England's Summer of Cricket 2021

[Duty281]

That's the important wicket. Deserved for Robinson and England.

Now into that brittle middle order.

[msp83]

And now Rahul goes, umpire took his time, gave it out, and Rahul has to go on umpire's call. Very borderline call, going England's way this time.

[alfie]

Robinson gets Rahul...the old nip-backer ...

Tried a review but that was looking good live.  Two gone - one for the drink waiters

If the first hour was shared England are now on top with that one ! All those maidens really telling...So Kholi is coming in under pressure again...

[msp83]

Another batting meltdown in the making? Think now Pujara will just get into that playing-out-balls mode and eventually miss one or edge one, Virat will be defending the 8th stumpers and Rahane will find a new way to get out. Another horror display in the making...

[alfie]

This should be Robinson's last over I feel.

Kind of glad Root didn't listen to you there , eirebilly

[msp83]

Pujara's off the mark. Got one on the legs and made use. He hasn't been getting too many of those in the last couple of years, and has in fact been attracting some of the balls of the series. But since the last innings, the bowlers have been kinder to him, just a little bit.
And Pujara would be happy, that he didn't have to face up to Anderson straight away. Now that Kohli is there, Anderson should be straight back on, regardless of his first spell being not that good, and regardless of how well Robinson and Woakes have bowled.

[msp83]

Unless he gets one of these 2 out in this over, this might be Robinson's last over of this spell and it should be Anderson back on.

[GSC]

Might be a crucial half hour in the context of this series

[alfie]

Unless he gets one of these 2 out in this over, this might be Robinson's last over of this spell and it should be Anderson back on.

Agreed. Robinson bowling well but eight is enough for now.

More to the point , Root concurs...

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

What an opening spell from Robinson - JDizzle, you can take your victory lap on your campaign to get him in the side

[Duty281]

Anderson loves bowling to both of these, so this should be a better second spell (as usual!).

[Soul Requiem]

Why is Hameed fielding at short leg instead of Pope?

[GSC]

Jimmy gets Pujara eventually. On the verge of being an excellent session this

[alfie]

And Anderson doesn't let them down...Pujara gone in a typical Jimmy wicket style , after a largely strokeless 31 balls...

39/3 and India in a spot of bother , you might say

Jadeja at five ???

[Duty281]

You took your time, umpire! 11th time Anderson has got Pujara, another beauty with the ball.

Erm...Jadeja in next? What a sign of faith in Rahane!

[GSC]

Rahane demoted?

[msp83]

Anderson gets Pujara, nothing new in that! Think Pujara is the batter Anderson has dismissed the most times in his career...
But there is something new from Kohli, he gives a promotion to Ravindra Jadeja, batting 5, ahead of both Ajinkya Rahane and Rishabh Pant, who both have been struggling, while Jadeja ran out of partners in each of his 3 innings in which he got a start. Lets see whether this will have any real impact.

[alfie]

Anderson loves bowling to both of these, so this should be a better second spell (as usual!).

I said he was at the wrong end at the start...

Like the way Root is using his bowlers this morning . Helps having Woakes , of course ! But the way they first strangled the scoring , and then started eating into the batting order , has been a great example of using your resources to optimum effect.

One more now would make a perfect session. The Indian tactic of sending in Jadeja seems a bit weird but we will judge it by how it works out...

[msp83]

Kohli not looking comfortable against Anderson. The old fox would really love to bag the Indian skipper before lunch...

[msp83]

Kohli seems to be in a rush to get India pass 78!

[alfie]

Kohli a bit mixed so far. Couple of times he's not been quite in control ; but also a couple of nice on drives. If he gets through to lunch he might fancy his chances later on...

53/3 off 23. Going to be a bit behind on the over rate !

[Duty281]

Somehow Jadeja survives Anderson's bowling until lunch, not being able to pick the in-swinger at all.

[Soul Requiem]

It's early in his innings but Jadeja does not look like a top five batsman which is not surprising.

[GSC]

Think England are 1-0 up on the all important session count.

[Duty281]

Good session for England, not quite a great one, after a slow opening thirty minutes.

Should be looking to keep below 200 from here. Jadeja's looking lost, Rahane and Pant in no form, then the tail. Woakes and Robinson bowling excellently, Anderson also has picked it up in his second spell.

[msp83]

So that is a session survived with significant damage. But unlike in the last test, they haven't already lost the test in that first session itself. They aren't too far away though, they can lose this test in the next session...

[msp83]

Absolutely pathetic overrates, even by the appalling standards both sides have shown in that department in this series.

[alfie]

Jadeja survives (somehow !) to lunch : a minor win for India. 54/3 from 25 ; could easily have been worse for them . Once the ball started really moving after about eight overs batting looked anything but easy...

Whether the tactic of protecting Rahane (and Pant) pays off we will see after lunch. I don't think England will be making it easy for Jadeja any time soon. If he - or Kohli - falls early in the session England could do a lot of damage. The pitch is OK for batting ; but we've seen that a lot of these Indian bats are still struggling to deal with anything that moves a bit so they'll be really hoping the skipper can nail a big one today.

[Soul Requiem]

So that is a session survived with significant damage. But unlike in the last test, they haven't already lost the test in that first session itself. They aren't too far away though, they can lose this test in the next session...

54-3 instead of 56/4.

[msp83]

So that is a session survived with significant damage. But unlike in the last test, they haven't already lost the test in that first session itself. They aren't too far away though, they can lose this test in the next session...

54-3 instead of 56/4.

The 4th was the admitedly struggling, but one of the big 3 batter, Ajinkya Rahane. And the skipper, is still there...

[GSC]

Kohli dropped by Root

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Sir Chris robbed by Root/Burns

[alfie]

Chance goes begging...really should have been the end of Kohli.

Refer to the point I made pre-game : that the cordon had just got into proper working order at Headingley ...and the absence of Buttler and following move of Bairstow from second might unsettle it again. No help for it , of course. But does illustrate what I was on about...

Hope that one doesn't come back to haunt them. I'd still have had Pope in there .

[Duty281]

Bairstow would have nabbed that at second slip.

[GSC]

Root slightly redeems himself by snaffling Jadeja this time

[Duty281]

That Jadeja promotion wasn't exactly a good idea.

Woakes bowling like he hasn't been away.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

What a magnificently handsome man Chris Woakes is

[alfie]

Root holds this one ...

Jadeja did a decent job but gone now ; fair reward for Woakes

Root looked a bit relieved! But it isn't the Big One , of course. Now Rahane will want to justify the use of the "lunch watchman" ...

[Soul Requiem]

Jadeja is a decent number seven but nothing more than that.

[guildfordbat]

Root slightly redeems himself by snaffling Jadeja this time

Wasn't able to watch the drop of Kohli. However, cricinfo blames Burns more for not going for it. Thoughts?

[GSC]

One of those awkward ones that's halfway between the two of them. Root should've had it if he went earlier though.

Rahane given out but reviews at the death...

[GSC]

And redeemed at the death, going over

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Root slightly redeems himself by snaffling Jadeja this time

Wasn't able to watch the drop of Kohli. However, cricinfo blames Burns more for not going for it. Thoughts?

I thought it was more Burns than Root's...also swung a fair bit away from Root at the end. Was right between the two though

[alfie]

Jadeja is a decent number seven but nothing more than that.

Indeed : rather unfair to him to ask him to bat at five. But if protecting Rahane and Pant results in one of them scoring heavily I guess they'll count it a plus ?

An odd move in a Test Match. Probably goes to show they are more than a little anxious about the fragility of their batting order. I'm sure they particularly didn't want Pant exposed to a ball that is still moving. Of course the flip side is Jadeja won't be there when they're six down...

Rahane survives an lbw with a shrewd review. Thought that might have been a bit high. A little bit of luck going India's way just lately...and they certainly need it. Woakes on song at present.

[Duty281]

Don't think Rahane's reprieve will count for much. At the moment he looks unsure as to which end of the bat he should be holding.

Root should get Robinson or Anderson on for Overton.

[alfie]

Root slightly redeems himself by snaffling Jadeja this time

Wasn't able to watch the drop of Kohli. However, cricinfo blames Burns more for not going for it. Thoughts?

Probably was Burn's catch : but they were so close together in their set up it was one of those where indecision can occur. Root went late...

Ball did curve in the air so not quite as easy as perhaps was assumed. But certainly ought to have been taken by one of them.

[msp83]

Mission accomplished, goes pass 78 with only 4 down!

[msp83]

Things not looking good at all for India. Rahane seems all at sea, Kohli is still defending balls that he should just leave alone. Rishabh will try to smash his way out of trouble, and Jadeja is already back in the hut.

[alfie]

Ball still wobbling. But looks a lot brighter out there now so England will want to nip one of these two out soonish...think this is the key partnership.

More likely to be Rahane who's not yet settled. Kohli isn't exactly in full control but I think he's looking a lot better today and might be set to make England really regret that chance.

Anderson back. I'd expected Robinson first as he's not bowled for a while.

[msp83]

Anderson back on, for his 3rd spell. Root using Anderson in short spells.

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