all day on it when the get their turn, especially as it's due to get brighter at the weekend.

Cowshot wrote:Raymond: chuckle. Standing joke re trebs I understand. My guess is he had a run of making positive comments about English batsmen and their wicket promptly falling.

I certainly am not making ANY comment about getting to lunch and wickets until we've got there.

more a run of watching them constantly fail to the point i just expect it.. the athers era.. sudder.

prior to that i was more optimistic as a bright eyed youngster.

alfie, i was doing a cook and just not being watchful enough.

How is the weather looking there now?

eirebilly: I was including the conditions in my assessment. Taken cold 42-1 is perhaps slight advantage India. Though given the conditions we could have been 42-5. Pretty even and good stuff so far though.

Weather here still could rain any second or hold off the rest of the day. Seem to be getting it coming up from the SW, but the showers are dying out as they come east. I think it's just a case of if a more persistant one hits the ground. Forecast as possible in the evening session.

Cheers cowshot, i am hoping it holds so that some decent cricket can be played.
I want to give some credit to the English batsmen but i am too scared to for fear of cursing them

damn strauss has gone

Strauss gone to Khan.

Meaningless runs at Somerset proved nothing.

you still said too much Billy. Typical day 1 Lords under dark skies. Get put in here you're in trouble.

EIREBILLY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING????





Silly shot from Strauss.

No need to play that shot, he did the hard work and got out to a shocking ball like that. On a wicket like this if its not hitting the stumps don't play it.

England's much vaunted batting line up is technically inept.

fecian jaysus. See you later lads, i am no good for England....

LeBron's Homie wrote:England's much vaunted batting line up is technically inept.

I would of loved to see anderson and tremlett this morning the indian batsman would be like a rabbit in the headlights, Anderson does what Khan is doing but is 5 mph quicker and has a more consistent line and length.

LeBron, given the conditions i would hardly consider this a batsmans paradice. I would say even India's vaunted batting line up would struggle in this, hench Dhoni winning the toss and sending England into bat.

Raymond wrote:

LeBron's Homie wrote:England's much vaunted batting line up is technically inept.

I would of loved to see anderson and tremlett this morning the indian batsman would be like a rabbit in the headlights, Anderson does what Khan is doing but is 5 mph quicker and has a more consistent line and length.

Zaheer Khan is a complete bowler - he's a master of all conditions.

Anderson is a one dimensional bowler.

Zaheer is feeling his way back in, by the time they move to TB, Zaheer will be up in pace, around 85mph.

India's batsmen have superior technical ability.

eirebilly wrote:LeBron, given the conditions i would hardly consider this a batsmans paradice. I would say even India's vaunted batting line up would struggle in this, hench Dhoni winning the toss and sending England into bat.

Same was said in South Africa, against the best fast bowling unit in World cricket, India where fine - due to having brilliant technical ability.

i think any team would struggle in these conditions to be honest,altough it will swing more at trent bridge

indeed. they'd grafted hard but runs were hard to come by. Just needed to be watchful.

Poor stuff after a great day at Somerset at the weekend.

i thought eng did ok in sa too.

not bad for a minnow.

LeBron's Homie wrote:

Raymond wrote:

LeBron's Homie wrote:England's much vaunted batting line up is technically inept.

I would of loved to see anderson and tremlett this morning the indian batsman would be like a rabbit in the headlights, Anderson does what Khan is doing but is 5 mph quicker and has a more consistent line and length.

Zaheer Khan is a complete bowler - he's a master of all conditions.

Anderson is a one dimensional bowler.

Zaheer is feeling his way back in, by the time they move to TB, Zaheer will be up in pace, around 85mph.

India's batsmen have superior technical ability.

http://www.relianceiccrankings.com/ranking/test/bowling/

Have a look for your self who the better bowler is, and Don Bradman would find it hard against Anderson and Tremlett this morning nevermind the Indians

One dimensional? Can swing it in and away, has reverse swing has pace (can get up to 90 when he wants too) has a good surprise bouncer (ask Ryder) Khan a military medium bowler who has learnt a few tricks, he is not a natural fast bowler like Anderson is.

LeBron's Homie wrote:England's much vaunted batting line up is technically inept.

to be honest i think you need to have a long hard look, at your comments you write, because the anti-england stuff is getting boring now

Proved a testing time for England's batting today, the conditions have favoured bowling full stop.

Let's hope we can now build on and get a good total.

I think it's a day where just surviving is the key.

If Lords does what it normally does it'll get easier and conditions are looking likely to improve; so for now someone just need to try to hang around.