***Official*** India in England 2014

[Burgey]

Getting worried about Shami now. Looks like he's about to join that insanely long line of hyped up Indian bowlers who become crap. Bhuvi such a fun though

SS to fire up his famous Indian Wheel Of Mediocrity. Hasn't had a run in a while.

 

[Burgey]

No. He did actually tell us what was on his mind and he looked like a complete ****. He whined about how he was being criticised by Warne instead of pretending like it didn't hurt him.

He should stick to being a vanilla boring captain until he eventually gets fired, rather than say what he really thinks.

Sorry, my mistake. Typo on my part. Typed "Cook" when I meant "Jono".

 

[GIMH]

England way aheD. 350 pretty much in the bank. Jono can **** off

 

[BeeGee]

Pitch is similar to that India Bangladesh odi. We all knew what Binny did that day. He be licking his lips.

Binny is rubbish.

 

[YorksLanka]

Is umesh yadav still around? He seemed like a decent bowler to me but seems to have disappeared off the radar?

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Is umesh yadav still around? He seemed like a decent bowler to me but seems to have disappeared off the radar?

Playing for the A side in Australia, looked very good to me in small sample I saw of him.

 

[zaremba]

Don't fancy England from here. Great day in prospect tomorrow though, except that I won't see any of it as will be nerding over the aeroplanes at Farnborough Airshow tomorrow.

 

[Adders]

**** this is a strange England side. I thought what we needed more than anything was a new generation of batsmen actually stepping up. We've had this so far but don't look a better side. I guess there were so many things broken that this one (albeit very important) facet isn't nearly enough. Senior players ffs.

Totally agree with this. I don't think we could have asked much from any of our rookies over the summer, we've had big contributions from at least one of them every test.

Cook, Bell, Prior have let us down in the batting and lets be honest Broad and Jimmy have not delivered either with the ball when we've needed it.

If we go onto to lose this test then the England management need to make a big statement to these players. Prior is done, I love the man and really hoped he would bounce back this summer but he's finished. As for Cook, man it's a dilemma but I think he needs some time away from the game. People keep saying send him back to Essex to get some runs but I don't subscribe to that really, he's done that and scored big and it has done nothing for him as a test cricketer. There is too much of a gulf between Div 2 attacks and test bowling lineups, even supposedly poor ones like Sri Lanka and India.

I think he needs to go back to the farm for a few weeks and clear his head. Maybe finish the season with Essex then join England in the winter as a batsmen only.

NFI who should be captain though.

 

[Cruxdude]

Just make Root the captain.

Quite a good day of cricket that was and really hope tomorrow is not rained out. I was planning on waking up early to catch the cricket over the weekend. Good innings from Ballance, good thing we got him before end of day. Considering the strength of the English tail and the fact that 2014 is tailender's benefit year I wouldn't be surprised if England pick up a decent lead.

Also Bhuvi WAFG! Would have loved to see him bowl with Praveen Kumar here. We would have probably been batting already!

 

[kingkallis]

Totally agree with this. I don't think we could have asked much from any of our rookies over the summer, we've had big contributions from at least one of them every test.

Cook, Bell, Prior have let us down in the batting and lets be honest Broad and Jimmy have not delivered either with the ball when we've needed it.

If we go onto to lose this test then the England management need to make a big statement to these players. Prior is done, I love the man and really hoped he would bounce back this summer but he's finished. As for Cook, man it's a dilemma but I think he needs some time away from the game. People keep saying send him back to Essex to get some runs but I don't subscribe to that really, he's done that and scored big and it has done nothing for him as a test cricketer. There is too much of a gulf between Div 2 attacks and test bowling lineups, even supposedly poor ones like Sri Lanka and India.

I think he needs to go back to the farm for a few weeks and clear his head. Maybe finish the season with Essex then join England in the winter as a batsmen only.

NFI who should be captain though.

Just release him from the pressure of captaincy and he will be fine.

 

[YorksLanka]

Totally agree with this. I don't think we could have asked much from any of our rookies over the summer, we've had big contributions from at least one of them every test.

Cook, Bell, Prior have let us down in the batting and lets be honest Broad and Jimmy have not delivered either with the ball when we've needed it.If we go onto to lose this test then the England management need to make a big statement to these players. Prior is done, I love the man and really hoped he would bounce back this summer but he's finished. As for Cook, man it's a dilemma but I think he needs some time away from the game. People keep saying send him back to Essex to get some runs but I don't subscribe to that really, he's done that and scored big and it has done nothing for him as a test cricketer. There is too much of a gulf between Div 2 attacks and test bowling lineups, even supposedly poor ones like Sri Lanka and India.

I think he needs to go back to the farm for a few weeks and clear his head. Maybe finish the season with Essex then join England in the winter as a batsmen only.

NFI who should be captain though.

Absolutely right.for me, they have bowled far too short in general. I think its due to the fact that they have been bullied as a side from johnson bowling like that during the winter and think they can bully other sides too by doing the same..unfortunately neither can do that with their current form and the wickets they have been given to play on..

 

[fredfertang]

Agree with adders here - Prior has had it and much as I don't want Lancs to return to Division 2 Buttler needs to play the next three Tests. As for Cook if he doesn't get a break he'll be finished - if he's shown the door now I can see him winning his place back eventually - if not I think his brain will go pop - anyway Daryl Mitchell deserves a chance

The one I wouldn't ditch just yet is Bell, as I'd like to see if the captaincy did him any good, and whether he could coax some consistency out of Jimmy and Broad

 

[Adders]

The one I wouldn't ditch just yet is Bell, as I'd like to see if the captaincy did him any good, and whether he could coax some consistency out of Jimmy and Broad

Bells form is certainly a worry, but yeah......not anywhere time to drop him. Just dunno about him as captain though, there was an article this week on cricinfo saying that those in the know see him as a follower and not a leader, and not many are convinced he can rally these troops. Class batsmen but I don't see him as leadership material.

I'm almost to the point where I'd chuck it to Root and see if he can do a G Smith for us.

 

[Jono]

Anderson to score 80+ again. If Bhuv keeps doing it then Anderson probs will as well.

 

[fredfertang]

Bells form is certainly a worry, but yeah......not anywhere time to drop him. Just dunno about him as captain though, there was an article this week on cricinfo saying that those in the know see him as a follower and not a leader, and not many are convinced he can rally these troops. Class batsmen but I don't see him as leadership material.

I'm almost to the point where I'd chuck it to Root and see if he can do a G Smith for us.

Indeed, and Bell might not want the job, but I think he's earned a crack at it and his experience would be crucial - a sad reflection in many ways if Root is indeed the next in line, but it does look that way, you're certainly right about that

 

[wpdavid]

Totally agree with this. I don't think we could have asked much from any of our rookies over the summer, we've had big contributions from at least one of them every test.

Cook, Bell, Prior have let us down in the batting and lets be honest Broad and Jimmy have not delivered either with the ball when we've needed it.

If we go onto to lose this test then the England management need to make a big statement to these players. Prior is done, I love the man and really hoped he would bounce back this summer but he's finished. As for Cook, man it's a dilemma but I think he needs some time away from the game. People keep saying send him back to Essex to get some runs but I don't subscribe to that really, he's done that and scored big and it has done nothing for him as a test cricketer. There is too much of a gulf between Div 2 attacks and test bowling lineups, even supposedly poor ones like Sri Lanka and India.

I think he needs to go back to the farm for a few weeks and clear his head. Maybe finish the season with Essex then join England in the winter as a batsmen only.

NFI who should be captain though.

Yup. Given what we've seen from the newcomers or relative newcomers with the bat, we should be feeling a lot better about life, but you're dead right that the established guys have let the side down again.

I'd like to see Cook given time in the side without the captaincy. A guy with a couple of dozen test hundreds should have something to offer with the bat, and maybe just concentrating on that would see a return to form.

As for the captaincy, I don't see Root being our Graeme Smith, and I wouldn't want him messed around with the captaincy at this stage.
Bell just annoys me. How can he lead the side when he repeatedly gives it away with half-****ed dismissals? Unless he bucks his ideas up with the bat, I wouldn't want him to be an automatic pick because he's the one tossing the coin.

I can only repeat what a few of us have said previously about bringing in Foster or Read as a short-term appointment as keeper and captain, probably until the end of next summer's Ashes. Sorts out the keeping, would be OK at 8 behind Stokes. And both captain their county sides.

Much as I love the idea of Butler as the new Gilchrist, I couldn't cope with having an even worse keeper than Prior.

 

[GIMH]

Prior was trash with the gloves at first though before going on to be the undisputed best in the world for a good 2-3 years.

I wouldn't be averse to Foster but Read is a definite no for me. His keeping is, IMO, not all it's cracked up to be.

 

[hendrix]

I can only repeat what a few of us have said previously about bringing in Foster or Read as a short-term appointment as keeper and captain, probably until the end of next summer's Ashes. Sorts out the keeping, would be OK at 8 behind Stokes. And both captain their county sides.

Much as I love the idea of Butler as the new Gilchrist, I couldn't cope with having an even worse keeper than Prior.

Agree. I don't think the captaincy is quite necessary, but I think someone like Foster could come in and do a great job behind the stumps while being no worse with the bat than Prior has been.

 

[MW1304]

Only valid options I can think of to replace Cook are Mitchell, Vince or Lyth. I like the look of Vince as an international player most out of these guys, and although his form has dropped off a little recently he's had an excellent summer.

 

[Adders]

I'd like to see Cook given time in the side without the captaincy. A guy with a couple of dozen test hundreds should have something to offer with the bat, and maybe just concentrating on that would see a return to form.

I certainly haven't given up on Cook the batsmen, I still think he is the best we have in the country. Getting him scoring runs has to be our top priority, maybe if he was relieved of the captaincy for the third test he'll respond ala Beefy in '81.......but I think he is that shot right now it is going to take more time than that.

How I'd love to see him grind out the ugliest hundred ever seen.........I'm sure that once he does he'll be back.