Dowders_Jnr said:
No way you'll win the first test. Its in Nagpur and it will turn quite a bit. We don't play many tests there but from what I remember, it is a dusty pitch. Your best chance is in Mohali really. Expect that to be a cracking game.
No way you'll win the first test. Its in Nagpur and it will turn quite a bit. We don't play many tests there but from what I remember, it is a dusty pitch. Your best chance is in Mohali really. Expect that to be a cracking game.
Red-Indian said:
The last match at Nagpur was "the hardest, greenest Indian pitch in living memory" according to an Indian columnist whose article I just read... Don't know if that will be the case this time though. And either way I doubt England will win a match in this series.
Thats rubbishnealn said:
Mumbai(First day and morning sessions) and Mohali both would assist pacers more than Nagpur.
nealn said:
Was trying to recall which this might be. I knew we'd played relatively recently but couldn't remember the exact match. Had a look at cricinfo and it was against the ozzies. Yes it was bit of a greentop strangely. Don't know why. McGrath and Gillespie ran through us. It had a bit of a reputation for being a no-result pitch before that. Looking at stats, reminded me of one game there in which Zimbabwe had an unfinished second innings of 500+ to draw the game.
Usually, however the pitches in smaller grounds are underprepared. That was the reason for my comment really.
All 3 pitches against aussies were green tops, they laughed at us for giving them advantage at our home pitches.
Ah well, there was committee going around then trying to improve the quality of pitches. Gavaskar, Kapil and gang if i remember right. There was a lot of fuss in the media about how the poor quality of our pitches which weren't assisting pace bowlers was holding us back from doing well abroad as well as impeding the development of young pacers. BCCI spent a fair bit of money on foreign groundsmen to consult as well. There was a lot of self-righteous shit about how we were not afraid of having hard pitches because we would do well on any kind of pitch on the evidence of a couple of half-decent overseas tours.
I think we've given up most of that nonsense now.
I think we've given up most of that nonsense now.
It would have been a good idea to do that against weaker oppositions, not against the best team in the world.
crappycraperson said:
Sorry, I'm no expert on the various Indian pitches and just gave the quote I'd read about the last Nagpur pitch! No idea whether Mumbai or Mohali are normally more or less seamer-friendly than Nagpur. However, if they are (and you're undoubtedly 10x more of an expert on this than I am so I'll readily agree that they are) that doesn't nescessarily mean the columnist's point was inaccurate or untrue.
wow, people get their knickers in twist rather easily here nowdays.nealn said:
Giles has been ruled out, Blackwell comes in to replace him.
crappycraperson said:
I thought I read somewhere that Monty Panesar had been drafted in as replacement for Giles. Or are you bringing 3 spinners in Udal, Blackwell and Panesar?
The Poms would be stupid to play more than one spinner with the quickies available to them. Vaughan can do some offspin right? Can't recall if anybody else can their arm over.
The Poms would be stupid to play more than one spinner with the quickies available to them. Vaughan can do some offspin right? Can't recall if anybody else can their arm over.
Red-Indian said:
It was going to be the 3 of Udal, Giles and Panesar, but Giles can't make it so Blackwell has been called up to replace him.
I'd be very surprised if England didn't go with 4 quicks and a spinner, hopefully Panesar. Vaughan can if required, but doesn't really do it much, although he has got Tendulkar out. Bell can bowl some medium pace as well.
Hmm... if you're going to play just one (as should logically be the case), whats the point of bringing 3? Who's the quicks in the squad - Flintoff, Jones, Harmison, Hoggard...and? Anderson? Plunkett?
Basically you'll play 1 spinner out of 3 and 4 quicks out of 5. Seems like the early onset of panic to me. Good stuff.
In the end you'll probably end up playing Blackwell because he can also bat.
Basically you'll play 1 spinner out of 3 and 4 quicks out of 5. Seems like the early onset of panic to me. Good stuff.
In the end you'll probably end up playing Blackwell because he can also bat.
This is the Test Squad
I think they want 3 spinners incase they decide to go with an extra spinner, which would be silly IMO. If England do go with 2 spinners for some silly reason it will probably be Panesar and Udal.
I think they want 3 spinners incase they decide to go with an extra spinner, which would be silly IMO. If England do go with 2 spinners for some silly reason it will probably be Panesar and Udal.
It's as idiotic as us going with 3 openers to Pakistan and then opening with Dravid.Red-Indian said:
Thanks. Just trying to remember how many of your batsmen have actually played tests in India before. Its been so long that its really difficult. Trescothick was around the last time i'm sure. Nobody else really as far as I can see.
They're going to have a tough time. Vaughan better figure out a way to win all tosses if you're going to challenge. You might as well write off any game in which you bat second.
They're going to have a tough time. Vaughan better figure out a way to win all tosses if you're going to challenge. You might as well write off any game in which you bat second.
Red-Indian said:
I think Trescothick, Flintoff and Vaughan all played on the last tour...
crappycraperson said:
Do you think Dravid will carry on opening?
india win 2-0
nealn said:
Flintoff ofcourse. Who can forget his bare-chested celebration in the last one-dayer? But he hardly took his batting seriously those days.
I can't remember Vaughan though. Maybe you're right but I would've remembered if he made some impact.
A lot depends on the pitches as well. Wel probabily bat well although our batsman seem to be troubled continiously by the ball coming in, which English bowlers do very well... But we could easily prepare real turners and just destroy England.. But i hope it has something for the pacers.
So this Panesar bloke then, am I the only one to think that he's going to get absolutely pasted over there?
Red-Indian said:
Vaughan played two tests and batted in three innings averaging over 50 with the aid of a not out... And he got himself out for "HandBall" as well! Surprised you don't remember that!
http://stats.cricinfo.com/guru?sdb=player;playerid=4709;class=testplayer;filter=basic;team=0;opposition=IND;notopposition=0;season=0;homeaway=away;continent=0;country=0;notcountry=0;groundid=0;startdefault=1999-11-25;start=1999-11-25;enddefault=2005-12-03;end=2005-12-03;tourneyid=0;finals=0;daynight=0;toss=0;scheduledovers=0;scheduleddays=0;innings=0;result=0;followon=0;seriesresult=0;captain=0;keeper=0;dnp=0;recent=;viewtype=aro_list;runslow=;runshigh=;batposition=0;dismissal=0;bowposition=0;ballslow=;ballshigh=;bpof=0;overslow=;overshigh=;conclow=;conchigh=;wicketslow=;wicketshigh=;dismissalslow=;dismissalshigh=;caughtlow=;caughthigh=;caughttype=0;stumpedlow=;stumpedhigh=;csearch=;submit=1;.cgifields=viewtype
I did my research and I see it now. He came in for Thorpe who had to fly home for some reason or the other, played a couple of innings, got a 50 and got out for handling the ball.
I can't believe I remember nothing about that dismissal.
Anyway, my point still stands. You don't have many batsmen who have decent experience about playing on spinning wickets. It'll be tough for the new boys. Butcher or even Thorpe (is he still alive?) would have been a useful option to have on a tour like this.
I can't believe I remember nothing about that dismissal.
Anyway, my point still stands. You don't have many batsmen who have decent experience about playing on spinning wickets. It'll be tough for the new boys. Butcher or even Thorpe (is he still alive?) would have been a useful option to have on a tour like this.
mojo said:
There is a chance, but at least he will be on a wicket that will help him. Plus he can't be any worse than Udal.
Dubai_Devil said:
Exactly.
The result may prove to be the same but at least they're blooding someone new.
Udal getting injured would be a very good thing.
Dubai_Devil said:
Good point, well made.
Yes, especially on Indian pitches.nealn said:
Red-Indian said:
Thorpe I agree with, not really that bothered about Butcher who never seemed any better or worse against spin than most of England's incompetents.
crappycraperson said:
Cheers!
Is there a One day series planned as well?
crappycraperson said:
I think there are supposed to be 7 ODIs after the 3 tests, or at least that's what I heard.
I hope Dravid doesnt open. Hes our best batsman and he should play in the position hes most effective at. Barring the odd occasions, he doesnt quite enjoy opening. IMO it would be a foolish decision to expose him to the new ball.
So what do you lot think the Indian team will be?
The team's more or less certain with a couple of minor questions. I would say
Sehwag
Dravid
Laxman
Tendulkar
Yuvraj
Dhoni
Pathan
Kumble
Harbhajan
Zaheer
The only doubt is the 6th batsman / 5th bowler
If batsman then Ganguly or Kaif - probably Ganguly.
If bowler then RP Singh or Agarkar if a quickie, if a spinner Murali Karthik
Couple of wildcards in Gambhir or Jaffer if they suddenly decide on a specialist opener to play with Sehwag. Also Mumbai's Ramesh Powar has suddenly been called up for the one-dayers Pakistan. If he does well, maybe he'll come into the reckoning for the tests. I've always had a soft spot for him. Plucky little offspinner who plays some excellent quick innings down the order.
Sehwag
Dravid
Laxman
Tendulkar
Yuvraj
Dhoni
Pathan
Kumble
Harbhajan
Zaheer
The only doubt is the 6th batsman / 5th bowler
If batsman then Ganguly or Kaif - probably Ganguly.
If bowler then RP Singh or Agarkar if a quickie, if a spinner Murali Karthik
Couple of wildcards in Gambhir or Jaffer if they suddenly decide on a specialist opener to play with Sehwag. Also Mumbai's Ramesh Powar has suddenly been called up for the one-dayers Pakistan. If he does well, maybe he'll come into the reckoning for the tests. I've always had a soft spot for him. Plucky little offspinner who plays some excellent quick innings down the order.
Yeap, either it is 5th bowler or Ganguly.Red-Indian said:
I would go with 5th bowler, Dhoni and Pathan are well capable of holding out.
Even if they have to send Yuvraj or Ganguly to open its fine, but Dravid shouldnt open.
No he won't.I'd eat my keyboard if he did.crappycraperson said:
Gambhir will open with Sehwag.Laxman at number three and Sachin at four.Then Dravid and then I'd like to see Kaif instead of Yuvraj, then Dhoni, Pathan Bhajji Kumble Zaheer.
I'd like to see a new pacer tried out instead of Zaheer Khan though...Munaf?
Where in the goddamn feck is Balaji these days??