England V India

[Pubey]

I would have been happier if Harbajhan was playing, he's been completely gash.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Harbhajan will be more missed for his batting at no.8 than his bowling. His absence leaves India with a long tail.

Yuvraj will be more missed as a 5th bowler than for his batting. His absence leaves India short of bowling options.

 

[canveyshrimper]

Harbhajan will be more missed for his batting at no.8 than his bowling. His absence leaves India with a long tail.

Yuvraj will be more missed as a 5th bowler than for his batting. His absence leaves India short of bowling options.

Probably true about Harbhajan's batting, but he hadn't scored many before the 2nd innings at Trent Bridge. I've never really rated Yuvraj as a test player, but as a 5th bowler he's pretty good.

Sehwag has now arrived, and his off breaks have been useful in the past. Which shoulder has been operated on recently?

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Probably true about Harbhajan's batting, but he hadn't scored many before the 2nd innings at Trent Bridge. I've never really rated Yuvraj as a test player, but as a 5th bowler he's pretty good.

Sehwag has now arrived, and his off breaks have been useful in the past. Which shoulder has been operated on recently?

Sehwag will be grazing in the field, he won't bowl.

Shame as wasn't a bad part-timer. Not sure he'll be ready for the third test, although that won't necessarily mean that he won't play.

 

[canveyshrimper]

Sehwag will be grazing in the field, he won't bowl.

Shame as wasn't a bad part-timer. Not sure he'll be ready for the third test, although that won't necessarily mean that he won't play.

Agree with you, and I'm sure he'll play, I guess that Mishra will come in instead of Harbhajan (and Ojha) Gambhir for Mukund, and they'll hope Zaheer Khan will be fit. I suspect they may also bring in Kohli over the shell shocked Raina.

 

[The General]

Morgan hasnt settled too well but is due a decent knock. He will need one in the next 4 innings if he is too keep his place in the side ...

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Morgan hasnt settled too well but is due a decent knock. He will need one in the next 4 innings if he is too keep his place in the side ...

You need to give young players a run in the team. He's had (if you ignore his 14*) 15 innings. He's got one century (a very good one at that) and three 70s in that time so he's been making contributions and England have been winning. If he was England's best option going into this series, he should be England's best option this winter as well. No need to rush into any knee-jerk decisions. Give him every opportunity to succeed and feel part of the team.

 

[BrettieAngell]

Harbhajan will be more missed for his batting at no.8 than his bowling. His absence leaves India with a long tail.

what tail?

 

[Pubey]

Ravi called up!

 

[canveyshrimper]

Ravi called up!

Pleased for him, and well done to the selectors for their consistency.

 

[The General]

Well at 59/1 India were on top but its 75/4 at lunch and it was an absolute beauty by Bresnan to get Dravid. Advantage England. Can/will be become the world's number one by the start of next week!? I wouldn't bet against us ...

 

[Rusty Shackleford]

Four down before lunch - Bresnan bowling like a lord.

 

[Pubey]

Absolutely brilliant morning. We need to keep the pressure on after lunch

 

[BrettieAngell]

Great ball from Bresnan to get Dravid out!

 

[MK Shrimper]

India are properly being put to the sword! 100-6 :)

 

[Boreham Shrimper]

Now 123-7

India are truly dreadful :hilarious:

 

[MK Shrimper]

190 - 7. A minor comeback?

As I typed, a wicket. 195-8. Happy days!

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

Our current pace attack is as good as I've ever seen from an England side; crucially, we're really bowling to a plan. The bowling to Raina, for instance, was as clever as I've seen - patiently following the same line outside off, tempting him to have a wild swing. Which he duly did. And then clean him up with an in-swinger.

Most of the Indian top-order looked genuinely clueless... other than Dravid, and the ball that Bres got him with was really, really special. Full credit to David Saker, and to the England bowlers - this is probably our finest pace attack ever, or if not ever, at least since the likes of Trueman, Statham, Tyson, Bailey and Bedser hunted together in the late 50s and early 60s (with the added comparison of Laker vs. Swann... so maybe this side isn't quite there yet!).

84-0 at c.o.p. was just the icing on the cake. Cook looks in oddly scratchy form - the man is an enigma, given what he did in Oz; but good to see him and Strauss finally put a partnership together. We could really put India to the sword, and this series to bed, if we bat well today.

 

[Pubey]

how many years has Strauss got left?

 

[number11]

how many years has Strauss got left?

Interesting question - he is undoubtedly the next to go as a 34 is a couple of years older than the next oldest (KP I believe), and has actually been in poor form with the bat over the past year or so. That said, like Nasser in the early 00's, that can be overlooked if your team is winning.

He has been remarkably injury free and seems quite a 'young' 34 - compared to say the creaking of Vaughan or Atherton prior to their retirements. I presume he will go either a) once we start losing - which hopefully wont be for a while yet b) When he gets injured and someone comes in and does well (as Strauss did to Nasser's batting position) or, hopefully, on his own terms on the back of a good series win and he hands over the reigns to Cook. Looking at upcoming fixtures, we have PAkistan and Sri Lanka away. A win away in Sri Lanka would be a big statement. We then play W.Indies and S.Africa at home - a win against S.Africa would mean we have won all recent series against other test playing nations so that would be nice time to go - but then we go away to India for 4 tests, which could be seen as something of a 'final frontier' - and not the kind of test you would want Cook starting off with.

Therefore, ignoring injuries, My guess is he would try to see it out to the India tour in 2013, by which time he will be 36/37 (Still younger then India's middle order and having played far less cricket....). But you just don't know what it around the corner, and no previous captain, although most 'resign' have really gone out on their own terms.

Also, another consideration is the replacements - We have a few lining up for middle order slots, but less openers. Taylor has opened for the Lions and Cobb used to open for England U19, and Hales (notts) is getting decent press, but no one is banging door down by weight of runs......