*Official* 2nd Test at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, 13 - 17 Feb 2021

[Howe_zat]

He bowled both his best and worst spells of the winter in that last Test but I think everyone knows he won't keep getting wickets bowling like this. Reminds me a bit of them dropping Finn during the ashes and that worked out pretty well. Obviously a lot depends on what sort of form Moeen is in, still great to see him back was starting to think it might never happen.

Kind of a sad summation of Finn's career that I'm not sure which of two series you're talking about there.

Man, what might have been. He's one year older than Joe Root.

 

[Shri]

just need to get through this day, go to bed and wake up to the test match in the morning

 

[BoyBrumby]

Kind of a sad summation of Finn's career that I'm not sure which of two series you're talking about there.

Man, what might have been. He's one year older than Joe Root.

I took it as Poth was referencing the 10/11 tour. If memory serves Finn was our top wicket taker for the first three tests, but was going at over 4 an over so was dropped for Bresie-lad as a "bowl dry" theory.

Whatever Bess's merits as a bowler, economy isn't yet one of them.

Is weird Finn is seemingly so much yesterday's man though, yeah. Younger than Woakes, Broad and Anderson.

Oh, and welcome back, obvz.

 

[centurymaker]

Reckon Anderson should have played since there is a 7 day gap between Test 2 and Test 3.

3/4 bowlers who won the first game are not playing. Not entirely sure about this strategy.

 

[theegyptian]

It's funny how similar the careers of Bess and Sam Curran have been to this date especially as one is a pacer and the other a spinner. Bess averages 26 with the bat and 32 with the ball. Curran 25.5 with the bat and 32.5 with the ball.

Both picked early on strong attitude/personality as much as their performances.

Both have made a lot of good contributions to the side at important moments but not good enough to be consistently selected to this point. Both seen as lucky cricketers so to speak for the ability to take wickets with trash.

Interesting to see how it turns out for them both. Hard to say with any conviction how they will be doing when they reach 30.

 

[Arachnodouche]

Tbf Anderson looked tidy but innocuous until he got the reverse going. And he barely got any in the first innings.

 

[Woodster]

It's funny how similar the careers of Bess and Sam Curran have been to this date especially as one is a pacer and the other a spinner. Bess averages 26 with the bat and 32 with the ball. Curran 25.5 with the bat and 32.5 with the ball.

Both picked early on strong attitude/personality as much as their performances.

Both have made a lot of good contributions to the side at important moments but not good enough to be consistently selected to this point. Both seen as lucky cricketers so to speak for the ability to take wickets with trash.

Interesting to see how it turns out for them both. Hard to say with any conviction how they will be doing when they reach 30.

I think both these players should be dipped in and out of Test cricket, agree that neither are yet well developed enough in their main disciplines to warrant constant selection but good to have them around the squad pushing those in the team.

 

[FBU]

Ali last played Tests in Aug 2019. Long time for a spinner. Maybe they expect him to do a ODI holding role against Pant. Kohli is due to win a toss.

Hope Stone plays. He need Test exposure if he is going to Australia with Archer and Wood.

 

[Gremlin]

We can all speculate about Moeen based on his last test match but to be honest it is only the England bubble who actually know what frame of mind he's in and how he is performing in practice.

And they are prepared to back him.

I feel it is a bit harsh on Bess but in truth he has bowled one really good spell and a few good balls. At some point the Indians are going to fully dine out on him unless he hits the line and length with the required regularity in Test Match Cricket. He'll come back stronger for it, they talk about character and he does have that in bucketloads from what I've seen of him.

As for Anderson, it was always going to be the plan, wasn't it? I think they'll go Woakes over Stone but it's a tough call. I am sure they want a good look at Stone prior to The Ashes but not sure if this is the right match to do so.

 

[Jack1]

Too much rotation from England for me. Very surprised Bess dropped and in my eyes no need to rest Anderson. As I mentioned previously I would have brought in broad for archer and left the rest the same

Just seenBess has taken 17 wickets at 22.41 across England's tours of Sri Lanka and India. Strange to drop him

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Ali replacing Bess doesn't make much sense. Are they perhaps worried about the batting with Buttler not playing?

 

[Arachnodouche]

Too much rotation from England for me. Very surprised Bess dropped and in my eyes no need to rest Anderson. As I mentioned previously I would have brought in broad for archer and left the rest the same

Just seenBess has taken 17 wickets at 22.41 across England's tours of Sri Lanka and India. Strange to drop him

He was bound to get absolutely mauled if he continued on his current trajectory. Doesn't have the control or the endurance yet to bowl long days in these conditions.

 

[theegyptian]

Ali replacing Bess doesn't make much sense. Are they perhaps worried about the batting with Buttler not playing?

Possibly but in this case I wouldn't think it comes into the thinking. Bess has been making some big contributions with the bat and there is certainly no guarantee that Ali, who has been dreadful with the bat recently, is going to offer more with the bat.

I think in this case they are just picking the spinner they think is bowling better.

 

[BSM]

Too much rotation from England for me. Very surprised Bess dropped and in my eyes no need to rest Anderson. As I mentioned previously I would have brought in broad for archer and left the rest the same

Just seenBess has taken 17 wickets at 22.41 across England's tours of Sri Lanka and India. Strange to drop him

It isn't so strange imo if you consider his 2nd innings bowling in the last test. It was truly horrendous and if he continues to bowl in that sort of vein we could very easily lose games because of it.

 

[Jack1]

It isn't so strange imo if you consider his 2nd innings bowling in the last test. It was truly horrendous and if he continues to bowl in that sort of vein we could very easily lose games because of it.

Leach had a tough time in 1st innings though where Bess took 4-76. One bad innings and he’s been dropped when his figures over the three tests are good. I’m not convinced by Ali.

 

[ParwazHaiJunoon]

Leach had a tough time in 1st innings though where Bess took 4-76. One bad innings and he’s been dropped when his figures over the three tests are good. I’m not convinced by Ali.

Don't trust scorecard.
Bess enjoyed better luck and greater reward but, in terms of consistency, Leach was superior.

Dom Bess and Jack Leach, a tale of two spinners

Bess enjoyed better luck and greater reward but, in terms of consistency, Leach was superior

www.espncricinfo.com

 

[wpdavid]

So many interesting sub-plots on the last couple of pages. Dropping Bess after one poor day doesn't sit right with me given how many wickets he's taken this winter, especially for a guy who's barely played in ages and last time we heard was mentally shot. One can only assume that Moeen's been dazzling in the nets, and, as always, I'd be delighted to be wrong. The passing reference to Bairstow returning presents a really interesting choice. On the one hand, his contributions in SL were absolutely vital, even if not massive. And yet I don't especially fancy him, against Bumrah's in-swingers. In reality, this is a totally different challenge for the lad. Going back to this test, I suspect the selectors will be swayed by the insurance of having Moeen and Woakes at 8 & 9, especially with questions over so many of the top 6. They can't expect Root to keep churning out doubles. And if they do plump for that lineup, with Leach and Broad at 10 and 11, I was going to say that surely that's the closest England have ever been to picking 11 guys with test centuries to their names, what with Leach's 90 against Ireland And then I remembered Lawrence, but I'm not sure I've seen us pick even nine test centurions before.

 

[Pothas]

Woakes, Moeen and Broad would all have played together quite a bit so maybe they would have been 9 at some point but then usually one of the top 6 would not have one.

Think there may have been a time when everyone had a first class hundred though, fairly sure it at least happened in the ODI side.

 

[Woodster]

So many interesting sub-plots on the last couple of pages. Dropping Bess after one poor day doesn't sit right with me given how many wickets he's taken this winter, especially for a guy who's barely played in ages and last time we heard was mentally shot. One can only assume that Moeen's been dazzling in the nets, and, as always, I'd be delighted to be wrong. The passing reference to Bairstow returning presents a really interesting choice. On the one hand, his contributions in SL were absolutely vital, even if not massive. And yet I don't especially fancy him, against Bumrah's in-swingers. In reality, this is a totally different challenge for the lad. Going back to this test, I suspect the selectors will be swayed by the insurance of having Moeen and Woakes at 8 & 9, especially with questions over so many of the top 6. They can't expect Root to keep churning out doubles. And if they do plump for that lineup, with Leach and Broad at 10 and 11, I was going to say that surely that's the closest England have ever been to picking 11 guys with test centuries to their names, what with Leach's 90 against Ireland And then I remembered Lawrence, but I'm not sure I've seen us pick even nine test centurions before.

Lets not kid ourselves and think leaving Bess out was only due to one poor day, yes he’s got wicket, many with average deliveries, some very good ones too, but he’s bowled a fair of dross and got away with it. England don’t expect him to continue getting away with it and have perhaps protected him by taking him out of the firing line.

The Moeen inclusion is I suppose a separate issue, albeit a direct replacement, and I’m surprised he’s forced his way back in, must purely be down to the fact they fancy him as a spinner more so than they do Bess at this point. I can make sense out of leaving Bess out, but slightly less sense about including Moeen, but there aren’t many favourable alternatives.

 

[Pothas]

I took it as Poth was referencing the 10/11 tour. If memory serves Finn was our top wicket taker for the first three tests, but was going at over 4 an over so was dropped for Bresie-lad as a "bowl dry" theory.

Whatever Bess's merits as a bowler, economy isn't yet one of them.

Is weird Finn is seemingly so much yesterday's man though, yeah. Younger than Woakes, Broad and Anderson.

Oh, and welcome back, obvz.

Yep that was the one. Yeah I always really liked Finn. Even towards the end of his England career he looked really good at times, remember him bowling really well in South Africa.

First England player who was younger than me as well so will always remember him for that.