***Official*** India in England

[adharcric]

Hmm, will Dravid continue with five bowlers if Agarkar is dropped? Zaheer > Agarkar with the bat but Agarkar seems to have the reputation. Chawla at 7, Powar at 8 and Zaheer at 9 will do just fine IMO.

 

[grecian]

He gets taken off before that happens, so he ends with somewhat flattering statistics like Mascarenhas and his economy rate and it's other players who suffer instead because they're forced to bowl (more) overs at the death and in the power plays.

Tremlett's 5 middle overs went for 31. His first 3 overs in the power plays went for 30 and the 44th over when India started their charge went for 12.

Hmm, these are Me-chard-esque statistics. Your trying to talk up 5 overs for 31, I think if Panesar had bowled them you'd be slagging them off. It is after all over 6 an over

Tremlett was poor, His fielding was worse.

 

[Prince EWS]

Hmm, will Dravid continue with five bowlers if Agarkar is dropped? Zaheer > Agarkar with the bat but Agarkar seems to have the reputation. Chawla at 7, Powar at 8 and Zaheer at 9 will do just fine IMO.

To be honest, none of Agarkar, Zaheer, Chawla or Powar are good enough to bat #7 and I wouldn't even really be all that comfortable with any of them at #8 - but given the fact that Gambhir as a middle order players seems to be your next batting option, I can't see how Powar wouldn't offer more to the side than him - even if he had to bat 7 and be the 5th bowler used. The five bowler policy works well on flat, slow pitches, but on pitches that offer a bit for the new ball, it could certainly backfire. If a decent #6 emerges that India would actually pick ahead of Gambhir then I'd still be in favour of 4 bowlers + Ganguly/Tendulkar/Yuvraj - but until then, I'd go with 5. I don't think Agarkar would change that too much.

 

[adharcric]

Here's a question: if India win, who's your man-of-the-match? Dravid or Tendulkar?

EDIT: Munaf going wild out there.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Hmm, these are Me-chard-esque statistics. Your trying to talk up 5 overs for 31, I think if Panesar had bowled them you'd be slagging them off. It is after all over 6 an over

Tremlett was poor, His fielding was worse.

If Panesar had bowled in the power plays or at the end he'd have smashed just as badly.

Panesar's fielding/batting would have countered any marginally better figures he'd have taken, I seriously doubt he'd have kept it under 5 an over during the cushy middle overs. The spinners for India are just about managing it because England are 5 down, they're better than Panesar and they're a lot better at playing spin than England.

 

[Prince EWS]

Here's a question: if India win, who's your man-of-the-match? Dravid or Tendulkar?

EDIT: Munaf going wild out there.

Dravid's innings was probably better, but I'd give the award to Tendulkar. He set it up for Dravid to do what he did really - Dravid just finished it off in a way. Dravid's innings was better from a batsman's perspective, but Tendulkar's was better from a match perspective IMO.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Another cameo. Tremendous...

 

[Raghav]

OUT>>>>Bopara

 

[Raghav]

*puts $50 on Bell to be next wicket*

hey man! You are proved wrong here. Bopara is out and its not Bell

 

[grecian]

If Panesar had bowled in the power plays or at the end he'd have smashed just as badly.

Panesar's fielding/batting would have countered any marginally better figures he'd have taken, I seriously doubt he'd have kept it under 5 an over during the cushy middle overs. The spinners for India are just about managing it because England are 5 down, they're better than Panesar and they're a lot better at playing spin than England.

Yes. so your just going to tell us panesar would of been worse, with no proof. Bleurgh

 

[Prince EWS]

The Raghav curse doesn't seem to work if you tarnish its purity and put money on it. A shame.

 

[Jungle Jumbo]

Hmm, will Dravid continue with five bowlers if Agarkar is dropped? Zaheer > Agarkar with the bat but Agarkar seems to have the reputation. Chawla at 7, Powar at 8 and Zaheer at 9 will do just fine IMO.

In some ways, I think India are missing Sehwag here. Not for his batting, not at all, but for his bowling. India used to be confident of playing four frontline bowlers, plus support from Tendulkar, Yuvraj, Ganguly, Sehwag and even Mongia. Back in that 2002 side - possibly the best Indian ODI team of recent times - they used to perform together as well as any fifth specialist playing these days.

Of the five mentioned, Sehwag was probably the more consistent and therefore, usually bowling in a largely defensive role, the worst to lose. I don't think Sehwag should be playing - he doesn't merit a place as a batsman - but it just shows how much weaker India are for his loss of form.

Chawla seems to have a great deal of batting experience for age group teams and for UP, but India don't seem to have much confidence in him. Ideally he would be the allrounder at number seven. IIRC in his Test debut he batted 10 - below Kumble and one of the seamers.

Of course, when such quality 'value-added' batsmen of Munaf Patel are around, who needs seven batsmen?

 

[Prince EWS]

Does Dimi's bat have a middle?

 

[grecian]

Dimi needs to get a match-winning innings, to continue his england career.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Yes. so your just going to tell us panesar would of been worse, with no proof. Bleurgh

India's batsmen have completely dominated him, he's not much cop to begin with and there's some small boundaries. Whenever he's bowled in the power plays before he's generally been hit for boundaries easily even against WI.

Wouldn't have looked too promising for him would it?

 

[grecian]

India's batsmen have completely dominated him, he's not much cop to begin with and there's some small boundaries. Whenever he's bowled in the power plays before he's generally been hit for boundaries easily even against WI.

Wouldn't have looked too promising for him would it?

Not much, but if he'd taking less then 0-73, he'd of done okay

 

[Raghav]

Game almost lost. Bell gone..

See you India for 3rd ODI.. IND will lose series

 

[Scaly piscine]

Bell goes, he did at least stay there but he also scored too slowly and was somewhat clueless against anyone who didn't bowl a heap of crap which is the problem with him.

 

[Turbinator]

Piyush Chawla is so gun it's not even funny!

 

[Prince EWS]

Game almost lost. Bell gone..

See you India for 3rd ODI.. IND will lose series

Dominator.