***Official*** England in India

[Langeveldt]

Good proper Test Cricket.

Yay!

 

[Anil]

pretty sharp call there...

 

[superkingdave]

Both Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid have more runs on their own than the whole of the England team, including todays runs

 

[kvemuri]

Sreesanth bowled better than Pathan...Pathan was barely touching 80 throughout the whole day, while Sreesanth's second spell was averaging 85mph, while getting reverse swing.

Although, 85 still isn't fast enough. We need three seamers, two of whom should be around 90, and one should be around 85+.

Can't agree more, off the fallen 7 wkts 5 were shared by Sreesanth and Pathan is a telling factor.

Pathan needs to rediscover his speed....he seems more like a First-Change bowler than a opening one. His spells with the older ball seem to be much better than with the new ball. We need Munaf Patel speed...maybe Munaf Patel and Sreesanth could open next test and Pathan comes as first change? Pathan should be in the team, I think, but lately his speed leaves much to be desired.

Yep totally agree with this comment too, I think we shoud've gone with 3 seamers, either by sacrificing a batsman or a spinner.

 

[BoyBrumby]

It's quite amusing reading back "in-play" posts with the benefit of hindsight! The morning's pie-chuckers transformed into reverse-swinging heroes!

To try to see some sort of silver lining I suppose it's kinda heartening that five of our scalps were taken by seamers, but we look to be at least 100 runs below par. I'm hoping Colly (who is starting to look more & more like a test player, despite my reservations) can muster the tail up to something approaching 300 tomorrow.

Great over from Sreesanth before KP chopped on; earned the wicket. He does seem to have a slightly mobile elbow to my eyes tho; his action reminded me of James Kirtley a little bit, which can't be a good thing.

Fred may've been a bit unlucky, but it wasn't an absolute smeller tho.

 

[kvemuri]

well played collingwood

His batting was a treat to watch, stoic defense and dispatch the odd ball to four, when he and Freddie were going I was thinking a score of at least 400 is at hands.

btw adharcric, can't agree with your signature comment

"Vikram Singh. Munaf Patel. Abid Nabi. Here comes the pace, finally."

Would love to see all three at some point of time together, hopefully this year or atleast hopefully before WC 2007, with Sreesanth and Irfan backing up.

 

[UncleTheOne]

Good proper Test Cricket.

Shame some of England's batsman have forgotten how to play it. Or in Pietersen's case may never bother learning.

 

[sledger]

Shame some of England's batsman have forgotten how to play it. Or in Pietersen's case may never bother learning

thats harsh, pietersens first innings at the first ashes test at lords showed that he has the mentality for it and obviously has the talent to boot, thats just why its so infuriating when he fails so stupidly.

 

[aussie]

well england have ended up with the kind of score i expected at the end of the day after i left for school. Good to see Collingwood continuing his good form from Pakistan. Hopefully he could muster something up with the tail & get england over 300.

Looking foward to seeing Panesar bowl, hope he impresses as much with the ball as Cook did with the bat.

 

[IndianByHeart]

If Irfan ends up getting five English wickets, then i guess we won't be made to hear stuff like his 40+ ave against non minnows.

 

[adharcric]

well england have ended up with the kind of score i expected at the end of the day after i left for school. Good to see Collingwood continuing his good form from Pakistan. Hopefully he could muster something up with the tail & get england over 300.

Looking foward to seeing Panesar bowl, hope he impresses as much with the ball as Cook did with the bat.

Actually I'm excited to see Panesar bowl too. It'll be a testing start to his career bowling against the likes of Dravid, Tendulkar and Laxman .. should be fun to watch. I'm not a big Giles fan, so hopefully England can unearth a left-arm spinner for the future with wicket-taking ability here. I'd like to see Sreesanth mop up the England tail within 25 runs and then Jaffer and Kaif would be the guys really looking for runs.

 

[Scaly piscine]

If Irfan ends up getting five English wickets, then i guess we won't be made to hear stuff like his 40+ ave against non minnows.

Maybe, would only get adjusted to 'Pathan averages 40+ against non-minnow batting' anyway

 

[Pothas]

Pretty much what i expected from England today, im not too disheartened really, just hope the pace bowlers can produce something special tomorow. The so called wicket keeper batsman Jones failing again and Ian Blackwell should never be a test player.

 

[IndianByHeart]

Pretty much what i expected from England today, im not too disheartened really, just hope the pace bowlers can produce something special tomorow. The so called wicket keeper batsman Jones failing again and Ian Blackwell should never be a test player.

If England can bowl out India for a score less than 400, then it will be an achievement.

Flintoff can do most of the damage, Hami can do well too.Pani will get thrashed to all part of the ground and will probably wish in the end that it would have been better had he not played the game atall.

 

[Anil]

I'm not a big Giles fan

not a big fan of ashley "proven performer in indian conditions" giles?

 

[Kweek]

Pretty much what i expected from England today, im not too disheartened really, just hope the pace bowlers can produce something special tomorow. The so called wicket keeper batsman Jones failing again and Ian Blackwell should never be a test player.

We want Chris Read!

 

[marc71178]

If Irfan ends up getting five English wickets, then i guess we won't be made to hear stuff like his 40+ ave against non minnows.

It'll more than likely still be 40+

 

[IndianByHeart]

It'll more than likely still be 40+

Maybe ECB can help Irfunk in improving his average by playing 5 test match series with India in future!

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Maybe ECB can help Irfunk in improving his average by playing 5 test match series with India in future!

I'm sure that'd make all the Indian fans proud - a crap bowler with glorified stats BUT he can get Brits out.

*stirs*

 

[IndianByHeart]

I'm sure that'd make all the Indian fans proud - a crap bowler with glorified stats BUT he can get Brits out.

*stirs*

And in getting them out he will be helping the team WIN the matches for India.

*cheers*