International cricket thread

Gillespy

Best session of cricket for a long time. That Bumrah over yesterday evening has really fired up England. Kohli is lucky Rahane and Pujara are taking the heat. His output has dropped off the cliff. No hundred in nearly two years for him.

Strumms

Curran is Bowling 83/84 mph, England need wickets, Root with two slips only, bonkers. A third slip and they are having India 99/4.

Strumms

If England are winning this they need a wicket(s) ASAP.

as I type Bairstow drops a rare but difficult chance off Ali.

Gillespy

The two under fire batsmen doing a great job and are slowly building a lead as well. Pant and Jadeja to come can maybe make it a challenging chase on the last day.

Pitch is slow though, getting edges to carry a big problem. Moeen is causing some trouble. Ashwin on the last day would have been handy to have.

MFPM

Really an excellent response by India, Pujara really had to battle early on and he's done brilliantly to get to where he is. They're not batting quickly enough for India to win you'd think so it's about batting as long as possible to get a decent lead to put England under pressure tomorrow.

MFPM

I put the hex on Pujara there!

Gillespy

Pujara gone to a unplayable Wood ball. Career saving innings for him. New ball due and Pant in. This could determine the game

blackcard

2 fascinating test matches, England getting wickets when it looked like India were getting on top.

The youngest West Indian bowler ever to get a 5 wicket haul has WI chasing 168 but Shaheen Afridi has them 3 wickets down for 37. Numerous appeals for lbw, exciting stuff

Strumms

First session tomorrow will be key to determining a result or confirming a draw.

if England lose another 50/60 runs but bowl India out before about 12.30 it’s on.

England get set around 220 with two sessions they could do it.... IF they start well.

Gillespy

It's basically Pant vs the new ball. Ishant has the ability to hang around, Bumrah got a rare few the last day, Shami might come off. England can't afford too many more though. It will be tricky batting with the ball turning now more as well.

India will be angry they lost wickets in the period England were just trying to get to the new ball. Moeen Ali deserved them. He is such a different bowler home and away.

Strumms

West Indies needing 57 more runs to beat Pakistan. They are 111-5 so probably one wicket more conceded then they’d be comfortable with at this stage.... still West Indies clear favorites but a couple of wickets even one falling and that pendulum swings back to Pakistan.

Richard Hillman

Such a shame Shannon Gabriel isn't playing. This was his redemption moment

Strumms

West Indies need 9 more runs to win but only one wicket remaining... edge of seat stuff, hopefully WI do it.

blackcard

Edge of the seat stuff as West Indies scrape home with a tenth wicket partnership.. 32 not out for Kemar Roach just about saw them home. Great ebb and flow as just when you thought WI were on top, Pakistan would take a wicket. The wicket favoured the bowlers throughout and contributed to a reasonably low scoring but riveting match.

Gillespy

https://twitter.com/Ben_Wisden/status/1427020613269471235?s=19

Turned it on with them needing 14 so can't comment on the game. Rizwan had one very difficult catch in that time. Field was spread until it was too late. Roach looked very assured and trusted the other batsman taking easy singles.

But what about that stat. So many tight wins lately. Amazing.

blackcard

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117759712#Comment_117759712

Roach wasn't quite as assured for most of his innings, at one stage they had a stat up that the West Indies had played and missed at 30% of their deliveries so they had their share of luck. Delighted to see them get over the line but their batting still looks fragile. I think cricket needs a competitive WI and Sri Lankan sides. The latter are struggling at the moment

Rjd2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117758549#Comment_117758549

This is why India having such a comical lower order won't do! Normally they have 3 number 11's which is dire enough but this time its 4. Astounding.

I don't know how Pant approaches this today, he can't trust the 4 rabbits with the strike, so he knows he is going to do have to do something remarkable.

They have to play Ashwin or even Thakur at number 8 next test.

The exclusion of Bhuvi looks even more bizarre now.

Gillespy

Bhuvi hasn't played a test match since January 2018. India have had a settled attack since and done well with it. He is ideally suited to England and can bat as well, was he in the conversation for selection this game? Thakur injury just seemed Ishant was always replacing him. Hardik is missed too.

Royale with Cheese

I can't see England going at a target of anything over 200 particularly hard with Root in charge. I'd imagine they'll start off playing their natural game and then see where they are in the final session, if they're already 4 down by that stage I can see them playing for the draw.

blackcard

I love when test matches come down to the last day and the game is still in the balance, when a dot ball or a single is greeted with a cheer. The tension is there for an extended period and the players seem to be more invested in the match because of the effort put in over the 5 days and the ebb and flow over that time. Hoping for an exciting day's play today

Gillespy

Wood not on the field. He has had enough injuries without getting hurt fielding. Need more common sense diving after lost causes. Not worth it.

Strumms

Nice partnership here by Shami and Bumrah.... giving the Indians just a sniff of saving the game...

All things considered if I’m English I’d be questioning Root now, why was there no short leg with Curran bowling ?.. or Anderson, he may have caught that.

Time is England’s enemy, not the scoreboard at this point, wickets !

Royale with Cheese

Lead creeping up towards 250 and almost the entire morning session used up thus far, I'd say they have far more than a sniff of getting a draw here now.

Strumms

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117761506#Comment_117761506

I’d say draw is the favorite result.

Anderson threatens, a chance and what do the Indians do straight away mid over...? the Indian batsmen calling for a drink, mid over, umpires not impressed one bit, nor should anyone watching.... dodgeville behavior in this sport...they are nowhere near a likable team.

MFPM

This is excellent by Shami and Bumrah, really fighting for their team. England will be kicking themselves if they let this slip.

Strumms

Root with Ali bowling removes short leg and places that fielder at second slip... why doesn’t he leave short leg and put mid off / long off in there at slip... he has a single slip, one slip for Anderson bowling but two for Ali bowling ? Bizarre, really bizarre... plenty of boundary riders too.

Strumms

Atherton pulling no punches normally a calm un-emotive commentator.... “ England have just completely lost the plot this morning “. ie. Root has.

sounding like an ex-captain completely bamboozled by what the current captain is trying to do... I must say I’m with him.

india have batted well though but a bit of luck riding but hey.

Royale with Cheese

That's the game gone for England now surely, even if they had the full day to do so I'm not sure they'd chase down 260.

Strumms

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117761714#Comment_117761714

No, no chance now.

the cricket press is absolutely slating Root and England while giving justifiable praise to how India have batted.

why btw has the yorker become such an unfashionable delivery to even tail enders now ?

hopefully the full compliment of 90 overs can be bowled...

around 60 ish overs left... if my maths are right (they might not be) the RRR would be around 5 runs an over I think depending on when India get skittled hmmm

Strumms

India off the field for lunch and Shami comes out without some protective equipment at the restart, runner comes out... Shami gets dressed...

absolutely deliberate....

Then....India declares having come back out for 11 minutes of playing time of which about 7 mins was taken by Shami having to dress himself after lunch... some team...absolute #@#&€#@