India in England/Ireland/Scotland

[Will_NA]

For some reason, England rarely win the first Test.

We didn't against Saffa in 2003 (I think, I may be wrong)

We didn't against Oz in England in 2005

We didn't against Pak in Pak when we should have in 2005

We didn't against India in 2005/06

We didn't against Pak in 2006

We didn't against WI in 2007

We didn't against India at Lords

The bowling line-up does look a little bare. Agarkar comes back in for Sreesanth and Munaf also comes in but I guess we will be going 3-1 with Agarkar, Munaf and Zaheer and then Piyush. Definitely expect Powar to get more than a couple of games. Batting line-up looks tight. I'm really interested to see if India go with a 6-5 line-up provided that Piyush is expected to be handy with the bat.

I don't rate Agarkar.

I don't think he brings much to the team. No pace, no seam or swing.

It would mean about the same as the CBS was. A pleasing but frustrating display which in no way makes up for the embarassing test performances

1-0 would be only a third as bad (not mathematically) as our 5-0 drubbing

 

[baburao]

Remember that its ODIs where India's performance wasnt good in the past few months.So they will try hard to win it convincingly.As many young players are giving seniors tough competition in this form of the game.I hope we will beat England.

 

[Leicester Fox]

My point was it means not much in the long run. Tests are what matter and we've screwed them up so we have to goand win at the thing we don't even like that much

 

[Will_NA]

My point was it means not much in the long run. Tests are what matter and we've screwed them up so we have to goand win at the thing we don't even like that much

We have to win something

 

[manee]

I don't rate Agarkar.

I don't think he brings much to the team. No pace, no seam or swing

Agarkar is in good form:

Series         Win   Mat    O       R   W   BB1    BB2     Ave  Econ    SR 4w 5w

[B]West Indies in India, 2006/07 [Series][/B]
               Ind     4   37     183   7  3/45   2/40   26.14  4.94  31.7  0  0
[B]Sri Lanka in India, 2006/07 [Series][/B]
               Ind     2   20      92   2  2/52    -     46.00  4.60  60.0  0  0
[B]ICC World Cup (Aus/BD/Ber/Can/Eng/Ind/Ire/Ken/NL/NZ/Pak/SA/Sco/SL/WI/Zim) in 
 West Indies, 2006/07 [Tournament] [/B]
               Aus     3   28     112   4  3/38   1/33   28.00  4.00  42.0  0  0
[B]India in Ireland, 2007 [Series][/B]
               Ind     1   10      27   1  1/27    -     27.00  2.70  60.0  0  0
[B]Future Cup (Ind/SA) in Ireland, 2007 [Series][/B]
               Ind     1    6      21   2  2/21    -     10.50  3.50  18.0  0  0

On his day, he is quite sharp as well, he hit 88mph consistantly in Ireland.

 

[Stephen Bailey]

how many times we have to hear the same thing again and again."If" england had 2005's ashes attack then they will do this,that.Common get over it,its 2007.England always makes excuses when they perform badly.

Always? Yeh. : Do you ever stop spouting crap? Don't know how many more people have to say it, India have been the better side this series except at Lord's.

Many England fans probably won't like this, but the fact is I doubt we'll touch the heights of 2004 and 2005 for a very long time. Our batsmen are more than happy to stick their hands up when it's on a plate for them, but as soon as it gets a little bit difficult for them, you don't see many of our batsmen stick their hands up and say they're up for the challenge. This is why India are going to win this series because the likes of Tendulkar, Ganguly, Dravid and Laxman (with some help from Jaffer and Karthik!) were willing to get their hands dirty at Trent Bridge. That isn't to discredit the Indian bowlers at all, who bowled with great skill, but I can't help but think that the likes of Tendulkar would've found a way to survive. It is no coincidence either that it was Paul Collingwood and Michael Vaughan who stuck their hands up for England in the second innings. The story is the same at the Oval so far, yes it's a flat wicket and yes India won the toss, but they still had to get the runs on the board and applied themselves supurbly.

I think this series has told us a lot about modern cricket, not just the current crop of English batsmen. A lot of modern batsmen are perfectly capable of making runs against any attack around on a flat wicket, but as soon as you put the modern batsman on a track that does a bit, they all of a sudden look all at sea. At this point it is the old heads and those who are willing to sacrifice quick scoring for survival.

I really think some of the test and ODI cricket being played now is some of the most dull and poor there has ever been.

We didn't against Saffa in 2003 (I think, I may be wrong)

Correct, the game finished in a draw due to the weather. In the game we were on the receiving end of the first of two Graeme Smith double hundreds.

 

[zub2005]

excellent day for india, and the series could and looks to be indias but who knows. england are looking well after monty really well. as whenever he seems to be getting attacked they never risk him they just take him out the attack and put in someone else, for example today when dhoni was getting fired up. maybe he might crack if someone completly destroys him.

 

[Will_NA]

excellent day for india, and the series could and looks to be indias but who knows. england are looking well after monty really well. as whenever he seems to be getting attacked they never risk him they just take him out the attack and put in someone else, for example today when dhoni was getting fired up. maybe he might crack if someone completly destroys him.

He was taken out once after being attacked and who wouldn't be taken out of the attack if they are being slaughtered. There was nothing in it for him and he was never a threat. :

 

[baburao]

Always? Yeh. : Do you ever stop spouting crap? Don't know how many more people have to say it, India have been the better side this series except at Lord's.

Oh yeah! Truth is crap for u?Dude go and visit the last few pages before calling my posts crap.:

 

[BigCrickNan]

A chance of a draw perhaps, but the series is gone.
Poor shot from Strauss adds to the bowling misery, England need to make these bowlers into front line bowlers rather than playing them and saying we could do better if we had Hoggard or Flintoff.

 

[Will_NA]

A chance of a draw perhaps, but the series is gone.
Poor shot from Strauss adds to the bowling misery, England need to make these bowlers into front line bowlers rather than playing them and saying we could do better if we had Hoggard or Flintoff.

Yep. These bowlers are back-up bowlers rather than pushing for places at the moment.

 

[baburao]

A chance of a draw perhaps, but the series is gone.
Poor shot from Strauss adds to the bowling misery, England need to make these bowlers into front line bowlers rather than playing them and saying we could do better if we had Hoggard or Flintoff.

Thats the point couple of english fans have said that "if we had hoggard and harmison we would have done this or that" these comments takes the credit away from India.Are you looking Stevie?

 

[Stephen Bailey]

Thats the point couple of english fans have said that "if we had hoggard and harmison we would have done this or that" these comments takes the credit away from India.Are you looking Stevie?

Sorry? Where have I taken credit away from India? Nowhere. I've done nothing but praise them and say how England's batsmen lack the necessary skill to bat under difficult circumstances. Jeez. :

 

[Will_NA]

Thats the point couple of english fans have said that "if we had hoggard and harmison we would have done this or that" these comments takes the credit away from India.Are you looking Stevie?

No, they don't! :

We say you out played us millions of time but you still, somehow, believe we don't give India credit. :

Are you denying that if we had a better bowling line-up, results might have turned out differently?

Sorry? Where have I taken credit away from India? Nowhere. I've done nothing but praise them, jeez. :

He doesn't listen. It's like talking to a brick wall that's missing most of it's bricks.

 

[baburao]

Sorry? Where have I taken credit away from India? Nowhere. I've done nothing but praise them and say how England's batsmen lack the necessary skill to bat under difficult circumstances. Jeez. :

And sorry!Where have i said that it was you who said it(that england makes excuses)? Nowhere.