England in India - Oct to Jan 2012/13

[puddleduck]

Do you even like cricket Sai? You seem to turn everything into some kind of them v us debate?!? It's not like I've not made clear in the past that in test cricket I appreciate a pitch with something in it for everyone. I was a fan of the UAE pitches that had help for everyone, and I didn't mind the Sri Lankan pitches that ragged sideways within an over of it starting. No first morning pitch should see a brand new ball fail to clear the stumps. It is killing test cricket, certainly in India, just look at the dwindling numbers Look at your constantly injured fast bowlers and the lack of consistent run scorers overseas recently.

In fact, you're pretty much the reason England v India discussion is normally so tedious. Ah yes, the block button, wonderful

 

[SaiSrini]

Do you even like cricket Sai? You seem to turn everything into some kind of them v us debate?!? It's not like I've not made clear in the past that in test cricket I appreciate a pitch with something in it for everyone. I was a fan of the UAE pitches that had help for everyone, and I didn't mind the Sri Lankan pitches that ragged sideways within an over of it starting. No first morning pitch should see a brand new ball fail to clear the stumps. It is killing test cricket, certainly in India, just look at the dwindling numbers Look at your constantly injured fast bowlers and the lack of consistent run scorers overseas recently.

In fact, you're pretty much the reason England v India discussion is normally so tedious. Ah yes, the block button, wonderful

Ah.... That last line! So blissful! If you had to post that, why waste all that time posting all that crap you did before? Still posting this reply because I now you will be tempted to unhide this message and see what retort I have posted....

Back on topic - Good hundred by Sehwag! Definitely felt the change in approach he brought to the start of his innings helped him immensely. Doesn't change my opinion about his game overnight, but if he can approach his game this way, often, I won't be complaining about him too often.

 

[Owzat]

England predictably went with three seamers, Swann and Patel. Those claiming you don't win a series in India with two seamers and two spinners, not many win a series in India full-stop and the two best spinners of recent years struggled there, doesn't make the tactic wrong.

Anderson/Broad/Bresnan : 24-1-107-0 (SR n/a, ER 4.46)
Swann/Patel : 14-1-47-1 (SR 84.00, ER 3.36)

Australia were the last side to win a series in India back in 04/05. Clarke took 6/9 one match, Hauritz struggled a bit, but Warne took 14 wickets @ 30.07. They didn't play two spinners, but then we are talking an aussie attack of McGrath, Gillespie and Warne so hardly something you can easily copy.

Tests in India, in a lot of countries but in India mainly, are boring. But then if you had a winning formula would you give it away to make the cricket interesting?

Last time England toured they lost 0-1, they played Swann AND Panesar who took 8 and 6 wickets respectively, Swann's nearly at 40 apiece and Panesar at just over 50. But Anderson, Broad and Harmison were even worse, 7 wickets between them @ 62.57, hardly making the case to play three seamers.

Doodle and Panesar were our two spinners when we drew in 05/06, both inexperienced at this level and both taking five wickets. Back then of course we had Flintoff so playing a second spinner is easier.

Whether or not this bowling line up pays off, only time will tell. I would say so far there is little to suggest it will, we then enter the crucial 2nd Test selection possibly 0-1 down, I suspect if Patel does "ok" then they will persist with this. Long way to go in this one, very long way for England if it carries on like this

 

[Gaurav_7]

International news agencies boycott India-England Test series - The Times of India

Wow, another stupidity by the BCCI.

 

[SaiSrini]

International news agencies boycott India-England Test series - The Times of India

Wow, another stupidity by the BCCI.

Haven't the BCCI been at this nonsense for quite sometime now? I guess so....

 

[cricketaddict]

Whatever the pitch is, no matter how flacid, deliveries and bowlng like that needs to be punished

 

[AbhishekS]

Hundred for Sehwag and a century stand for Sehwag and Gambhir. Very well proves that the two are indeed the best opening duo India has!

 

[shravi]

Whatever the pitch is, no matter how flacid, deliveries and bowlng like that needs to be punished

...

 

[Paki007]

Great Start for India.Sehwag really cashing on some mediocre deliveries.This is looking ugly for England at the moment.Treat to watch when Sehwag is in this flow

 

[puddleduck]

Don't be silly User. BCCI are wonderful, and anyone complaining about them is just jealous.

@Owzatt.
Well India could be 3 down if England hadn't been so sloppy in the field, at which point I'd say England would be fairly happy. However without those wickets India are firmly in control and Sehwag is still cashing in. I would definitely say that England would rather have Panesar out there as this match wears on, and he would probably have exerted more control, but I'm not sure he would have proved any more penetrating.

----------

Hundred for Sehwag and a century stand for Sehwag and Gambhir. Very well proves that the two are indeed the best opening duo India has in India!

Fixed

 

[cricketaddict]

Well if Sehwag isnt dismissed early till tea then I see him killing the already mediocre looking England bowling.

I agree Pitch is flat and all that bullshit that its not bouncing, but hey... Lets see how England fare right? I know this pitches kill test cricket but still it is result oriented and what matters more? Result or watching just the pitch do om namah shiva?

 

[puddleduck]

A pitch can be result orientated, but not a result that's determined by the toss... Whoever wins this toss is basically 90% in the driving seat. Not that I'm saying with any certainty that England would have piled on 500+ in the same position

 

[cricketaddict]

Exactly, we are not sure if England would have scored so much if they would have batted first. So lets just enjoy whats on hand instead of cribbing

----------

Its interesting to notice that Pujara has scored more in this partnership. He is going at a good rate too

 

[Owzat]

Well India could be 3 down if England hadn't been so sloppy in the field, at which point I'd say England would be fairly happy. However without those wickets India are firmly in control and Sehwag is still cashing in. I would definitely say that England would rather have Panesar out there as this match wears on, and he would probably have exerted more control, but I'm not sure he would have proved any more penetrating.

"could be 3 down" doesn't equal actual wickets though, and the pace the runs are coming off seamers has set India up with a decent platform.

In terms of Panesar and control vs penetration, the seamers aren't going to exert much control without penetration. Obviously missed chances will take their toll, but even at 200/3 England would still be behind, and I was coming on to "predict" two things, one of which is they will get further behind via Patel.

My "predictions" are that Patel will get played out of the attack, tidy figures don't take wickets and I suspect he may pick up the odd one or two but India will help themselves to runs first, and that it won't be long before plan Y and Z come into the attack in the shape of Trott and KP. You can tell when Cook is all out of ideas, those two bowl.



Oh and as an aside, I hear Gayle smashed a six off the first ball of a Test, first time it's ever been done I believe. Shows Bangladesh as a Test nation are a joke, noone would try such a thing against a decent side.

 

[puddleduck]

It's fairly clear looking at this pitch that England should have played 2 spinners, but I really don't think they quite anticipated how dead it would be. With your standard sub-continental turner there is an abrasion that at least allows swing during the middle overs as the ball roughs up, but this is a dead pitch with a lush outfield so as to pretty much render any seamer completely out the game.

I think at 200/3 it would be fairly even considering, but yeah currently England are well behind. Especially when you think Sachin, and Yuvraj are still to come in, and the form man Kohli has still to bat. With Dhoni also likely to get free reign, England could comfortably be 600+ behind when they finally get allowed to bat.

----------

I think England have actually been a bit naive so far. They should have reverted to just bowling over after over wide of off stump with a packed offside field about 30 overs ago :P