India v England First Test Chennai Feb 5th-9th

[geoff_boycotts_grandmother]

I was surprised by the lack of depth in the Indian attack. Didn't see their series v the Convicts but the reports were about how they'd won with a second string attack.

I thought their attack looked more like a county attack where you just had to see off the main guys and then cash in against the 4th and 5th bowlers. That's not what I was expecting from a number one team in the world, who'd just won with their reserve attack. I was expecting them to be able to maintain that pressure for longer.

Are India missing players through injury or was this selector error?

Excellent from Root; gutsy from Sibley. Still a lot of work to be done tomorrow.

ps Where have all the top order players gone if England are forced to bat Lawrence top 3?

[Chin Music]

Originally Posted by geoff_boycotts_grandmother

I was surprised by the lack of depth in the Indian attack. Didn't see their series v the Convicts but the reports were about how they'd won with a second string attack.

I thought their attack looked more like a county attack where you just had to see off the main guys and then cash in against the 4th and 5th bowlers. That's not what I was expecting from a number one team in the world, who'd just won with their reserve attack. I was expecting them to be able to maintain that pressure for longer.

Are India missing players through injury or was this selector error?

Excellent from Root; gutsy from Sibley. Still a lot of work to be done tomorrow.

ps Where have all the top order players gone if England are forced to bat Lawrence top 3?

I think it is fair to say that India might have preferred playing an extra seamer on reflection. Having to bowl 32 overs of unthreatening spin was a bit of an issue for them. I guess, though we can say that even the opening partnership of 63 was markedly better than what the Aussies usually managed v pace and spin.

I did say above that Sundar and Nadeem were really ordinary as a combo. You'll have to ask ConfusedMale about their selectorial options.

The Indian quick bowlers did bowl pretty well, as did Ashwin. Maybe Crawley might have dealt with them better than Lawrence, but even so it is a good effort for the first day. That said, a couple of wickets early doors tomorrow and it is feasible for England to not clear 350.

[Ali TT]

Day 1 of the last tour, England finished 311/4, Joe Root got a century that day too (although he was already out by close).

Not sure I am confident about jumping to any conclusions just yet on how this series will turn out, nor the merits of the Indian bowling attack.

Great stuff from Root though and pleased that Sibley has bounced back from his slump in Galle, even if a shame he didn't convert - a FUUGLY perhaps (****ing ugly but useful little fifty). Root needs someone else to step up tomorrow though. He can't be our only likely century maker all series!

[Goochies Lovechild]

Originally Posted by Sir Coolerking

Not that gutted, if you're concerned about him missing out on a ton, well he was there for 286 balls.

Indeed he is slow, I seem to recal Root scoring around 40 runs to his one or two. Whilst his contribution was invaluable, I suggest he bored himself to death. He seemed to have got over his inability to rotate the strike, then come 85 runs he reverted to his old "playing across the line" and "failing to get off strike" routine. In India rotating the strike is one of the most important values, especially when you are "cracking" along a 2 an over.
However he is an improved player than went to SL and he appears to have the will and modesty to be willing to listen and learn.

Originally Posted by Rebelstar

Still a long way to go though, rumour has it both sides have to bat and as the England total is far from a winning one (yet) still maybe 4 days to go before we'll find out if England's good position becomes a winning one

Well said, I mean its not like England can't get rolled over for 350, conceed 550 and lose by an innings and 50. No, that will never happen......

Originally Posted by geoff_boycotts_grandmother

ps Where have all the top order players gone if England are forced to bat Lawrence top 3?

Englands achilies heal is their top three, they are county class, none of them have yet to prove a class above this. Bairstow is a better bet at three but, he has to go home to prepare for the white ball series'......Bollox.

Originally Posted by Ali TT

Root needs someone else to step up tomorrow though.

Pope and Bess will score 100 between them!
Stokes and Butler 30 between them!
Archer, Leach and Anderson are not worth a wet w@nk in the batting department, in India.

England 385 all out, if they are lucky!... Burns threw that away.

Cheers,

GAG

[mustardcharlie]

Originally Posted by Ali TT

Day 1 of the last tour, England finished 311/4, Joe Root got a century that day too (although he was already out by close).

Not sure I am confident about jumping to any conclusions just yet on how this series will turn out, nor the merits of the Indian bowling attack.

Great stuff from Root though and pleased that Sibley has bounced back from his slump in Galle, even if a shame he didn't convert - a FUUGLY perhaps (****ing ugly but useful little fifty). Root needs someone else to step up tomorrow though. He can't be our only likely century maker all series!

If it's Chennai 2016, you're talking about. I remember that test. Root got 88 and Mo was 120* at close. Got 477 first up and lost by an innings and 75. 280-4 or something on the first day. India walloped 759-9 dec. Kohli and Pujare got 31 of those runs. Whatever happened to Karun Nair? Jadeja cleaned us up with a 7-fer.


Anyway back to the present. If Stokes. Pope or Bustler get 80 tomorrow, even if twice as fugly, I would have confidence. Stokes and Bustler have matured into serious top 5 batsmen. If England are 560 -6 at close tomorrow, I would hardly be dismayed.



Must declare a vested interest here. I have a tenner riding on England to win this test @ 15-4. I'm sure the team could could cover my losses should they fail. Time to get fugly England.

[Steveh]

Originally Posted by Chin Music

The Indian quick bowlers did bowl pretty well, as did Ashwin. Maybe Crawley might have dealt with them better than Lawrence, but even so it is a good effort for the first day. That said, a couple of wickets early doors tomorrow and it is feasible for England to not clear 350.

One of the challenges of being an England fan is that we always fear being a Root dismissal away from a batting collapse. What a brilliant effort by the man. If we can get Pope and Stokes to contribute effectively, we could really move this innings forward.

[Psyduck]

Fabulous innings from Joe Root again, well supported by Sibley. Odd to hear Root declare at the close that he wanted to get 600-700 and bat into day 3. I 100% agree with the intentions but it’s early days. We all know 400 won’t be a match winning score but that’s got to be the first target.

[Ali TT]

Originally Posted by mustardcharlie

If it's Chennai 2016, you're talking about. I remember that test. Root got 88 and Mo was 120* at close. Got 477 first up and lost by an innings and 75. 280-4 or something on the first day. India walloped 759-9 dec. Kohli and Pujare got 31 of those runs. Whatever happened to Karun Nair? Jadeja cleaned us up with a 7-fer.


Anyway back to the present. If Stokes. Pope or Bustler get 80 tomorrow, even if twice as fugly, I would have confidence. Stokes and Bustler have matured into serious top 5 batsmen. If England are 560 -6 at close tomorrow, I would hardly be dismayed.



Must declare a vested interest here. I have a tenner riding on England to win this test @ 15-4. I'm sure the team could could cover my losses should they fail. Time to get fugly England.

Nah, Rajkot I think - first day of the tour. We got 537 and a first innings lead then Cook and Hameed shut up shop in the second innings rather than try and work towards a declaration to give the bowlers a realistic chance of winning the match. Hugely negative and we never had another look in all series.

[Psyduck]

On a side note Root’s current hunger for runs has only been matched by Psyduck in the halcyon days of 1993.

[Ali TT]

Originally Posted by Psyduck

On a side note Root’s current hunger for runs has only been matched by Psyduck in the halcyon days of 1993.

Some reference to having the s**ts?

[Michelle Fivefer]

Originally Posted by Rebelstar

Wish I could remember the stat cited by C4, someone else might, about how much Geoff Boycott played first class games compared to Root.

In fact may just look see what their comparitive match counts are, obviously one is still playing.....

Boycott - 609 first class matches, 108 Tests
Root - 159 first class matches*, 100 Tests*

May well have been how many more first class matches Boycott played over Root, to date, 450 which is staggering

Presumably the England management were not so concerned about resting players.

[Michelle Fivefer]

Originally Posted by Ali TT

Had to look that one up. Has its own urban dictionary entry, v possibly added by our own Shaky

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=dentury

“Wrongly dropped”?? Don’t think so.

[Michelle Fivefer]

Originally Posted by Goochies Lovechild

Indeed he is slow, I seem to recal Root scoring around 40 runs to his one or two. Whilst his contribution was invaluable, I suggest he bored himself to death. He seemed to have got over his inability to rotate the strike, then come 85 runs he reverted to his old "playing across the line" and "failing to get off strike" routine. In India rotating the strike is one of the most important values, especially when you are "cracking" along a 2 an over.
However he is an improved player than went to SL and he appears to have the will and modesty to be willing to listen and learn.



Well said, I mean its not like England can't get rolled over for 350, conceed 550 and lose by an innings and 50. No, that will never happen......



Englands achilies heal is their top three, they are county class, none of them have yet to prove a class above this. Bairstow is a better bet at three but, he has to go home to prepare for the white ball series'......Bollox.


Pope and Bess will score 100 between them!
Stokes and Butler 30 between them!
Archer, Leach and Anderson are not worth a wet w@nk in the batting department, in India.

England 385 all out, if they are lucky!... Burns threw that away.

Cheers,

GAG

Agree Burns threw it away but he’s not played for ages.

[Sir Virgs and Zamora]

Lucky my brain woke me up for the cricket. Popped to the bathroom to be greeted by a pool of water as the cistern at the back of the toilet started dripping while we slept. Turned off the water while I doze listening to the cricket. Sorting that is a job for the morning.

[sanskritsimon]

India are getting frustrated ... two reviews lost in quick succession. The old firm are batting well, but I don't trust Stokes not to do a Burns.

[sanskritsimon]

Stokes dropped twice ... half-chances really.

150 up for Root ...

[sanskritsimon]

50 up for Stokes, but he doesn't look secure.

[AJ101]

Originally Posted by sanskritsimon

Stokes dropped twice ... half-chances really.

150 up for Root ...

Run out chance to Roots end was better than a half chance I'd say, agree about the catches. Rather ominous in this test for India if they can't take one of those and go wicket-less this session.

[Ali TT]

Originally Posted by Michelle Fivefer

Presumably the England management were not so concerned about resting players.

Boycott's 108 tests over 18 years, Root half that time for his 100. Even with Boycott's exile, it says a lot about the intensity of international cricket in the modern era. Root doesn't really have much opportunity to play first class cricket even if he wasn't being rested.

[Ali TT]

I wonder if India are a little flat playing at home in an empty stadium after playing in Australia in front of quite a few ex-pat fans.