***Official*** 4th Test @ The Oval, London - 2nd-6th September

[honestbharani]

If I had a rough patch like that to bowl into and had done as little as Lord, I'd call it a day tbh.

You dunno who the Lord is, do you?

 

[honestbharani]

This is harsh. Some unplayable bowling that would have any batting line up drop a bunch of wickets.

Most other line ups would have given Bumrah a 5-fer by now.

 

[The Sean]

Bumrah's mostly taken the pitch out of the equation. Hameed got unreasonably bogged down and Malan's runout was criminal. Not much else wrong Eng have done.

Yeah, had a genuine jaw drop moment when I checked the scorecard and saw a bloody runout, of all things.

 

[Aritro]

You dunno who the Lord is, do you?

It appears I don't!

 

[Shri]

guys when will eng shut up shop and stop going for the win ?

 

[Nintendo]

Woakes has already taken 7fer and made 50 in the first dig for England, can't expect him to do much more, can we?

 

[wpdavid]

This is harsh. Some unplayable bowling that would have any batting line up drop a bunch of wickets.

Yeah, but .......

Bumrah's excellence doesn't in itself change the fact that England's batting is pretty village. Has been for ages. As I said elsewhere, India have outplayed England since tea on Day 1 and good luck to them. England had their chances and weren't remotely good enough to take them.

 

[honestbharani]

It might have helped England, in hindsight, if Siraj held on to the catch of Hameed. He now got Malan out and then himself out.

 

[Flem274*]

You guys are being way too harsh on England. The Jadeja wickets were preventable, but Bumrah would have gotten out better batsmen than these blokes with 140kph reverse swinging yorkers and almost had Root twice to prove it. Bairstow isn't up to it these days but this innings wasn't the showcase for why.

 

[Aritro]

Ohhhh, Thakur. Lord. Yes, I see what you did there.

 

[honestbharani]

And the Lord breakthrough was pretty unplayable for any leftie too. Malan was not in good enough nick to nick the next one. Hameed got away with a couple of bottom edges too. Umesh and Siraj have looked the least threatening so far. But Umesh can be very good with reverse. He is gonna bowl now. Let's see.

 

[Aritro]

Yadav has bowled a less masculine but ultimately more useful length today, which I like to see

 

[Arachnodouche]

Gone off the boil a little here. Loath to take the new ball right away but might be forced to if nothing happens till tea.

 

[wpdavid]

Yeah, if it was just one day then people would have a point. But their averages for the summer don't lie - Burns 38, Hameed 28, Malan 35, Pope 33, Bairstow 26 and Ali 17. Anyways, maybe that's for the EDG&R thread. And I know I should be used to it, but there you go. It's better than kicking the cats.

 

[Flem274*]

Moeen hasn't hit a test ton since 2016 and while averaging 27 in 2017 was okay for an allrounder, he averages 16 from 16 tests since the start of 2018. Should his batting really be factored into his selection now? He's not performing to the standard of a #7 or even an ideal #8.

Shot Root.

 

[Shri]

oh look. root is trying to impress lord

 

[Uppercut]

Moeen hasn't hit a test ton since 2016 and while averaging 27 in 2017 was okay for an allrounder, he averages 16 from 16 tests since the start of 2018. Should his batting really be factored into his selection now? He's not performing to the standard of a #7 or even an ideal #8.

Shot Root.

And in that time Leach averages, what, 14? With two match-winning knocks of sorts.

Hate to bang on about it but Stokes would solve so many selection problems.

 

[Preed]

Please let this be the last test for Moen.How anybody thinks he is a test cricketer defeats me.Just shows what a waste of space the selection team are which I believe is Root and Silverwood.Silverwood needs removing because he is way out of his depth and we really do need a captain who is tactfully aware.Let Joe do what he is best at batting.What a change in organisationsince Straus was replaced by the company man Giles. I am sure straus would have made changes by now.Would Ali get in any other test team I doubt it

 

[Arachnodouche]

Siraj looks done for the tour. But Bumrah, Umesh, Thakur, Ashwin, Jadeja leaves the seam attack looking a little light. Ashwin *has* to play though, just need to figure out who's swapped out for him.

 

[wpdavid]

And in that time Leach averages, what, 14? With two match-winning knocks of sorts.

Hate to bang on about it but Stokes would solve so many selection problems.

I wonder if we'll see the full Stokes again. Even if he recovers mentally, it seems to be while since he's regularly been physically able to operate as a front-line seamer. But yes, if he does recover physically and mentally then the side would look better.