***Official*** England in India

[Contra]

Ishant is getting it to reverse and Ohja was bowling really well before prior got out, now that Ohja started giving away runs he's brought back Ashwin on, not sure what all these conspiracy theories are about, we over-analyse too much at times.

 

[stumpski]

Hmmm,Test Match Sofa is 'undergoing essential maintenance' - you'd think they wouldn't do that during a Test match.Or have the Beeb got to therm?

Good progress by England this morning despite losing those two wickets, does anyone not think 300 will be a competitive total here?

Ooh, this looks tight ...

 

[Neil Pickup]

I'd feel pretty content with 300, however I can't help shake the memory of this game:

4th Quarter-Final: Sri Lanka v England at Colombo (RPS), Mar 26, 2011 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

We felt like our total was competitive, and got marmalised...

 

[stumpski]

I'd feel pretty content with 300, however I can't help shake the memory of this game:

4th Quarter-Final: Sri Lanka v England at Colombo (RPS), Mar 26, 2011 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

We felt like our total was competitive, and got marmalised...

Yeah I don't think 300 would've been anything like enough in that game, I think the boys were ready to come home by then though, after a long winter.

277-7 at lunch, fine effort by Root, not sure how long he can bat at 6 for England though.

 

[Prince EWS]

I'd feel pretty content with 300, however I can't help shake the memory of this game:

4th Quarter-Final: Sri Lanka v England at Colombo (RPS), Mar 26, 2011 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

We felt like our total was competitive, and got marmalised...

Bopara was so unlucky with the ball in that game.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Bet365 - England 15/8, India 15/8, Draw 13/8... so they can't call it, either.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Well batted Root, great stuff on debut. Not the most thrilling stuff we will ever see but it has been a bit better today than yesterday. Just hope to sneak past 300 and see what extra we can add. Plenty of time being eaten up by our batsmen already which gives India less time to win it.

 

[smash84]

I fizzing at the bung hole in anticipation of Sehwag coming out to bat

 

[Pup Clarke]

Heh, that's close.

 

[Viscount Tom]

Pretty sure that our Root has batted more balls this innings than Bell has in the series.

 

[Jamee999]

I decided to do some reading about Bryan Valentine. A 64 average in 7 Tests! He played sporadically for England from 1933 through to the infamous last ever Timeless Test in Durban (1939) that had to be called a draw so England could get the boat home.

 

[Pup Clarke]

Bumble you knob

 

[BoyBrumby]

Have to say Bumble's FST is pretty good. His Boycs is passable too.

Swanny likes cow corner, eh? Think all his boundaries have been there. Rank slog that Dorothy, but mighty effective.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Wow, a 6 from Swann. Something to wake us up. Brings up the 50 partnership. Liking the reverse Ishant has got today, can see Anderson and Bresnan having fun with that later in the game.

 

[stumpski]

Root finally gets off 67, I was just thinking he must have batted about as long as Tolchard did for the same score in '76 (about 5 hours).

 

[BoyBrumby]

Probably both late to the party and jinxing him into a wicket, but boy Chawla looks ordinary at this level, doesn't he?

Just rolling them out. Bleh.

 

[Howe_zat]

Pretty stoked with 300+

 

[stumpski]

I decided to do some reading about Bryan Valentine. A 64 average in 7 Tests! He played sporadically for England from 1933 through to the infamous last ever Timeless Test in Durban (1939) that had to be called a draw so England could get the boat home.

Yes he was an amateur (captained Kent I believe) and so often wasn't available. Another almost-forgotten batter with a great record: the original 'Jack' Russell. Two hundreds in his last Test!

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Probably both late to the party and jinxing him into a wicket, but boy Chawla looks ordinary at this level, doesn't he?

Just rolling them out. Bleh.

Beat me to it, was going to call him Pie eater Chawla though. Eats some bowls the rest.

Great to get 300, now for 325 then 350.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Root finally gets off 67, I was just thinking he must have batted about as long as Tolchard did for the same score in '76 (about 5 hours).

Tolchard 328 minutes; 238 balls.

Root came in 15 minutes before tea yesterday, so it's pretty much 290 minutes for him so far - approaching the all-time Top 50 in terms of balls faced and minutes batted for a debutant.

Can't see him touching Brendan Kuruppu's records, though!