***Official England in India***

[chalky]

I see. Was it "clearly out" or just "might on some days have been given"?

And seriously, WTF are they playing two spinners on this deck for? Has it seamed less than it should all game?

On some days might have been given no dramas really.

 

[Richard]

I see.

Dravid's best innings since June 2006 this, then?

And I also see Bell hasn't been dropped after all - which pratts got their "inside info" that he was going to be? TBH though, can't say I'm that sorry that there's just the one change - as I say, not in favour of changes in two-Test series' when not injury-enforced, which Broad's absence in the opener was.

 

[wpdavid]

Of course, it doesn't help when we have to take 12 wickets in an innings ..

 

[shankar]

Poor Swann, been so unlucky today...

 

[Richard]

Ind33d, that was about as out as out gets. Deadly Denzil strikes again.

Nice to see Shankar with an avatar again BTW.

 

[shankar]

Ind33d, that was about as out as out gets. Deadly Denzil strikes again.

Bowled very well on a wicket with nothing for him. Surprisingly Dravid looking more solid than Gambhir now!

Nice to see Shankar with an avatar again BTW.

Won't last long.

 

[Richard]

In spite of being green, this pitch is actually turning to a decent degree. Might just be one of those really good cricket pitches that helps both types of bowling the like of which we got last time we were here.

How on Earth you can fail to have a team 4-5 down by now after they've chosen to bat on a pitch this green is beyond me though. Unless it turned-out to be a red-herring, but I don't think so - the ball's done plenty off the seam since I've been watching.

 

[neutralguy]

There you go. 50 for Dravid. Whether its a new dawn or false hope , rahul only will know.

 

[masterblaster]

Well played Rahul. Solid and determined knock.

 

[Uppercut]

In spite of being green, this pitch is actually turning to a decent degree. Might just be one of those really good cricket pitches that helps both types of bowling the like of which we got last time we were here.

How on Earth you can fail to have a team 4-5 down by now after they've chosen to bat on a pitch this green is beyond me though. Unless it turned-out to be a red-herring, but I don't think so - the ball's done plenty off the seam since I've been watching.

They're hardly running away with it though. Does the pitch look like it'll be better for batting on for days two and three?

 

[wpdavid]

In spite of being green, this pitch is actually turning to a decent degree. Might just be one of those really good cricket pitches that helps both types of bowling the like of which we got last time we were here.

How on Earth you can fail to have a team 4-5 down by now after they've chosen to bat on a pitch this green is beyond me though. Unless it turned-out to be a red-herring, but I don't think so - the ball's done plenty off the seam since I've been watching.

We were a bit unlucky early on - lots of playing & missing. But obv better attacks would have taken more advantage of conditions. Some of the captaincy was odd, notably letting Dravid settle in against Panesar staright after lunch.

But we're looking stuffed, aren't we, barring a collapse of biblical proportions after tea,. India's score should be way over par, and an innings defeat looks the likeliest result to me.

 

[Richard]

There you go. 50 for Dravid. Whether its a new dawn or false hope , rahul only will know.

Extremely unlikely to be a new dawn at nearly 36, though Graham Gooch and Jack Hobbs' cases show it's not impossible.

If he can make 160 here, I wonder if he mightn't do best to just retire there and then.

 

[Richard]

They're hardly running away with it though. Does the pitch look like it'll be better for batting on for days two and three?

I hope not, that'd be an unfair advantage to one team (even though England look unlikely to take advantage of their advantage).

It is nearly the winter solstace - north India isn't that warm at this time of year IIRR, so there shouldn't be too much moisture sucked out of the surface.

 

[Uppercut]

I hope not, that'd be an unfair advantage to one team (even though England look unlikely to take advantage of their advantage).

It is nearly the winter solstace - north India isn't that warm at this time of year IIRR, so there shouldn't be too much moisture sucked out of the surface.

Well India chose to bat, so it's fair enough. It'll probably balance by the fact that it's better for batting on in the third innings than the fourth.

 

[GIMH]

Pitch looked green as this morning. Another day in the field, another lack of wickets, deary me

 

[Evermind]

Soporific affair.

 

[honestbharani]

might as well go and watch paint dry, tbh..

 

[wpdavid]

Reminds me of the game at Leeds in 2002. That was supposed to be a tricky wicket, & Sehwag went cheaply there, too. Cue a huge partnership between Dravid and another unheralded opener, which allowed the middle order to cash in big time. India made over 600 and won either by an inning sor something very close to that.

 

[honestbharani]

I don't think we will get enough time to complete a result in this match, though.. A boring draw is my prediction, unless India get overconfident and play stupidly.

 

[Evermind]

I don't think we will get enough time to complete a result in this match, though.. A boring draw is my prediction, unless India get overconfident and play stupidly.

You never know. Let's see how England play. Unlikely India will lose, though.