***Official*** India in England

[biased indian]

44.4 Kumble to Vaughan, no run, dropped, the legbreak pitches on middle stump and turns sharply across Vaughan who commits himself to a front foot defence, the ball hits the outside edge and flies to Dravid's right at a comfortable height, that was a regulation catch

 

[gettingbetter]

What exactly is the point in saving the match?

 

[BoyBrumby]

Horrible miss, really. It's not been the best of matches from India's skipper in any discipline tbh. Usually very reliable catcher too.

Last over before lunch (probably) coming up & KP puts first ball away for 4.

EDIT: I was wrong. India manage to squeeze another in. Sachin to bowl it.

 

[Prince EWS]

What exactly is the point in saving the match?

It is a game of cricket. Not everything is about the series result - a team which rolls over and loses in persuit of an unrealistic goal is a team without backbone IMO. Saving this game is about is this game.

 

[BoyBrumby]

That is yer lot for the morning. 126-2 at the interval.

India's morning, just. Had Dravid taken that chance it would have been comfortably their's.

Just as an aside "live" television coverage is actually nothing of the sort! I was surprised at the length of the delay I saw yesterday. The good people at The Oval kindly provide a large screen on the roof of the stand I was in, showing (naturally enough) the game before us. The delay from the event to transmission is as much as 5 seconds. I feel cheated!

 

[gettingbetter]

Vaughan, England, team management and others should take a leaf out of the South African and Smith school of cricket. A series is up for stake and that is the grand prize, as Smith said 'there is no difference losing 1-0 or 2-0.'

 

[pasag]

Vaughan, England, team management and others should take a leaf out of the South African and Smith school of cricket. A series is up for stake and that is the grand prize, as Smith said 'there is no difference losing 1-0 or 2-0.'

From the other point of view though, you have to cut your losses as well, 1-0 is a loss, 2-0 is a thrashing so to speak and is obviously worse.

 

[andyc]

Vaughan, England, team management and others should take a leaf out of the South African and Smith school of cricket. A series is up for stake and that is the grand prize, as Smith said 'there is no difference losing 1-0 or 2-0.'

AWTA, completely. Am disappointed that people were criticising Dravid for not enforcing the follow on, but no one's doing the same to Vaughan for playing for the draw. Yeah, you're almost definitely not going to make it, but there's no harm in trying when you're already one down in the series.

 

[Turbinator]

Only if Dravid took that catch...

 

[silentstriker]

Dravid did not enforce the follow on, played a very bad innings, and dropped an important catch.

Not a very good two days from him.

 

[vic_orthdox]

It is a game of cricket. Not everything is about the series result - a team which rolls over and loses in persuit of an unrealistic goal is a team without backbone IMO. Saving this game is about is this game.

Disagree in complete entirety. That's like people criticising Smith for his declaration against Australia when South Africa were last here.

 

[gettingbetter]

Also remember that for the last 8 or so years, England have been the second best team in the world. A major factor in this has been there ability to win at home, hence, they haven't loss a home series since 2001 against Australia.

This will be a big dent in all that hard work.

 

[vic_orthdox]

From the other point of view though, you have to cut your losses as well, 1-0 is a loss, 2-0 is a thrashing so to speak and is obviously worse.

That ethos belongs in the 80s.

 

[gettingbetter]

Disagree in complete entirety. That's like people criticising Smith for his declaration against Australia when South Africa were last here.

Exactly.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Vaughan, England, team management and others should take a leaf out of the South African and Smith school of cricket. A series is up for stake and that is the grand prize, as Smith said 'there is no difference losing 1-0 or 2-0.'

Yep.

Trying to only lose a home series 1-0 against India is an absolute joke. This series performance has been pathetic enough without this.

Disgraceful.

 

[silentstriker]

I'm kind of in the middle. 500 on the last day is a ridiculous ask. If the target had been 350, I would rather see them going for it. There is absolutely no point in chasing 500.

Although, I bet if it was Australia, they'd make an effort to go for it. But Australia is not your average team. For most of the teams, you have to do your best to save this match. It's one thing to chase an improbable target, another to chase a virtually impossible one.

 

[Speersy]

Damn even KP is playing for the draw, wheres the heart in him gone. Whats the captain saying to him.

 

[silentstriker]

Damn even KP is playing for the draw, wheres the heart in him gone. Whats the captain saying to him.

Surely now it is way too late to change your mind and go for the win. That decision, if was made, should have been made yesterday. To go for it now, needing more than 6 runs an over, would just be idiotic.

 

[Speersy]

Surely now it is way too late to change your mind and go for the win. That decision, if was made, should have been made yesterday. To go for it now, needing more than 6 runs an over, would just be idiotic.

I was hoping KP would go out there and play his usually attacking innings. Give England a chance u know?

 

[silentstriker]

I was hoping KP would go out there and play his usually attacking innings. Give England a chance u know?

I think, that at this stage, even if he channels Viv Richards, it will still be not enough.

Whatever England decided, it is way too late to change.