Cricket

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Day 1 of 4th Test Match saw England recover from being 57-3, then 112-5, to be 302-7 at close of play. Root 106 not out.

 

[75A]

England may well be on to a 1st innings lead!
They were all out for 353 with Joe Root 122 not out.
After 56 overs India are 182-7 with Shaib Bashir taking 4-61.
The 'run machine' that is Yashavi Jaiswal was bowled by Bashir for 73.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Jurel and Kuldeep came together with the score at 177-7, but have batted carefuly so far in a useful stand and last time that I checked, they had taken the score on to 219-7. Hartley has taken two useful wickets today.

 

[DelW]

Good to see Joe Root getting decent runs for the first time in this series. I hope it means that he's allowed or even encouraged to play at his preferred speed, not feel he must keep up with the crash bang wallop batsmen. Too often this series it's been crash bang out.

If England do manage to level the series it'll be largely the work of Joe and Shaib Bashir, with notable help from Robinson's batting too.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Day 3 in progress of the Test Match and India were eventually all out for 307.

Not a good start in the England 2nd innings, as in his third over, Ashwin dismissed both Duckett and Pope in successive balls. A pair of ducks is Pope's memory in this match.

 

[Harvester]

Day 3 in progress of the Test Match and India were eventually all out for 307.

Not a good start in the England 2nd innings, as in his third over, Ashwin dismissed both Duckett and Pope in successive balls. A pair of ducks is Pope's memory in this match.

And almost a pair of ‘golden ducks’. He was out second ball in the first innings.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Oh dear...after 33 overs, England are now 120-5, with Crawley, Root and Stokes all also gone.

UPDATE...It never rains, but it pours...

After 41 overs, England are now 133-8, with Bairstow, Hartley and Robinson all also gone.

Since coming on to bowl, Kuldeep currently has figures of 12 - 2 - 19 - 4.

 

[75A]

England were all out for a miserly 145, leaving India to get 192 and go 3-1 up.
Ahswin took 5-51 and Kuldeep 4-22.

 

[Harvester]

England were all out for a miserly 145, leaving India to get 192 and go 3-1 up.
Ahswin took 5-51 and Kuldeep 4-22.

Last 7 wickets went for 35 runs. India definite favourites now, with England throwing away a good chance of winning this Test!

 

[75A]

India were 40-0 @ the close, requiring another 152 to win.

 

[Busaholic]

A pair of ducks is Pope's memory in this match.

And Jimmy's, unless he can make significant amends tomorrow.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

And Jimmy's, unless he can make significant amends tomorrow.

I suppose that Jimmy is not there to make runs, but to take wickets. Is the bowling of Pope up to Test Match standard?

 

[SteveHFC]

I'm remaining positive - England will win - but it'll be nailbiting - and I won't get much work done tomorrow morning!

 

[75A]

As Mr McEnroe would say; 'You cannot be serious man'
I'll go for India by 4 wickets.

 

[SteveHFC]

I'll go for England by 2 runs.

 

[Busaholic]

I'll go with Stokes turning his right arm over competitively for the first time in what seems like years now, and maybe a wicket in his first over, a hat trick in his second and a five-fer. That'll be my dream but reality kicks in while I sleep and it's more likely to be an Indian victory by at least six wickets. I hope Atkinson and Lawrence get a chance for the last test regardless.

 

[75A]

India won by 5 wickets, making it 3-1 with 1 to play., but it's ok Ben the Captain is 'proud'.
Could it be his 3 & 4 with the bat, or Popes pair, opener Duckett getting 11 & 15?
Ok Bashir did take 8 wickets, but for 198 runs so an average of 24.75, Kuldeep for India took 4-22 in the1st innings & 0-22 in the 2nd, giving him an average of 11.
To my mind the only England player that should be reasonably happy with themselves is Zak Crawley. he scored 60 + 42 opening the batting.

 

[HST43257]

Hoping we give a few chances in the last test. We know there will be 2 Pacers with Ahmed and Leach gone, so I'm hoping for:

Crawley, Duckett, Pope, Root, Lawrence, Stokes, Foakes, Hartley, Robinson, Atkinson, Bashir

I don't necessarily think Bairstow should be dropped but I want Lawrence to get a chance.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Hoping we give a few chances in the last test.

If we do, you can be sure that the Indian fielders will gratefully accept them, as has regularly happened in this series.

 

[75A]

Doesn't Bazball advocate waving you bat around a lot and playing silly shots?

 

[Busaholic]

Hoping we give a few chances in the last test. We know there will be 2 Pacers with Ahmed and Leach gone, so I'm hoping for:

Crawley, Duckett, Pope, Root, Lawrence, Stokes, Foakes, Hartley, Robinson, Atkinson, Bashir

I don't necessarily think Bairstow should be dropped but I want Lawrence to get a chance.

I'd agree, except Robinson, even if you are suggesting he should play as a batsman. His bowling was pathetically bad, by all accounts, and the catch he dropped might have made the difference to the game's result. Combine this with his performances on the last tour to Australia and it seems to me he's far from an ideal tourist even when he manages to keep his potty mouth in check. No, Anderson or Wood should play in his stead.

 

[75A]

How can Stokes call the England team inexperienced?
The England team had 668 caps between them @ the start of the game, the Indians 294, it's been like this throughout the series.
So maybe the oldies are the ones that need to be held to account.

 

[Arglwydd Golau]

How can Stokes call the England team inexperienced?
The England team had 668 caps between them @ the start of the game, the Indians 294, it's been like this throughout the series.
So maybe the oldies are the ones that need to be held to account.

Well, about 530 of those England caps came from just four players (Anderson, Root, Stokes, Bairstow)!

I'd agree, except Robinson, even if you are suggesting he should play as a batsman. His bowling was pathetically bad, by all accounts, and the catch he dropped might have made the difference to the game's result. Combine this with his performances on the last tour to Australia and it seems to me he's far from an ideal tourist even when he manages to keep his potty mouth in check. No, Anderson or Wood should play in his stead.

Agree about Robinson, he's played a number of tests - including this last one - where it is said that his pace is down. Perhaps telling that Stokes didn't bowl him in India's second innings.

 

[Bald Rick]

Well, about 530 of those England caps came from just four players (Anderson, Root, Stokes, Bairstow)!

Exactly, and of the other 140 or so, how many have been earned on the subcontinent before this series?

 

[Arglwydd Golau]

Exactly, and of the other 140 or so, how many have been earned on the subcontinent before this series?

Well, you posed the question and having a spare few minutes I've worked out that the answer is 54 (34 of these in India)

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

India won by 5 wickets, making it 3-1 with 1 to play.,

.....with a day to spare...

I'll go with Stokes turning his right arm over competitively for the first time in what seems like years now.

Did he decide that discretion was the better part of valour, noting his ailments. as no Stokes arm was turned over in the Indian second innings.

 

[75A]

Wellington 1st Test New Zealand V Australia

At the end of the 2nd day Australia have a very healthy lead of 217 runs with 8 wickets remaining.
Oz 383 all out with Cameron Green being 174 not out and 13-2 (Smithy out 3rd ball for a duck) he got 31@ the 1st attempt.
Black Caps 179 all out top scorer was Glenn Philips with 71, Nathan Lyons took 4-43.

Can't see this one going the full distance.

 

[SteveM70]

Wellington 1st Test New Zealand V Australia

At the end of the 2nd day Australia have a very healthy lead of 217 runs with 8 wickets remaining.
Oz 383 all out with Cameron Green being 174 not out and 13-2 (Smithy out 3rd ball for a duck) he got 31@ the 1st attempt.
Black Caps 179 all out top scorer was Glenn Philips with 71, Nathan Lyons took 4-43.

Can't see this one going the full distance.

I watched the first hour yesterday evening, and NZ seemed to pitch up thinking "we'll have the last Aussie wicket in no time and then crack on". Australia added 104 for the last wicket during the morning, Green as you'd expect dominating going from his overnight 103 to 174, but Josh Hazlewood doing a great job at the other end. NZ were incredibly passive.

 

[75A]

What I forgot to add was that in Australia's 1st innings, the second highest scorer was Mr Extras with 41.
3 No Balls, 20 Wides, 12 Byes and 6 leg Byes.
In the 8 overs bowled so far in their second innings there have been none.
In the New Zealand innings Australia conceded 7.

 

[Howardh]

County cricket starts next month! In fact there may be some pre-season friendlies this month, although with the current weather (has it stopped raining at all since the September heatwave??) many a groundsman will be in need of a very stiff drink.

Big match first up on the 5th April; Lancs v Surrey; I would have thought the first round would have southern-based teams at home just to give the north another week to thaw?