***Official*** England in India

[IndianByHeart]

I am not watching this match so i have no idea bout Javagal's commentry.

But one thing for sure it cant be worse then Waqar.

I have said it before, Srinath is WORSE than Waqar.

Srinath is basically an idiot, on most occasions the guy doesn't make any sense.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Hoggard this morning: 8-5-6-4.

 

[JustTool]

He is absolute moron in the commentary box...it's amazing - I mean who hires these guys. Just because he was a great bowler ? So, next we will listen to the wonderful groundsman ?

Srinath is basically an idiot, on most occasions the guy doesn't make any sense.[/QUOTE]

 

[Jono]

I have lost all respect for you.

Lol. Looks like I'll have to start an appreciation society.

In all seriousness, boy India are looking down the barrel here.

 

[IndianByHeart]

Told ya...

It's over for Pathan and Bhajji. And Laxman and Tendulkar. If Ganguly was 'stale' these guys are plain rotten. At least Ganguly had spirit - all these guys look like they are being punished by being sent into bat.

..

LOL!

Well, i think Bhajji and Laxman are losing their way, but i think Irfunk will still maintain his place in the team and so will Tendulkar (atleast till the 2007 WC)

 

[adharcric]

Enough Srinath-bashing now. We've all accepted that he's pathetic. It's getting kind of old now, let's stick to real cricketing matters.

Much-needed boundary there from Kumble.

 

[Xuhaib]

You just gotta listen...he makes Waqar look like Richie Benaud...

Atleast Srinath wont say these things in a commentry box.

"Top edges are safe shots as long they are edged with control"

"He caught this orange ball so easily like it was an orange fruit not a ball"

"SPECTACULAR CAAAATCH , WHAT A CAAATCH and that was A CAAAATCH"

 

[Pratters]

In all seriousness, boy India are looking down the barrel here.

Ya. Wasn't expecting it and am shocked. Not that I wasn't expecting England to give a fight or the English bowlers haven't earned the top order Indian wickets.

Just that I wasn't expecting any thing like this.

It reminds me of how England bowled in the West Indies. What a series that was for them. Only this time they even have Monty in their ranks.

 

[SJS]

Okay, hands up, who are the people who said that Hoggard wouldn' t be effective in India?

Pitch on a good length (not slightly short of it), keep it on or slightly outside the off stump, move the ball marginally in the air and you will have most batsmen in trouble in modern times. The first two require accuracy and second either an ability to swing a new ball or reverse swing an old one.

None of the three require any assistance from the conditions. The fact that the ball keeps slightly low here helps I suppose. Hoggard is doing all this.

Come to think of it, McGrath has been doing mainly that much and picking up millions of wickets. To a lesser extent Pollock. Why should we be surprised.

They showed one of Hoggard's overs (one in which he got a wicket) in the morning and it was fascinating to see that all six of them landed within about a four inch by four inch area just outside the line of the off stump. Two of them swung and four held their line. One of those that swung got him a wicket.

 

[SJS]

I have said it before, Srinath is WORSE than Waqar.

But his English is better. And he has the same accent (or lack of it) when speaking in private and on TV

 

[IndianByHeart]

I had a feeling that the partnership that Collinwood had with Harmison and Pani would hurt India badly in the match later on.

 

[pskov]

I have to say, I have been quietly impresed by Flintoff as captain. He just seems a natural.

 

[Jono]

If you go back a little over 12 months some signs were clear whereby even our best batsman, that is Dravid, Sachin and Laxman were being troubled by good reverse swing. SA's tour of India showed us a little hint of this, with the likes of Andrew Hall and DeBruyn actually getting wickets by bringing the ball back into the right handed batsman. Hoggard and Freddy are obviously better exponents of this, and have exposed India again.

 

[adharcric]

I think Laxman has the most glaring weakness. Dravid isn't as vulnerable to the ball coming in onto off-stump and Tendulkar was just absurd against a mediocre ball from Panesar today, he has good technique.

 

[Top_Cat]

Pitch on a good length (not slightly short of it), keep it on or slightly outside the off stump, move the ball marginally in the air and you will have most batsmen in trouble in modern times. The first two require accuracy and second either an ability to swing a new ball or reverse swing an old one.

All of the above is incredibly difficult to achieve consistently, though. That's why guys like Marshall, Pollock and McGrath have outstanding sub-continental records; they're the best.

As for Hoggard, I'm not THAT surprised he's doing so well. It was on his last tour of India that he showed his promise and bowled quite well considering the drubbing his team took so he obviously likes the challenge. He's one guy who can never be said to be coasting in a team and from what I've read works hard on his fitness. He's getting the results he deserves so I say bravo.

 

[Barney Rubble]

I got up just after lunch, and I have only one thing to say:

Hoooooooogggggggggggggggyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What a guy.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

*raises hand*

 

[Pratters]

The Cool Monty is back.

 

[marc71178]

Okay, hands up, who are the people who said that Hoggard wouldn' t be effective in India?

Guilty as charged here.

11 overs 4-12 today.

 

[IndianByHeart]

I have to say, I have been quietly impresed by Flintoff as captain. He just seems a natural.

Unlike Bothom who was a failure as captain, Flintoff seems to be a real leader.