International cricket thread

byronbay2

Royale with Cheese wrote: »

Just watching the highlights now. Kohli not walking after being bowled, hilarious.

Actually reminds me of a match vs Leinster 6 in Division 13 or maybe 14 where the keeper was standing right up to the stumps and there were a few clean bowleds with no noise of the ball hitting the stumps, we were convinced he was just whipping the bails off himself. Maybe we were just delusional.

That seemed to be what Kohli thought had happened - hilarious stuff indeed! I know it's a cliche but the look on his face was priceless!

Strumms

Upcoming session will in all probably be the most crucial in determining an outcome.. England dispatch them for 340 or better as they might need to batting second , with the weather set 100% fair it’s lined up to be close game, but this session should tell all...

England would be hopeful next time around over in India of having the chance to select a more threatening spin bowler than Leach...economical certainly, can be dangerous but 50 wickets in 13 tests is average at this level..averages less then 4 wickets per test, 3.84, ‘averaging’ less then 2 per innings, hmmmm...you wouldn’t be having Chennai choking reading those stats.

Mysterypunter

India 301-8, Moeen Ali with 2 wickets in a flash, but he bowls some tripe as well, second one was off a horrible full toss. India have too many already

Mysterypunter

329 for India, brainless batting by the tail, leaving Pant not out on 58, impressive bowling by Ollie Stone, 3/47

Mysterypunter

Burns lbw to Ishant 3rd ball. England 0/1

Mysterypunter

24/3 now, Sibley 16, Root 6, both out, looks bleak for England, West Indies 98/6 in Bangladesh, leading by 211

Mysterypunter

Lawrence out to Ashwin off the final ball of the first session, England 39/4

MFPM

England back down to earth with a bang. 134 all out. Only Folkes put up any real resistance. No Root heroics today. India totally on top hard to see them lose from here. England need to bowl far better than first innings to have any chance of saving the game albeit a tiny hope.

Mysterypunter

England 134 all out, trail by 195. Ben Foakes made 41*, and 5 wickets for Ashwin. Wicket Keepers are 100/0 in this match

dfx-

England would do well to put away the sweep shot

Gillespy

1-1 going to the day/nighter in Ahmedabad isn't a bad position to be. It's not all doom and gloom for England. Can't change your tune one test to the next about the importance of the toss. Rohit the difference maker like Root was last week. Ashwin is a class apart in both spin attacks. His figures are incredible now.

More umpiring controversy today again. Could do without dodgy decisions going to the home team in a one sided game.

Doodah7

Pitch is a shocker. No way should it be a raging bunsen after two and a bit days.

Gillespy

Started way too dry. Done on purpose in the belief it takes the luck of the toss out of it for India. Ball exploded off a good length from Moeen Ali today and hit Rohit in the grill. Bit of a farce really. India have completely outplayed England and it's a very poor pitch. Both can be true at the same time.

VillaMad

It's a very poor pitch. Test Cricket is a 5-day game and should have pitches designed to try and last the 5 days, not 3. Cricket should always try to find a balance between bat and ball and this pitch has been far too kind for the spin bowlers.

byronbay2

"It's a shame that the toss can be so vital in a test match but it looks like the Chennai pitch will start turning much sooner in the 2nd Test so the toss will not be so important tomorrow morning. India are big favourites (and rightly so) and the spinners will undoubtedly win this test; a draw is VERY unlikely imo! Playing Moeen Ali is a massive risk for England but, either way, I expect India to win convincingly. The only thing stopping me having a massive punt is Root!"

Above were my thoughts before the start of the match and (obviously) I wish I had punted on India now! The match is as good as over with India having a 250 run lead and 9 wickets left in their 2nd innings. The 250 runs they already have would probably be enough but no doubt they will put the match beyond England's reach tomorrow. Ashwin is different gravy in these conditions and the pitch ain't getting any better!

I hope India are held to account for creating a pitch that turned so much from the beginning of the match. It's not allowed and it's not really cricket! The match could easily be over in less than 3 days. Still, we should be set for an exciting conclusion to the series with the scores tied at 1 -1.

Mysterypunter

Ridiculous review system, the ball missed the bat by 2 feet, and they were checking for an edge, eventually given out lbw, but they sent men to the moon quicker, 202/7 India, lead by 397

MFPM

India have more than enough to win but they're still going, just trying to wear England down. Ali has taken 4 in the innings and 8 in the match, he's mixed some really good balls with some poor stuff but given he hasn't played much he's done well. A bit less moaning about the pitch today - despite the issues with it India have managed to score 550 on it.

MFPM

Great century by Ashwin...103 off 134 balls faced, fantastic batting. Surely India will declare now..

Richard Hillman

England have to bat aggressively. You'll be lucky to last 100 balls on the wicket. You better have scored at least 80 off them before that ball comes. Your name will be on a ball.

That's how Sharma, Pant and Ashwin batted.

Gillespy

Biggest reason I stayed up all night supporting India in Australia was Kohli wasn't their captain. He makes India an unlikable team. Too aggressive. The way he spoke to the umpire after Root's review was too much. Not needed.

Ashwin, my second least favourite Indian, is having a decent game isn't he.

As for England, it's a case now of getting the hell out of Chennai with some pride. Can't collapse in a heap tomorrow. Olly Stone and especially Foakes have improved their reputation. Crazy that Foakes has more stumpings in this game than Buttler in his entire test career.

Doodah7

I would safely wager that Buttler has played his last Test barring an injury to Foakes. He is seen as the captain-incumbent of the one-day side when Morgan decides to retire and he should focus on this form of the game.

Gillespy

Don't hold your breath. Foakes has done this before only to be overlooked for both Buttler and Bairstow. He got back in the team only because those two are rested.

Foakes is a superior keeper and very reliable batsman. Buttler is favoured for his potential to play like Gilchrist. Which has never happened yet. His best innings have been when he had to dig in and play carefully.

dfx-

The selectors stuck with Buttler last Summer as their man with very poor scores up until the last Test where he finally fired. I'd be surprised if they ditch him.

The unplayable/unfair wicket turned into a road for Kohli and Ashwin, even Ishant hung around and Siraj for long enough then Lawrence and Burns were going well. Inexplicable to put a nightwatchman out there.

Awful on field umpire decision to give not out on Root's lbw. There's no way anyone looking at that even in real time can say he was hit outside the line. 49.5% of the ball was in line. It's not even about misreading the predictive aspect.

Richard Hillman

Buttler and Bairstow are mates of Joe Root. There's a clique in the dressing room. Root, Stokes, Buttler, Bairstow and Wood. Foakes has always had to contend with that.

I don't mind Bairstow. Buttler has this fake nice guy image but he very handy with the bat. But it's clear that Foakes is better on the gloves and very useful with the bat.

dohboy

What was the point of Foakes standing up to Broad, apart from just for show? He dropped a catch then. Foakes is a better keeper than Buttler but he's still missed two stumpings and dropped a catch in this test. I understand he's much better to watch than Buttler, but I still don't think that merits picking him over Buttler tbh.

Gillespy

Should be said Buttler did nothing wrong in the three games he played. Got praised for his keeping even.

England always have had a standout wicketkeeper who pundits and fans love but selectors see the bigger picture. Or are desperate for their own Gilchrist. India have it now as well with Saha and Pant.

MFPM

Root showing some resistance here but the game should finish soon. The next test is a day/night test, I'm sure Anderson will be back for that one. The series is set up nicely now. Folkes receiving a lot of plaudits, hard to see him not getting a run in the team, they may find a a place for Buttler as a batsman and it's probably Bairstow who continues to lose out.

Mysterypunter

India by 317, England only scored 134 & 164, Rohit Sharma man of the match for his 161

Mysterypunter

Now they have announced Ravi Ashwin as man of the match, Sharma was robbed, typically Indian awards ceremony, chaotic and confusing, amazingly Vikram Rathore is Indian batting coach, he couldn't hit it off the square.

dohboy

MFPM wrote: »

Root showing some resistance here but the game should finish soon. The next test is a day/night test, I'm sure Anderson will be back for that one. The series is set up nicely now. Folkes receiving a lot of plaudits, hard to see him not getting a run in the team, they may find a a place for Buttler as a batsman and it's probably Bairstow who continues to lose out.

Bairstow is out in India atm in quarantine, so I'd imagine he will get back into the team for the next test as a batsman, replacing Lawrence maybe. They'll stick with Foakes for another test, and then have Buttler back in the gloves for the last test. That was the plan anyway afaik.