England In India - October 2011/12

[Sureshot]

I'd counter the first part of that by saying we've yet to have a good opening partnership this series.

For Owzat (and others!) I went to the trouble and our biggest opening partnership this series is just 23, India's best is 63 from the test just gone. We've seen throughout both games that the new ball has been the key to success.

Not going to argue on the bowlers though, our attack is much better and even if 2 of the 3 seamers from last match dropped out, we could replace them with the likes of Tremlett/Onions.

The key will be that if Zaheer doesn't take wickets, how do those around him perform? We've seen how easily the English batsman have been able to decimate the Indian bowlers in some sessions. I just don't have that fear with our bowlers. It's been a long time since we've had more than 1 seamer fail to deliver in a match. I think both Praveen and Ishant are good enough, but they lack the consistency and ability to maintain the intensity (the ENgland teams buzzword) that our attack does.

 

[Prithvi]

http://www.theunrealtimes.com/2011/...he-indian-dressing-room-during-the-tea-break/

Hilarious!

 

[AbhishekS]

Haha, superb!

 

[Themer]

Just read back some of "cricketlovers" posts at the beginning of this thread. Bloody hilarious.

 

[Aalay]

Bhajji (in a theatrical fashion): Guys, have I made it large?
Dhoni: Abe, tu phir se shuru ho gaya?

lmfao, that was the best part of the whole article. And also

‘Aila plane !’

 

[Ollie_H]

You cannot expect a team to win without a good opening stand to see off the new ball

I went to the trouble and our biggest opening partnership this series is just 23, India's best is 63 from the test just gone.

There you go.

And if you only really have one bowler carrying a side, then maybe it really is true that India are only number 1 in the rankings by a statistical abnormality rather than actually deserving it.

 

[pcfan123]

Bhajji (in a theatrical fashion): Guys, have I made it large?
Dhoni: Abe, tu phir se shuru ho gaya?

lmfao, that was the best part of the whole article. And also

?Aila plane !?

need I direct you to the forum rules?

 

[Aalay]

need I direct you to the forum rules?

It was just for fun Mr. Best Post Contributor but looks like you have taken it pretty seriously so I take it back.

 

[pcfan123]

Take it to ICF then, this is an English speaking forum. It's not just for Indians

 

[Aalay]

And it's also not just for Englishmen either.

 

[shravi]

In my opinion (and I'm sure the English and Mark will disagree with it, but I really don't care), all this series goes to show is that there is no real number one in world cricket. It's just a numbers game. Out on the field there is no one team that is definitively better than the rest. I think England would find it hard to beat India in India just as India have found it hard to beat England in England. South Africa and India tied in both the home and away series'. I would say that all three teams are about level and the rankings will fluctuate but instead of the ranking points, we should look at the cricket that's actually being played out on the field which puts India, England and South Africa on an equal standing.

This isn't an excuse. India have been well and truly outplayed (so far) and England have been the better side by far but I'll hold my judgement on how good they are when I see how they do in India next time around.
________________________________________________________

Looking back at the scorecard it's devastating to see how differently this match could have gone if just a few small things didn't happen. India were on top and in what could only be described as a winning position when they had England at 124-8 and then again when they were 264-4. On both occasions they got a little complacent and lazy and you just can't do that against the best teams. The result may show that they were annihilated, and in the last two days, they were. However, I think there's a lot that the end result doesn't tell you about the match.

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need I direct you to the forum rules?

Because you've followed them so well ?

 

[barmyarmy]

Mr. Best Post Contributor

Don't worry. It's only an honorary title...

 

[pcfan123]

And it's also not just for Englishmen either.

correct, but it's for people who speak English, even those with a tenuous grasp on the language such as yourself

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Because you've followed them so well ?

this pot is allowed to call the kettle black

Don't worry. It's only an honorary title...

yup, same as Duke, Lord, Earl....

 

[barmyarmy]

Most Americans have a pretty tenuous grasp of the language so let's move on please.

 

[pcfan123]

In my opinion (and I'm sure the English and Mark will disagree with it, but I really don't care), all this series goes to show is that there is no real number one in world cricket.

I actually agree, I just like reminding the Indian fans that the number 1 title is BS at best. I personally think SA is the best team