India in England Jun-Sept 2014

[T.J.Hooker]

When i see Cook struggle since last year, it makes me appreciate Mike Atherton more and more. Cook has essentially played on weak bowling era, although things have improved since 2010. His poor streaks in his career are far more than his peak. Yet he statistically has so much batting records.

Atherton played in tough era & never failed like Cook did so regularly.

Arguably someone who doesn't get a lot of big scores but who hangs around regularly for 30 or 40 on 200 tracks (not that we really see 200 tracks in test cricket any more) is more useful to the team overall than someone who has long runs of blobs when the ball moves but makes up for it by slowly gorging himself on flat tracks when more talented players could be scoring more quickly and moving the game on.

It's kind of like the US military and aircraft carriers, though. Many people just assume without question that openers who have giant scores on their cv are the best kind of openers, and that great big scores are the best and most valuable innings.

 

[grkrama]

Trouble is I can't think of who would take over the captaincy is Cook lost it. Broad or Root are possibilities but I wouldn't be delighted with either.

bell, or broad, or the guy that was forced to take VRS.

 

[ParkedTheBus]

It is high time England considered picking their best opener, Nick Compton. He should start over Robson, and Jordan should play in place of Stokes. Liam Plunkett was mighty impressive in the series against Sri Lanka, but he has been poor for extended periods this series. So, if Liam does not perform well in the second innings, Kerrigan should be brought into the team, in place of Liam.

 

[Aalay]

I think India bowled well in the first session without much help from the surface. However because the pitch is becoming flat, it will be hard to restrict England under our total. Ishant Sharma is bowling well to Ian Bell but just needs a bit of luck to get him out.

 

[Skater]

It is high time England considered picking their best opener, Nick Compton. He should start over Robson, and Jordan should play in place of Stokes. Liam Plunkett was mighty impressive in the series against Sri Lanka, but he has been poor for extended periods this series. So, if Liam does not perform well in the second innings, Kerrigan should be brought into the team, in place of Liam.

No. No reason to drop Stokes.

 

[Aalay]

That was Ishant's wicket but good on Bhuvi.

 

[abhi_jacko]

Wth .. 40 overs bowled and Binny just started bowling now ? Dhoni doesn't want him to play at all ? and no Jadeja either ?

If this continues, poor bhuvi is going to burn out by the end of this game

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Binny induced a solid edge, and no one went for it

 

[SaiSrini]

Well done so far from our bowlers. Bhuvi has been exceptional so far on this tour in the two tests. 8 wickets in 2 innings (with one not yet completed so far). But the dreaded moment comes.... Final session of Lord's where its much easier to bat, our bowlers almost always take their foot off the gas when they get some wickets.

Will it repeat today? Hope not.... Getting a lead would be great for India.

 

[Skater]

Blimey this over rate is taking a kicking.

 

[IceAgeComing]

Blimey this over rate is taking a kicking.

how slow is it?

 

[abhi_jacko]

Another dropped catch candidate edging towards a century .. that's been the story on almost every overseas tour for us.

And its inexcusable, because catching is one of the things least affected by conditions.

 

[Skater]

how slow is it?

I don't know exactly but it took them 7 minutes to bowl one over after tea because of all the faffing about.

A second hundred at Lord's for Gary Ballance. He's securing his place in the side.

 

[SaiSrini]

I would say India are still slightly ahead in this game, at the end of Day 2. Those two wickets that they got (of Ali and Ballance) were real bonuses. Didnt watch the game, but from the score, I have been happy with our performance so far in this game. On a livelier pitch, we are ahead of England here and that's a satisfying thing. I know games can turn at any point, and I would still be wary but so far, its not bad as I expected.

I think our guys need more exposure to start delivering the goods in tests. They are getting it right now with tours like the one in SA, NZ and this one (Eng). These guys are much much better than the submissive units (that contained the legendary stars like Sachin, Dravid, Laxman) that were annihilated last time in England and Australia.

 

[Aalay]

Blimey this over rate is taking a kicking.

Over rate has been perfectly fine. It was just that one over after tea which took like 7 minutes or so because Murli Vijay had to put on pads.

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So as expected, pitch was much on the flatter side compared to yesterday. We did well in first two sessions but bowlers did look tired in the last session. Both the wickets in the last session were bonus but bowlers did work hard earlier to earn those wickets. Still thought we didn't bowl well with the second new ball. They were allowed to leave too many deliveries. Also they were bowling short to Plunkett which is not the way to go. New ball always does something and when you have a nightwatchman in against a new ball, you have to pitch it up and make him play rather than bowling short to him.

Morning session will be crucial tomorrow because we always struggle to get the lower order out. If we can restrict them to somewhere around our score, that will be excellent.

 

[cricket_icon]

India have had a good day all things considered, really simple dismissal for Ali, he just missed a ball coming into his pads

But Ballance has played very well and looks set for a big one, still don't see why PLunkett was sent out, I've never believed in night watchmen anyway.

The one thing that will worry England the most is Cook's lack of form, in fact it's his simple inability to even look like he can bat a bit. He looks completely lost at sea and for someone who has backed him so much over the years, I can finally nod to the calls of him being dropped or possibly losing the captaincy.