*Official* First Test at Lord's

[Burgey]

Oh in these conditions he'd probably run through us like a knife through hot butter, no doubt about it.

I actually think, as Goughy said, the ball was moving a bit too early.

Then again, so do our batsmen..

 

[vcs]

Well, it's kind of obvious that when you play in conditions assisting swing, if swinging the ball is your strength, you are expected to do well against good players of swing bowling. I wouldn't use that as an excuse for him. There's no point speculating how he'd go against the WI or Pakistan batting lineup in these conditions, because he isn't bowling to those lineups. Having said that, he's had only one day, and he hasn't bowled badly at all IMO. Far too early to read too much into it.

 

[Spark]

I actually think, as Goughy said, the ball was moving a bit too early.

Then again, so do our batsmen..

I do think the Hilfenhaus comparison isn't a bad one, tbh. Back when he was bowling well (take, for example, the series vs India), the main justifications for what were felt to be his "unluckiness" was that he pitched the ball a tad too short and swung it too early. Obviously they are substantially different bowlers but there are interesting comparisons to be drawn.

 

[TumTum]

I actually think, as Goughy said, the ball was moving a bit too early.

Then again, so do our batsmen..

so true

 

[Bun]

Well quite obviously you haven't, because its not like India have played in conditions where the ball has been doing 180s around corners every day.

One thing that we can all agree upon is that India didnt bowl well today. Ishant never hit the right lengths, Praveen was somewhat wayward and along with Zaheer they were both well below their top speeds.

Zaheer ended up with 2 wickets for 18 from 14 overs including the openers, and would've got Trott too..

Speeds ****ing don't matter much if a bowler can do that imho.

P Kumar was unlucky quite a few times not to get the edge. And even when he did it fell short or wide. Agreed that Ishant was wayward but then he's a kid and playing first time in Eng. He will come good.

 

[vcs]

That ball to Trott was such a beauty as well.

 

[Spark]

That ball to Trott was such a beauty as well.

That was a superb little spell in general, tbf.

 

[centurymaker]

it's annoying how the indian slip fielders are ALWAYS too deep! (and too close together)

is it because they have poor reflexes?

 

[Spark]

it's annoying how the indian slip fielders are ALWAYS too deep! (and too close together)

is it because they have poor reflexes?

They aren't alone.

 

[vcs]

Dhoni's movement must certainly have put off Dravid on that occasion, but I think he pulled out just in time, without leaving him unsighted. Dravid should have taken it.

 

[centurymaker]

Dhoni's movement must certainly have put off Dravid on that occasion, but I think he pulled out just in time, without leaving him unsighted. Dravid should have taken it.

he's dropped numerous catches in the past year or 2...

at least 1 per match.

 

[Bun]

it's annoying how the indian slip fielders are ALWAYS too deep! (and too close together)

is it because they have poor reflexes?

Yeah it's damn frustrating.

Also claerly we need somone to replace Dravid at first slip. He was an outstanding catcher, but no more. Off my head he has put down atleadst 5 since the WI tour started and that's just horrible. His nerves are shot. He might take the odd beauty but for that he's gonna drop another 5 dollies.

Wonder whether Raina can do something? Or Gambhir?

 

[Bun]

Positives from day one

Zaheer's classic performance. Just brilliant the way he had the englishmen at his mercy. Proved again how practise matches perf be taken with a pinch of salt. Cook fell early. Strauss was worked all over before set up with a shorter one, continuing his way withthe lefties. Zak 1- strauss 0

P kumar. Unbelievable banana swing early on! ball often started a foot outside leg and ended nearabout the first slip. Also managed to do opposite as well. Extremely unlucky not to have wickets to his name. beat and made em edge quite a few.

Negatives

Catching and fielding were substandard. Dravid's 2 dropped efforts made it Eng's day when it shud have been the opposite.

Ishant Sharma looking innocous.

 

[Spark]

I'd think very carefully about replacing a proven fine slipper in Dravid with a younger, more athletic and sharper ring fielder like Raina tbh. Slip fielding is a special art, and being an excellent fieldsman in general doesn't always translate to slip fielding.

 

[GIMH]

I'm already sick of hearing PK is 'unlucky'. Jimmy Anderson used to beat the edge a ****load and I thought he was unlucky too. But you know what he started doing? Finding the edge.

If a bowler consistently misses the edge then that's not unlucky.

 

[Teja.]

I'm already sick of hearing PK is 'unlucky'. Jimmy Anderson used to beat the edge a ****load and I thought he was unlucky too. But you know what he started doing? Finding the edge.

If a bowler consistently misses the edge then that's not unlucky.

That'd be true if that happens on a consistent basis though. If it happens for one day, the bowler might in fact be unlucky. Best to wait and watch IMO.

Tipping PK to have an awesome series, personally.

 

[Bun]

we are talking about 13 14 overs gimh, not 13 tests.

 

[vcs]

He will certainly have to make some adjustment. Either his length, or his wrist position to control the amount of swing he's getting.

 

[Bun]

I'd think very carefully about replacing a proven fine slipper in Dravid with a younger, more athletic and sharper ring fielder like Raina tbh. Slip fielding is a special art, and being an excellent fieldsman in general doesn't always translate to slip fielding.

Yeah reasonable point but I am sure raina shud do a better job than what dravid is doing atm.

also dunno how slip catchers can be groomed as its largely about instinct and reflex, which I think raina has got.

we need to fortfy our close in and slip guys since we have seen our bowlers do all the hard work to get some flying over there. I dont mind ishant diving over a ball in the fineleg as long as they take the catches.

 

[Spark]

He will certainly have to make some adjustment. Either his length, or his wrist position to control the amount of swing he's getting.

His length. Must, must, must be inducing the drive much more often than he did yesterday.