***Official*** India in England

[Athlai]

Broad having a bad day, didn't start off too badly but sheesh. Getting knocked around now.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Looking a pretty stupid decision to 'rest' or whatever it was, meaning Dravid isn't in the Twenty20 World Championships.

 

[gettingbetter]

Not sure what your saying here, that in a run chase it wouldn't make a difference if Lewis was there or Flintoff? I beg to differ, Lewis being a direct replacment for Flintoff is certainly not going to help England's chances, regardless of Flintoff's current dire form. And I agree Bopara is a much greater loss in the batting dept. and I never said otherwise.

Sorry for being misleading. I'm talking about Flintoff in general, not in respect to who replaces him.

I think selectors, coaches, (most) fan and other stakeholders would be kidding themsleves thinking that Flintoff would be an asset in a big run chase.

Re-reading your post, I think it has come a time where Lewis is as good as Flintoff in a run chase (this maybe a hyperbole, but Flintoff's form is terrible).

 

[viktor]

Looking a pretty stupid decision to 'rest' or whatever it was, meaning Dravid isn't in the Twenty20 World Championships.

He opted out, tbf.

 

[Scaly piscine]

He opted out, tbf.

Yea, pretty stupid decision from Dravid then.

 

[pasag]

Sorry for being misleading. I'm talking about Flintoff in general, not in respect to who replaces him.

I think selectors, coaches, (most) fan and other stakeholders would be kidding themsleves thinking that Flintoff would be an asset in a big run chase.

Re-reading your post, I think it has come a time where Lewis is as good as Flintoff in a run chase (this maybe a hyperbole, but Flintoff's form is terrible).

So what, bat him at 9/10 in your opinion?

 

[gettingbetter]

Bad day for England's golden boy, I wonder how long until folk on this board lump him with the Mahmoods and Plunketts?

 

[gettingbetter]

So what? Bat him at 9/10?

Bat him under Shah and Bopara to start with.

 

[wpdavid]

Given how ordinary Lewis has been with the ball & that Mascarenhas was in our original squad it seems a bizarre decision to play the curly-haired, large-nosed, slow-medium pie distributor.

Not a fan, I take it?

It meant the Anderson/Broad opening combo was broken too, which had been working pretty well thus far.

Yeah, that was the real crime, as some of us said at the time. It also meant that Broad had a very different role in this game, and we've just seen how good an idea that was.

Easy to be wise after the event, but it should've been a no-brainer anyway.

I can see why he was picked, actually. If they had gone for Mascarenhas, we were down to two bowlers who you'd expect to be taking wickets in this form of the game, and one of those (Broad) is very inexperienced. The problem was how they allocated their overs, imo.

 

[Turbinator]

Good total for India... Series win here we come !

 

[Nate]

Haha Turbs.

Pietersen to come into the runs this arvo I reckon.

 

[Athlai]

Panesar to score more runs than Pietersen for me.

 

[adharcric]

Damn, that flat six over extra cover from Dravid was ridiculous.

 

[Raghav]

Good total for India... Series win here we come !

Lot more needed from India from here to win series. Not easy though! But for me, Its impossible

 

[wpdavid]

Lot more needed from India from here to win series. Not easy though! But for me, Its impossible

For India to win the series? Not at all, imo, if England are now without Bopara's batting & Flintoff's bowling. Your main four batters are all in good touch, and England haven't shown any inclination to score quickly against your two spinners.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Not a fan, I take it?

Whatever gave it away?

No, not overly. He lacks pace & variation (although he has deployed an off-cutter a coupla times here, cunningly bowled as a rank long-hop too), playing him means he has to open with the new ball or he's a waste of a spot in the team & if the ball doesn't swing first up he's just a waste anyway.

I can see why he was picked, actually. If they had gone for Mascarenhas, we were down to two bowlers who you'd expect to be taking wickets in this form of the game, and one of those (Broad) is very inexperienced. The problem was how they allocated their overs, imo.

Yeah, I can see the thinking that went on with Lewis's selection, even if it was just based on the old Headingley=swing idea, but as I said he has to open & that's disrupted a bowling plan that had been working half-decently (certainly by our low standards, anyway) & has also weakened the batting line-up. Didn't think Dimi had done too badly in the middle overs either, but I would agree he's not a genuine wicket-taking option at this level.

I think it shows that Moores is possibly more adaptable in his thinking than Big Dunc was (we also saw it with Tremlett being promoted from outside of the original squad to starting XI at Broad's expense in the tests), but whether that's a strength or a weakness is still a debateable point IMHO.

 

[TheGreatAusie]

Prior dropped by SRT in slips

 

[pasag]

Eeek, Prior dropped. Easy one according to the radio.

 

[wpdavid]

Another convincing start by Prior
Hasn't tendulkar dropped one or two previously in this series?

 

[Chubby Rain]

Another convincing start by Prior
Hasn't tendulkar dropped one or two previously in this series?

Just returning the favour.