***Official*** England in India 2016/17

[honestbharani]

I am not sure if I ever posted this. Saw this lying around in an unsaved notepad file on my work computer, having returned to work after 3 days and seeing off the cyclone. Not sure whom I was posting this in response to either, but think this is an interesting aspect that needs to be considered on the pitch. Think it was in response to OS and what Ashwin said in the presser about the pitch at the end of Day 2. Here goes:


Yes but both the bounce and pace off the pitch are predictable and perfect for strokeplay. He says that the turn is due to moisture and dampness from the winter dew. So lets see what happens as the pitch keeps drying out. Maybe it will turn more and he is just trying to sound optimistic in the presser. But maybe he knows more about the wicket than we do.


Funnily enough, just realized how the 2012 series happened during the winter as well. Think playing India in the winter suits the England players and their style of play. If they were to play in the Feb-March-April spring season, the pitches will be all worn out from the Ranji season and they would have struggled a lot more. Good stuff from ECB, getting in when the going can be easier for them and bad stuff from BCCI. But to be fair here, we get to go second in the England summer as well, which means we theoretically get the sunnier part of their year as well as the more used pitches and conditions.

 

[vcs]

The pitch looked like a minefield for new batsmen and offered good value for strokes once batsmen got set for a while and saw off the early bursts from the bowlers. Basically an excellent recipe for producing exciting Test cricket.

England let the game slip away from them when they dropped Kohli on 60-odd (tough return chance for Rashid) and an easy slip catch off Jayant. Those two were good enough to capitalize.

 

[Shri]

India vs England, 5th Test: Groundsmen Use Burning Coal to Dry Pitch at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai

Drying the pitch with hot coal.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Let's get a real Nagpur-esque turner now. Series is sealed anyway.

 

[mackembhoy]

The media are hypocritical. England play three spinners (Visakhapatnam, Mohali); it not working, and the media, at least a large section of them, suggest ''playing to your strengths with the four seamers; our spinners are simply not good enough and you might get a bit of reverse''. England play the four seamers and there is an outcry about their selection policy and poor judgement of Indian conditions!!

I do not think there was a selection that could have beaten India - yes they should have played Hameed in Bangladesh, not switching Duckett down the order when it came to India, and brought out Jennings earlier, sending back Ballance and Duckett to the Lions. The media - and England - made such a big deal about conditions and the toss, yet Rajkot had grass, and the Vizag and Mohali wickets were certainly not the Bunsen Burners they made out would be the case. Cook won his toss in Mohali and Mumbai and made a dog's dinner of a first innings - more so Mohali.

England were just outclassed really. I do not even think they played that bad: they just never seized the key chances and took possession of the match (as the Indians did).

The media are absolute gobshites. Even the greats like Nas/Athers still spout it.

The media and especially Michael Vaughan got James Vince picked off absolutely nothing. They all banged the drum and he was selected.

Thankfully they didn't listen to calls to have Duckett open and billings into the side. Just to have another right hander in there.

Jennings hit more in one innings than Ballance and Duckett made on tour. But he'd have been playing the Afghans instead if media had been listened to again.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Let's get a real Nagpur-esque turner now. Series is sealed anyway.

I'd like to see that, the matches in Bangladesh were fun when it was turning loads straight away. Still get beaten but it is different to watch so makes a nice change.

 

[Pothas]

Is easily our best chance of sneaking a win as well.

 

[wpdavid]

And it won't take up some much of our lives.
Judging by our final innings in Bang, a trip to the shops would be enough to miss all 10 of our wickets falling.

 

[Senile Sentry]

Such a satisfying win. The fact that the last two wins came after England won the toss makes it better. So much for theverything win toss win match theory.

 

[S.Kennedy]

The media are absolute gobshites. Even the greats like Nas/Athers still spout it.

The media and especially Michael Vaughan got James Vince picked off absolutely nothing. They all banged the drum and he was selected.

Thankfully they didn't listen to calls to have Duckett open and billings into the side. Just to have another right hander in there.

Jennings hit more in one innings than Ballance and Duckett made on tour. But he'd have been playing the Afghans instead if media had been listened to again.

Slightly off-topic but I see Vaughan is in favour of four day tests!! (He was just endorsing it on bt's Pakistan/Oz coverage).

 

[Bijed]

Slightly off-topic but I see Vaughan is in favour of four day tests!! (He was just endorsing it on bt's Pakistan/Oz coverage).

Not sure if I'd pay too much attention to him here, he'll probably change his tune the next time England win on the 5th day of a test.

 

[honestbharani]

Anderson Philandering out of the Chennai Test to protect his stats a bit..




But seriously, no point in playing someone like him and risking injury. Does he have a role in the England ODI set up? Would think he might be useful in the CT in England next year.

 

[centurymaker]

Anderson chickening out of the final test, right when he was going to be taken to the cleaners by Ashwin, Kohli & co!

 

[S.Kennedy]

Not sure if I'd pay too much attention to him here, he'll probably change his tune the next time England win on the 5th day of a test.

I think we are due another documentary or book on '2005' personally.

 

[Shri]

Reason? General soreness. Indeed, but he shouldn't have had a career in that case.

 

[mackembhoy]

Slightly off-topic but I see Vaughan is in favour of four day tests!! (He was just endorsing it on bt's Pakistan/Oz coverage).

Nah not off topic really. Vaughan just loves trying to be really controversial. I dislike him as a pundit, eroding all the good he did as a captain.

 

[vcs]

Will Broad be back? They've missed him badly.

 

[Shri]

I have realized that I simply dislike Broad but despise Anderson. With Chris Broad not being involved much as a referee these days, I don't hate him as much anymore but Clouderson can get ****ed.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Nah not off topic really. Vaughan just loves trying to be really controversial. I dislike him as a pundit, eroding all the good he did as a captain.

In fairness to Vaughan he does go on about this an awful lot. 4 day tests is his main topic of conversation.

 

[vcs]

Vaughan's pretty much an unabashed England cheer-leader. Takes away whatever credibility he has as a pundit.