India v England - 5 test series.

Dozen Wicked Words

Slow over rates aren't doing Test cricket any good. ICC need to start fining teams runs and money. Joke from England today, 5 overs short.

Gillespy

Almost 4 minutes late bowling the first ball after tea. Roundabout way of dropping Cook?

How many more will India need? Another 100 would make for a great finish.

Rjd2

India will need 275 at least, I know some may disagree but what happens if Bhuvi does not fire? Want to be relying on Shami or Sharma who is averaging close to 50 over the last few years?

Its been a cracking test match although looking forward, Michael Clarke will be looking forward to hosting India and touring England immensely at the moment. :pac:

booth70

Great test match so far and an even contest between bat and ball .... just when you thought the pitch was flattening out it actually seemed to quicken up last evening

Vijay has been an absolute revelation this series.....For somebody who made his name in the IPL really didn't think he had the temperament for test cricket but the way he has curbed his natural attacking instincts has been impressive

240 plus will be a good score to defend but I think England will prevail in a close finish .... Hopefully the man of the series so far Bhuvi Kumar will still have a say in how this test match ends

booth70

Crazy innings from Dhoni..... He simply does not know whether to sink or swim when he bats outside India

Superb catch by Cook.....Unless Binny takes 6 for 22 and bowls England out later today that should be the end if his test career

179 ahead with Sir Jadeja at the crease and the new ball to come!

Rjd2

Vijay has been great indeed.

Binny needs to take wickets next innings, because that shot was an absolute disgrace. If Jadeja had done it would not have been as bad as he has no brain, but Binny the other week showed he could apply himself.

I wouldn't play him again this series for that shot alone if he does not contribute with the ball, dreadful stuff indeed.

booth70

England need to score 319 for the second time in the match to win

What a fascinating Test match.....easily one of the best of recent times

Still more drama to come I reckon before we are done with this match

booth70

80/4....

Excellent stuff from Ishant Sharma so far

If the bell has tolled for Cook it surely must be 'tolling' for Mr.Bell as well

India favourites now but surely there's still a couple of twists to come......The real fun begins when England are 7 down and India struggle to get the tailenders out as usual

Rjd2

India have been in more dominant positions before in the last 12 months, AB/Faf and Jimmy/ Mc Cullum took the games away from them so they need to be careful and go hard in the morning. Drop nothing and bowl well.

Even if England win though, Cook has to take some responsibility for his dire form, at very least drop the captaincy surely.

Prior tomorrow probably playing for his career, unlike others does not have time on his side to come back.

Gillespy

What about Anderson and Broad? Wasted that day 1 pitch. Look at what Steyn and Morkel have done in Sri Lanka this week. They're mentioned in the same breath all the time but really? They were out bowled by Sri Lanka and now India at home after spending the winter chasing Warner and Hadden. Cook won the toss and was let down by them again. It's okay to say drop the captancy but who is going to take over? Root? Bell? Broad? No standouts candidates.

I hope Ali does well tomorrow, he did it in Headingley and take the game as deep as possible.

huey1975

I wonder if the ECB apologise to KP would he make a comeback?

Gillespy

The last thing they need is KP back. The new batsmen have been a success, Robson, Ballance, Root and Ali have shown enough. It's the old guard, Cook, Bell, Prior, Anderson and Broad have been below par this summer.

Rjd2

Yep lets not forget kp wasn't really doing much in the last 12 months, wasn't liked, has shot knees and is getting on a bit.

As Gil said the new batsman have been fine, and they have James Vince who is a run machine this year and even Morgan who has got some runs for Middlesex if they want to add some flair to the middle order.

Broad was fine in Australia to be fair, just nobody bar Stokes stood up, and I rate him as world class but he was woeful on the first day. He is a bit like Morne, at times you think nobody can touch him when he has those spells as Australia well know, but other times you just want to bang your head against a wall watching him.

Anderson looks knackered at the moment. He could do with a break, maybe bring in Jordan or Woakes who has been good for Warwickshire this season.

booth70

Rjd2 wrote: »

India have been in more dominant positions before in the last 12 months, AB/Faf and Jimmy/ Mc Cullum took the games away from them so they need to be careful and go hard in the morning. Drop nothing and bowl well.

Even if England win though, Cook has to take some responsibility for his dire form, at very least drop the captaincy surely.

Prior tomorrow probably playing for his career, unlike others does not have time on his side to come back.

Agree.....India should have won those matches at Jo'burg and Wellington but didn't and if England make it to say 170/4 then it will be panic stations for Dhoni....Dhoni simply cannot let the game drift like he usually does from positions like this

If India lose this questions must surely be asked about Dhoni as a captain and his value as a batsman in the Test team given India's dismal record overseas in the last 3 years......but as long as that crook Srinivasan runs the BCCI Dhoni can do do what he pleases

Cook will survive both as captain and batsman if England win......The only likely replacement as captain in this side is Bell who could do with being dropped himself.....Root is too young and will command no respect from the likes of Broad or Anderson...... And Morgan is not a Test batsman let alone a Test captain!

djimi

booth70 wrote: »

If the bell has tolled for Cook it surely must be 'tolling' for Mr.Bell as well

Bell has a couple of scores at least this summer which will probably deflect attention from him for a while longer. Cook and Prior are both on very thin ice at this stage; Id be surprised to see both play the next test and wouldnt be at all surprised to see neither play (although I dont think Cook will be dropped nor do I think he will step aside).

booth70

djimi wrote: »

Bell has a couple of scores at least this summer which will probably deflect attention from him for a while longer. Cook and Prior are both on very thin ice at this stage; Id be surprised to see both play the next test and wouldnt be at all surprised to see neither play (although I dont think Cook will be dropped nor do I think he will step aside).

Cook and Prior will survive if England win today.....

booth70 wrote: »

Agree.....India should have won those matches at Jo'burg and Wellington but didn't and if England make it to say 170/4 then it will be panic stations for Dhoni....Dhoni simply cannot let the game drift like he usually does from positions like this

If India lose this questions must surely be asked about Dhoni as a captain and his value as a batsman in the Test team given India's dismal record overseas in the last 3 years......but as long as that crook Srinivasan runs the BCCI Dhoni can do do what he pleases

England have moved serenely to 140/4......

I am starting to get that 'Here we go again' feeling that afflicts all Indian cricket fans when India play overseas

Rjd2

Yeah England look in control here, and plenty of batting to come. Its been a strange captaincy from Dhoni with some would call very odd fielding decisions.

India have been here before in the last 12 months.

Also is Binny going to have a bowl ever? Looks really petty of Dhoni to be using Vijay and Dhawan ahead of him.

Gillespy

Mitchell Johnston would have been proud of that over by Ishant. Prior has some of that to look forward to.

booth70

This match continues to fascinate .......Vital and totally against the run of play breakthrough off the last ball before lunch ...... Good stuff from Ishanth Sharma

173/5

New ball due in 4 overs......With 2 walking wickets due to come in at 7 and 8 , India have an outside chance here but runs will flow against the new ball as well

That session though has swung the game towards England and this might still be England's match to lose

England's batting depth should count and I reckon Cook will be thanking Root this evening for saving his captaincy and career

Rjd2

Gillespy wrote: »

Mitchell Johnston would have been proud of that over by Ishant. Prior has some of that to look forward to.

He did well, but that was really SC rookie way of dealing with the short ball from Ali. Twice he has done the hard work in this test in getting in and has given it away very simply.

booth70

Some crazy tactics after lunch by India

Whatever happened to bowling proper line and length to the new batsman

It's new ball or bust for India I think

KevIRL

Its all down to Roooooooot really

booth70

booth70 wrote: »

Some crazy tactics after lunch by India

Well what do I know!......even crazier stuff from Prior

Is that the last we have seen of Prior in a Test match?

Gillespy

Leaked a few boundaries but it worked.

Stokes in no form and new ball due.

Rjd2

Brought back memories of this. Really poor from Prior, but he has looked shot for a long time. Even if England win, he is finished sadly in test cricket.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xZTUB7dU8Y

booth70

201/7.....

With the walking wickets out of the way the chase starts in earnest now!

Gillespy

This is a collapse now. 6 for Ishant.

lambayire

Utterly pathetic batting by England, post-lunch.

Cook, Bell, Prior and Stokes should be in a bit of bother for selection.
Stuart Broad looks wrecked as a bowler too.

Dozen Wicked Words

Game over, Cook needs to go. Worst run of results for England since early 90s.

Gillespy

Jadeja runs out Anderson to end it.

The fun starts here, five days to the next test I wonder what that team will look like.