Fair point. I suppose regardless of where he plays, he is going to be under huge scrutiny.
India's tour of England
- Thread starter KM
- Start date
Fair point. I suppose regardless of where he plays, he is going to be under huge scrutiny.
Whaaaaaat??!!!!! Love every form of the game. Used to chat cricket quite a bit in the newbies, but I hate you mainers so don't bother up here. Second best sport in the world (after women's beach volleyball).
Bell frustrates me. First 4 balls of this 27th Bell could have easily have played a cut shot off the back foot as the ball's were wide enough to be hit. Then he tries a cut with the 5th ball (much straighter) which nearly got him. Manages to scramble a run down to third man last ball of the over. I hope this picks up. There's a few balls there to be stroked, and he's just leaving them. England need some runs on the board. Poor partnership, it's all based on survival atm. Sad. Get swinging the blade blurts.
Ballances first boundary took 59 balls. Lovely shot though tbf.
Would like to Stuart Binny on this pitch. Should suit his bowling.
Bet Bell wishes he'd taken a slash at a few of them wider ones now. Gone. Gloved. Ffs.
Balance will save the day. He'll bat the rest of the day out for about 40 max
Root straight off the mark with 3 though. attack attack attack
Balance will save the day. He'll bat the rest of the day out for about 40 max
Root straight off the mark with 3 though. attack attack attack
I'm hoping for Moeen to get plenty. If Rahane is anything to go by, it's a pitch where your best bet is to prod around a little but then attack. Moeen should be our best at that... Prior, too, if he was in form.
I really wanted to see Ballance and KP together for far more than one match, hugely talented AND natural 3 and 4's together, one on the way up, one on the way down, but still. #BringBacKP
Should have been caught. First slip and keeper leaving it to each other. Got away with one there.
50 up for Ballance. Be handy if him and Ali can build a partnership now. Moeen reluctant to play too many shots. Prob good option as it just before tea.
There is marked difference in the look of the pitch since yesterday. England have missed a trick by allowing last 3 of India to score 150 runs. Reckon 3rd and 4th day might turn out to be good days to bat. Overall, a lot better match as compared to Trent Bridge.
India bowling a decent length on this pitch, which is still pretty green.
Looking at the graphic of Kumar's balls bowled today, 90%+ of them are on a good length. He's been hard to get away. His 3 wicket balls all came from that good length. Has bowled well today.
Yup, better length than England bowlers bowled yesterday at times. The warm weather will probably take out almost all of greenery off the pitch by tomorrow. It can be a great game if England get bowled out for 275-300. Will be setup nicely for 2nd innings.
What's the point of Stuart Binny?
Ballance has been fantastic again.
England need a nice lead to have any chance. Can't see them chasing too many in the 4th innings.
England need a nice lead to have any chance. Can't see them chasing too many in the 4th innings.
I hoped for a flurry of runs after tea. England look content to just bat the day out without too many casualties occurring. Negative.
Poor show, at the home of cricket. India will get the new ball before the end of the day, which will probably slow it down even more. Or skittle them
Poor show, at the home of cricket. India will get the new ball before the end of the day, which will probably slow it down even more. Or skittle them
He's been solid. His partners have all been shy of runs/shots though. Partnership developing with Ali now though.
I hoped for a flurry of runs after tea. England look content to just bat the day out without too many casualties occurring. Negative.
Poor show, at the home of cricket. India will get the new ball before the end of the day, which will probably slow it down even more. Or skittle them
There is plenty of time remaining in the game and right now it is not a very easy pitch to bat on. I guess these two will try to reduce the deficit as much as they can and if tomorrow conditions ease further, the likes of Prior and Broad can accelerate later, if needed.
The traditional weapon of Asian bowlers, reverse swing, has been better used by England and at conventional swing, where you expect England to be better, India have been more effective
I've probably been harsh. Both have done well to stay in on a tricky pitch. It's my selfishness that wanted more runs!
One of the few positives is the news boys to come in to the batting line up have all done well for England so far. Plenty of promise there. People keep talking about Ali's spinning but the fact he's an excellent batsmen and that's what he should judged upon, his bowling is just a happy bonus. His batting alone warrants a place in the side and if we are insistent on keeping 4 seamers in, well then Cook is the only viable option to drop out.
No such danger of Ballance dropping out though, a brilliant hundred and looks set for the team for years to come.
No such danger of Ballance dropping out though, a brilliant hundred and looks set for the team for years to come.
They should be bowling Binny a lot more.
Agree with all this. I'm not convinced Moeen's batting will be enough to justify his place on its own, in the long run, but so far it's been very good.
Strange dismissal. As if he just lost concentration, which isn't his usual way.
Great day of cricket today. Both teams go on equal terms. If England get a lead of about 100, then they should win this.
The traditional weapon of Asian bowlers, reverse swing, has been better used by England and at conventional swing, where you expect England to be better, India have been more effective
England have been using reverse swing better than most nations for over a decade.
Anyone else think Ian 'superman in the eyes of the media' Bell is becoming as big a problem as Alastair Cook?
Averaging 25 this year, since 2012 he hasn't averaged above 50 in a series except from in last years Ashes where he averaged a decent, but not spectacular, 60, and, excluding a series where he averaged 111 against the West Indies with a high score of 72* (alongside 61, 63*, 22) hasn't averaged over 50 in a series for 3 years.
The worst thing about all this is that at no single point in this spell has he ever looked out of nick or in bad touch, or ever really likely to get out, yet seems to have refound a completely inexplicable ability to just get out a lot.
Seriously, seriously, needs to start making runs again.
Averaging 25 this year, since 2012 he hasn't averaged above 50 in a series except from in last years Ashes where he averaged a decent, but not spectacular, 60, and, excluding a series where he averaged 111 against the West Indies with a high score of 72* (alongside 61, 63*, 22) hasn't averaged over 50 in a series for 3 years.
The worst thing about all this is that at no single point in this spell has he ever looked out of nick or in bad touch, or ever really likely to get out, yet seems to have refound a completely inexplicable ability to just get out a lot.
Seriously, seriously, needs to start making runs again.
It will take alot to get a lead of 100 from the current position. India are just ahead in my opinion.
nm
Ian ' pretty thirties' bell. He looks likeBrian Littrell from the Backstreet boys.
England's only genuine world class players were Grame Swann and Kevin Pietersen. The rest were merely good and are now being found out.
Indeed, but the merest mention that he's doing it again provokes a snigger and a 'what is this 2010 hunhnunghungung'. Also, I think its completely fair to say Cook and Trott were both world class.
At home they have. Think the Duke ball plays a big part in that, Spoons.
We're letting this slip.
Prior deservedly goes. Been all at sea since the start. We have given away too many runs here, some really poor deliveries. Dhoni has spread the field against Plunkett now. 
Just put it on. How is Plunkett playing? Riding his luck or looking decent?
Looked like England's best batsman after Ballance.
Good stuff.
Hoping he goes on and makes this an innings that proves he does have a contribution to make with the bat. I rate him more than Broad, as a batsman.