India v England - 5 test series.

Rjd2 · 07-07-2014 9:40pm #1

Starting on Wednesday.

Its not been to rosy the last 12 months for English cricket.:pac:

Hammering in the Ashes, then a trashing in the shortest format, the world cup debacle, and then a loss in all formats to Sri Lanka at home. Losing a limited over series to Lanka is no shock, they are gun in that format, but losing at home a test series to them is very poor, no matter what spin Cook tried to put on it.

Next up is India, some promising signs in NZ and SA, but ultimately they lost both series, 1-0 in both occasions, 2 losses and 3 draws, they will at the very least want to win a test in England especially with a brutal series in Australia after this.

Questions as always will be can India get 20 wickets in a match, Ishant, Bhuvi, Shami, Jadeja and Stuart "all rounder" Binny will form the attack if cricinfo speculation is to be trusted.

I'd assume England will play the same team as last time with possibly Stokes for Plunkett. Ali will be the spinner, its a tough one for him as India have belted better spinners than him around the park before.

Anyways I'd back England to win this series, not with much confidence really, the India attack doesn't inspire and they were flogged in the warm ups, Cook who really needs runs has an insane record against them.

What do we think, who is winning this series?

Gillespy · 08-07-2014 12:32am

Any sign of Monty? England are desperate for a spinner or one Cook will actually use. Ali and Root to tweak a few it is then, two fives make a ten?

Surely Plunkett won't be dropped. Jordan out for Stokes. 6 is too high for Stokes anyway, century aside he didn't look that convincing as a batsman I thought. Gets in as a bowler anyway.

India are warmed up nicely after SA and NZ away. No one gave Sri Lanka's bowlers a chance. Five test match series are a rarity outside Ashes, I hope it's close and competitive unlike last time they were in England.

Rjd2 · 08-07-2014 1:04am

Gillespy wrote: »

Any sign of Monty? England are desperate for a spinner or one Cook will actually use. Ali and Root to tweak a few it is then, two fives make a ten?

Surely Plunkett won't be dropped. Jordan out for Stokes. 6 is too high for Stokes anyway, century aside he didn't look that convincing as a batsman I thought. Gets in as a bowler anyway.

India are warmed up nicely after SA and NZ away. No one gave Sri Lanka's bowlers a chance. Five test match series are a rarity outside Ashes, I hope it's close and competitive unlike last time they were in England.

from the official essex site.

“Ben Foakes and Monty Panesar have been left out on current form and they need to go and play some second team cricket and get a bit of confidence back again.

http://www.essexcricket.org.uk/2014/07/06/derbyshire-v-essex-match-preview/

Some very average 4 day batting line ups in division 2 which Monty should be feasting on but he is really not doing very well at all. Ajmal is at Worc and he is running riot, should Monty be replicating his numbers?

Probably not as Ajmal is a gun, but he should be doing better than he currently is, don't blame Essex. Very hard for England to pick him now, especially as Cook does not seem to fond of him.

They will use Ali, he was the only English player allowed to play county cricket after the Lanka series, he has potential but he bowls a lot of four balls, not the best strategy against Kohli and pujara.:pac:

Root will chip in with a few as well.

If Ali is slaughtered, they may go back to Shane Watsons favorite bowler Kerrigan as he played at Lancashire with Moores, and quite a lot of chat about Adam Riley.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/player/309981.html

Again though a reasonably inexperienced 2nd division spinner. The loss of Swann is huge, and every option is a total gamble. Don't envy the selectors with that one.

Plunkett will definitely play, got the pace to unsettle the likes of Dhawan and a few others especially Rohit Sharma.

The 2 things the Lanka bowling attack has over India, a proven spinner overseas, and Matthews is a very handy fifth bowler.Not sure if Binny is anywhere near his class.

Should be a good series, five test series are rare. Hopefully India don't get slaughtered, test cricket needs them to be competitive.

booth70 · 09-07-2014 1:08pm

India 107/1 at lunch Day 1

Both teams already appear to have got their bowling options wrong....... Would have liked to see Ashwin instead of Binny for India and Jordan instead of Stokes for England

Vijay looks in sublime touch but the pitch seems flatter than some of the flattest pitches in India!

axe2grind · 09-07-2014 1:56pm

Wow, 2 quick wickets
and how did they manage to get 30 overs in the first session with the quicks bowling 28 of them.

byronbay2 · 09-07-2014 3:36pm

Extremely slow, flat wicket - surprising for Trent Bridge. I don't think the England players and staff will be too pleased with the groundsman. Poor/sloppy play by India to have lost 3 wickets already. Any decent batting side should be looking for a big score (400+) on this wicket. The match has DRAW written all over it.

Rjd2 · 09-07-2014 4:57pm

byronbay2 wrote: »

Extremely slow, flat wicket - surprising for Trent Bridge. I don't think the England players and staff will be too pleased with the groundsman. Poor/sloppy play by India to have lost 3 wickets already. Any decent batting side should be looking for a big score (400+) on this wicket. The match has DRAW written all over it.

India may regret not playing 2 spinners here, and even if you are only playing one Ashwin is better than Jadeja at everything bar fielding.

Big moment for Dhoni, his numbers overseas aren't to exciting, could do with some runs here.

booth70 · 09-07-2014 7:54pm

Cook is going to flog Anderson and Broad to death by the time this series is over

Moeen Ali as their main spinner is a joke against the Indians

Think it will be a looooonnngggg summer for both the bowling attacks&#55357;&#56863;

Rjd2 · 09-07-2014 8:47pm

Wait until Binny and Sharma bowl before we judge the pitch;)

booth70 · 10-07-2014 2:09pm

346/9

Some aimless batting by India today....

Time for England to wrap this up and for this Test match to move on

Rjd2 · 10-07-2014 2:12pm

Binny and Jadeja better do something with the ball because I am very skeptical about both of them been in the team. Ashwin is better than Jadedja at everything bar fielding while Binny? ****ing Binny.:mad:

byronbay2 · 10-07-2014 3:00pm

India on 368-9 now and if England can get the last wicket fairly soon (less than 400 anyway) they will have done a good days work. If they can then get over 100 today for none or 1, they will be in a good position to threaten winning the Test. Alternatively, of course, they could be 3 down for 80 and in position to lose. Still, at least we have a bit of excitement at last!

Gillespy · 10-07-2014 3:11pm

I love a good 10th wicket stand.

Captain and opener desperate for runs, it's the last thing Cook needed after getting those 4 quick wickets.

booth70 · 10-07-2014 3:30pm

403/9

Excellent stuff from the tailenders but dosen't augur well for Indian bowlers though if nos 10 and jack can bat 25 overs without a bother in the world

byronbay2 · 10-07-2014 3:32pm

Gillespy wrote: »

I love a good 10th wicket stand.

Captain and opener desperate for runs, it's the last thing Cook needed after getting those 4 quick wickets.

Typical England - can't skittle the tail!! Well, if Shami (average 1st class batting score 3.33, high score 10) can score on this pitch (currently 23 n.o), there is absolutely no excuse for the English batsmen not to get a large 1st-innings lead. Will be interesting to see how they do.

Rjd2 · 10-07-2014 3:36pm

booth70 wrote: »

403/9

Excellent stuff from the tailenders but dosen't augur well for Indian bowlers though if nos 10 and jack can bat 25 overs without a bother in the world

Have faith.

They have never faced Binny before.

byronbay2 · 10-07-2014 4:16pm

433-9. This must be infuriating for England and all the English fans. 87 runs for the last wicket so far - can they get to 100?? Just saw an interesting stat on the BBC:

"England's last 10th-wicket partnership of 50 or more was back in 2008. Since then have conceded eight."

Rjd2 · 10-07-2014 11:35pm

Despite the loss of Cook, I think England should not lose from here. Its a flat pitch and the key will be to survive the spells where the ball reverses, do that and they should get a big score. Loads of batting to come as well.

booth70 · 11-07-2014 4:20am

What a dreadful pitch to play on :mad:..... and that too in England of all places

Hopefully the remaining matches allow for a more even contest between bat and ball

Unless one of the two teams has a second innings melt down of calamitous proportions this match has a draw written all over it after only 2 days of play:(

byronbay2 · 11-07-2014 10:53am

booth70 wrote: »

What a dreadful pitch to play on :mad:..... and that too in England of all places

Hopefully the remaining matches allow for a more even contest between bat and ball

Unless one of the two teams has a second innings melt down of calamitous proportions this match has a draw written all over it after only 2 days of play:(

Hey - that's MY phrase!!

BTW, disaster for Cook yesterday. The perfect opportunity to get a badly-needed big score and he gets out (unluckily, it must be said) for 5. Still, England should still score well today as long as they get through the first hour ok. If the Indian No. 11, who never got any kind of decent score in his life before, can score 51 n.o on this pitch then there really are no excuses.

Rjd2 · 11-07-2014 11:50am

Hoping for a mental session where someone collapses, but to be honest its been pretty turgid stuff so far.

Jonny_Darcy · 11-07-2014 12:33pm

Balance and Robson in a good position here to make some runs. Cook what can you say, when you're in bad form everything goes against you. I certainly don't think he should be dropped as captain

Rjd2 · 11-07-2014 12:44pm

Well done Bangladesh, you lost six wickets in 4 overs to Stuart Binny.:mad:

Probably going to moan about this until the test over, but noway should he have been playing ahead of Ashwin.

Rjd2 · 11-07-2014 12:48pm

"hard to know what Stuart Binny will offer"

Michael Atherton quote. Fair enough.:pac:

byronbay2 · 11-07-2014 12:51pm

118-1. Both English batsmen over 50 now and very well set. No reason why both can't make centuries on this pitch, if they're careful. You can be sure that they're both thinking that as well: "Make hay while the sun shines!"

djimi · 11-07-2014 1:14pm

Rjd2 wrote: »

Hoping for a mental session where someone collapses, but to be honest its been pretty turgid stuff so far.

I cant even be bothered to watch at the moment. Such a non-event of a test match. Barring a collapse this is heading for a dire draw. If India had shown some cop on yesterday they could have better until next week if they wanted to.

booth70 · 11-07-2014 3:15pm

Boy.....Mooen Ali must be one the most graceful left handers to play the game

Very pleasing to the eye

Game on after a mind numbing spell from Ishanth Sharma

booth70 · 11-07-2014 3:21pm

booth70 wrote: »

Boy.....Mooen Ali must be one the most graceful left handers to play the game

Very pleasing to the eye

Game on after a mind numbing spell from Ishanth Sharma

196/5.....

Game really on now!!

byronbay2 · 11-07-2014 3:26pm

England 197-5. A typical England collapse, 4 wickets down since lunch. Looking at a substantial 1st innings deficit now - still over 250 behind. The remaining 5 batsmen need to mind their wickets and plan to occupy the crease for a substantial period.

byronbay2 · 11-07-2014 3:34pm

202-7. I think we can safely call it a "spectacular" collapse now!! Prior very unlucky, Stokes just stupid.

England facing the very real possibility of the follow-on now - unthinkable 2 hours ago!

Rjd2 · 11-07-2014 3:36pm

India need to be careful here, yes they have good, but what hurt them in NZ and South Africa, they did not wrap things up when on charge. Root, Plunkett and Broad can still put on partnerships between them.

India v England - 5 test series.

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