The Winter Cricket Thread

[Nemo]

Not a disastrous day, the pitch is low and slow and Dhoni's been setting incredibly defensive fields from the start. I did have some hope that Pietersen might break the stranglehold a bit but even he was subdued. 199/5 isn't dreadful but it should have been for 3 or 4, stupidity from Trott and Bell once they were in and Cook's decision was god awful.

Root looks gritty as anything but he doesn't really look like he has the power to pierce the field when it spreads...one boundary all innings is Tavare-esque.

I don't think this is a 400 pitch but we'll see when India bat, if Sehwag comes out biffing then suddenly we might be in a bit of trouble.

[fittons_coaching_badge]

Good days old fashioned test cricket.  Indias day just but a decent effet by England to dig in.  Englands score at stumps is probably worth a few more due to the slow outfield.  Will be interesting to see how soon the pitch turns but it is so slow which should make it easier to play.

No where near a 400 wicket but I would want England to get 300+.  Will be interested to see how monty goes on here its alot lower and slower than Mumbai or Kolkata.  Big match for bresnan as well needs to bowl ad straight and look to take advantage of any uneven bounce that may appear.

[TheMajorSTFC]

I'd say an even stevens day...India took 5 wickets, but England scored 200 runs and have 2 people set. I think if England can get to around 300 it will be worth a good 450 on a normal track, get the spinners on early and hope India's batting line up crumbles again (a bit like the pitch which is anticipated). I wouldn't want to be batting last on that track, a good toss to win and hopefully Root/Prior can take us up past 250 and beyond tomorrow!

[Paolo69]

Big big morning tomorrow for us. Bat well and get near 300 or beyond and its a pretty decent total. Collapse for another 30 runs and i'd fancy India even with the pitch and how well our bowlers have done.

Make 300+ first innings and you're in the game at least in any match.

[leefer]

I'd say an even stevens day...India took 5 wickets, but England scored 200 runs and have 2 people set. I think if England can get to around 300 it will be worth a good 450 on a normal track, get the spinners on early and hope India's batting line up crumbles again (a bit like the pitch which is anticipated). I wouldn't want to be batting last on that track, a good toss to win and hopefully Root/Prior can take us up past 250 and beyond tomorrow!

More importantly we batted out the day with probably at least another session batting tomorrow hopefully more.....this match has draw written all over it i reckon....if we score 300 the Indians would need at least two days to score 500 to make us sweat a bit .

[Frigby Daser]

I know you can read a lot of shit into stats but Bres' bowling average ain't too shoddy at 31 compared to Onions' 29 and a bit. Bres has played more tests and therefore overseas in not always seaming conditions. To say he'd only be picked because he can bat better is probably doing him a bit of a dis service. The boy can bowl, just had one bad test match.

I'm not saying he's a bad bowler at all - just that Onions is (I think) a better front line bowler: better with the new ball, bowls more wicket taking balls and (as Boycott has since pointed out) bowls wicket to wicket, which suits low slow wickets for the el-bees. I think If you asked any first class batsman who they would rather face with new ball in hand, they'd say Bresnan.

Anyway, he's playing....and I hope he pulverises them.

[Summerof69]

if we score 300 the Indians would need at least two days to score 500 to make us sweat a bit .

Well India's failed to get more than 330 on better pitches in the last two tests. This is low and slow, and really would is not good viewing for entertainment purposes.

The pitch is awful. The ball was keeping low on the first morning of the Test and if England can score 300+, they are in pole position. I'll be making sure the bowlers attack the stumps as we could see a number of dismissals like Yuvraj's in the last test from day 3 onwards, if not before.

[RedRag]

With 280 in the bank and Root 66 I'm starting to think we're now heading for parity at least. 

How will this look at the end of the day - or tomorrow?

[Reg Smeeton]

With 280 in the bank and Root 66 I'm starting to think we're now heading for parity at least. 

How will this look at the end of the day - or tomorrow?

I was thinking we'd be heading for...... St. Louis down to Missouri
Oklahoma City, looks oh so pretty
You'll see Amarillo and Gallup, New Mexico
Flagstaff, Arizona don't forget Winona
Kingman, Barstow, San Bernadino

[fittons_coaching_badge]

Runs coming much more freely today.  Looks like the pitch has quickened up a bit.  England need to try and dry it up a bit.

[TheMajorSTFC]

Getting to 330 seems useful & Root played very well (along with Swann, Prior), hopefully Swann/Panesar can get a couple before the close, then pressure on India!

[TheMajorSTFC]

Swann strikes!

[fittons_coaching_badge]

Curious how a wicket changes everything.  All of a sudden Monty and SWann have turned a few.

[TheMajorSTFC]

Sachin out to Anderson for the 9th time in test cricket...England on top, any rumours to Sachin retiring whilst you were out there FCB?

[DMR]

I cant help but look back at page 28 where that spastic NMH was advocating dropping KP and Jimmy

What a fucktard