International cricket thread

dfx-

Beasty wrote: »

I do think they need to revisit this whole flying in quick test series then flying out mularky. Particularly for those who are only going to be involved in red ball cricket they need a few weeks to adapt to local conditions (and India this year were a prime example although most of the "big" countries seem to struggle when they head away nowadays)

But then you hear the likes of Mark Butcher and ex-cricketers waffle on and on about there's too much cricket.

Then complain when someone is picked who hasn't played a Test in months...

Rjd2

flatty wrote: »

Ali himself says he would have dropped himself earlier than England did. I think he needed a rest.

Not sure you can drop him in England though. He took the most wickets last year when South Africa toured and was ok v West Indies.

He tore india apart last time they toured lets not forget and was pretty good when they won the Ashes in England.

Genuinely can't remember the last time he had a bad home series.

Cook is a huge loss and was a wonderful player, England's two most impressive test series away wins of the last 10 years he played a crucial role. In the era of yobs like Stokes, also sad to see a gent like him go.

India next test should give Shaw a go, Rahul has been hopeless outside Asia.

I hope they don't play Ashwin because even if he does well, Shastri will sweep the disgrace that was his performance under the carpet and long term that will be a bad thing.

India have blown two test series away from home due to idiot selectors, has to be some sort of accountability.

Beasty

dfx- wrote: »

But then you hear the likes of Mark Butcher and ex-cricketers waffle on and on about there's too much cricket.

Then complain when someone is picked who hasn't played a Test in months...

I think it may move further towards specialist T20/ODI players (A bit like the way Rugby 7s evolved)

Having said that, the risk then is Test cricket gets left further behind with all the TV & Sponsorship money being heavily weighted towards the shorter forms of the game - we're already seeing it moving in that direction. Test cricket could go the way of 4 day county cricket with only the diehards turning up to watch

Inquitus

England 251/8, if they can get to 300 that's probably not a bad score against this fragile Indian batting lineup, ball is swinging, seems like a good day for England to bowl, any extra runs now a bonus really.

Inquitus

304/8 at lunch, India have really let this go, looks like there will be plenty for the England bowlers.

Inquitus

India going nicely now after a ropey start losing the first wicket for 6, cruised to 53/1 since.

Inquitus

Curran strikes, now 84/2, now its Kohli-time!

Edit: 101/2 at Tea. 101/3 immediately after tea, Pujara gone after getting a start. 106-4 Rahane with an 8 ball

Edit2: As usual it all seems to fall on poor Kohli's immense shoulders!

Edit3: Kohli falls to Stokes for 49 and so does Pant for 5 an over or so later, India 174-6 wickets (51.0 overs) at stumps, and things do not look good for them especially with the lack of lower order runs all series, the opposite of England who have been rescued again and again by the lower order. They have passed the follow on, so we will get to see Cook bat one final time!

Rjd2

Whoever decided to pick Ashwin instead of Jadja last test.

Inquitus

Day 3 close. Test match is still alive due to India's lower order resistance, I kinda thought England needed to reach the close no more than 2 down which they just about accomplished, I think 300 is a plenty big enough target and England are already half way there, be nice to see Cook get a century or at least another 50 here before he bows out of International cricket. England 1/3, Draw 4/1, India 9/1 with the bookies which I think is about a fair reflection.

Beasty

Inquitus wrote: »

be nice to see Cook get a century or at least another 50 here before he bows out of International cricket.

Going to jinx him now, but in his first test he got a 50 in the 1st innings and century in the second.....

ArmaniJeanss

Ton Up.

Beasty

And he's there

Reaches his century with a 5! (incl 4 overthrows)

England 231-2, with Root on 82

flatty

Must've had the heavy roller out.

BarryD2

The pair of them gone in two balls Must be thinking of declaring soon. Could be interesting for Ind batsmen - the openers need to dig in and save some face, if nothing else.

lovely bit of sportsmanship from the Indian players there, every single one of them went up to Cook as he left the pitch.

flatty

Indians are lovely people in my experience.

Doodah7

Aegir wrote: »

lovely bit of sportsmanship from the Indian players there, every single one of them went up to Cook as he left the pitch.

The spirit in which this series has been played shows a huge contrast between it and the Australia v India series over the winter. Really shows how classless the Aussies really are.

Folkstonian

Delighted for Cook, phenomenal servant to English cricket. Perfect way for him to bow out.

Huge respect to Kohli and all the Indians for the way they lined up for him. A perfect example of why cricket is such a unique sport. Such spontaneous class despite this being the fifth of five incredibly hard fought test matches

BarryD2

India 1/2 - have they no pride and stomach for a fight? Looks like they'd be happier on a plane back home as soon as possible

Poor show from what is supposedly a major power in world cricket.

Slim Charles

Bloody hell. Be no day 5 at this rate.

Folkstonian

Supposed to be a major power in world cricket? That’s extremely harsh do you not think? They are deservedly the top ranked test side in the world.

They’ve fought really hard this series in difficult conditions, and have bowled superbly. 4-1 to England won’t tell the full story

England are just riding the wave right now, and all three wickets have come from superb deliveries. Give them some credit too

BarryD2

Folkstonian wrote: »

That’s extremely harsh do you not think? They are deservedly the top ranked test side in the world.

Humph! To lose 3 wickets in the space of 7 balls from their opening batsmen is very poor. Especially when in a position where the openers needed to soak up whatever overs were left in the day and frustrate the bowling attack. To give some protection to their lower order. That's what test cricket is all about, isn't it? In this instance making the best of a bad position, battling through adversity.

I think they'll get a bad reception from Indian fans when they get back home. Sure the conditions are very different and maybe the wickets have been prepared a bit to suit the English bowling attack. But fans and the public expect the best to perform on the big stages.

Beasty

You just have to look at the recent test record of India. They take some time to adjust to English conditions, and it's not unusual for England to dominate opposition on home ground.

India beat England 4-0 over the winter. Last time India were in England they lost 3-1 and before that 4-0. Indian cricketers are typically not suited to English conditions and vice versa

India have won 10 of their last 12 series including this one (although some of those were single test matches). They have not lost a series in the sub-continent since 2012/13 (again against England). Before that it was in Sri Lanka in 2008. There is no doubting the quality of this Indian team, but they are clearly most potent on surfaces they are familiar with, and this in an exceptional England team with the bowlers pretty much firing on all cylinders and there seemingly being at least two players in a very long batting line-up delivering the goods

riffmongous

Haven't India always had a very poor record away from home though? I remember when they won in the West Indies recently people were saying it was their first overseas series win for ages

BarryD2

Beasty wrote: »

You just have to look at the recent test record of India. They take some time to adjust to English conditions, and it's not unusual for England to dominate opposition on home ground.

India beat England 4-0 over the winter. Last time India were in England they lost 3-1 and before that 4-0. Indian cricketers are typically not suited to English conditions and vice versa

riffmongous wrote: »

Haven't India always had a very poor record away from home though? I remember when they won in the West Indies recently people were saying it was their first overseas series win for ages

Well then they clearly should not be rated as highly as they are. It's all very well playing well in your home conditions but if the team can't travel & adapt away from home then they're not what they are cracked up to be.

Beasty

BarryD2 wrote: »

Well then they clearly should not be rated as highly as they are. It's all very well playing well in your home conditions but if the team can't travel & adapt away from home then they're not what they are cracked up to be.

That applies to pretty much every cricketing nation.

It's not as if they have been awarded bonus points because it's India!

They are where they are because they have earned it. Of course if you have any suggestions on how to improve the ranking system I would certainly be interested to see them.

Slim Charles

BarryD2 wrote: »

Well then they clearly should not be rated as highly as they are. It's all very well playing well in your home conditions but if the team can't travel & adapt away from home then they're not what they are cracked up to be.

Hardly any team travels well in international cricket these days, to be fair.

BarryD2

Beasty wrote: »

Of course if you have any suggestions on how to improve the ranking system I would certainly be interested to see them.

If the ranking system is essentially a measure of how many test matches are played in 'home' conditions, then clearly it's skewed and pretty worthless.

KevIRL

What a way to bring up a maiden test match ton by pant. Solid resistance by the Indians

Niles Crane

Is there a chance India could chase the total down now?