*Official* Fourth Test at The Oval

[Scaly piscine]

Mishra massively lucky to still be there. But England got a bit sloppy towards the end of the session. Enough fannying about, don't want them scraping 300.

 

[centurymaker]

yeah swann started bowling around the wicket (negative line) to him and he counter-attacked!!!! hit 3 fours in 1 over. wag

 

[SJS]

Swann has disappointed.
england have lacked the intensity today like india on this whole tour.

Swann did nothing wrong. He bowled really well. Its just that Dravid played his best innings of recent years. It was riveting cricket and this is what Test cricket is all about. Dravid's innings was so good only because Swann and the other England bowlers made a very fine attack.

As far as Mishra is concerned he has never been a mug with the bat. Against spin and medium pace or pitched up quicker stuff he bats like normal cricket is played and is not a crazy bloke like Harbhajan. The one surprising thing for me in England's bowling was their reluctance to bounce at Mishra. Strauss is a decent conservative captain but thats about it. He does not attack the way he can from the impossibly strong position England are in. The great captains have been known to attack when in relatively weaker positions.

Coming back to Swann, the wicket is not turning square as Ms Gavaskar and Shastri will have us believe. There is some turn but thats not more than there has been earlier in this series. The wicket is slow enough for Rahul to go back even if the ball ever so slightly short pitched and Mishra has done the same. if there was lots of turn and bounce, that would have resulted in more "oohs" and "aahs" that one has seen.

 

[social]

I agree with the poster who said yesterday that Swann is a valuable member of the English team and that his captain would be happy with him

However, I also believe that if he is the best spinner in the world, then the competition must really suck

In his last 12 test matches (or since the beginning of the Ashes), he has averaged 38 with the ball and you could literally count on one hand the number of even moderately threatening spells he has bowled in any format

IMO, he has been worked out and he'll need to start doing something different

 

[Daemon]

lol @ Swann being called the number one spinner when Beer is still roaming the circuit

 

[Cevno]

Mishra has a decent technique and probably better than Harbhajan in such conditions.

In India and other places like Australia Harbhajan does better as he has a pretty good eye.

 

[Ikki]

lol @ Swann being called the number one spinner when Beer is still roaming the circuit

This is why the forum needs a "Like" feature .

 

[Cevno]

I agree with the poster who said yesterday that Swann is a valuable member of the English team and that his captain would be happy with him

However, I also believe that if he is the best spinner in the world, then the competition must really suck

In his last 12 test matches (or since the beginning of the Ashes), he has averaged 38 with the ball and you could literally count on one hand the number of even moderately threatening spells he has bowled in any format

IMO, he has been worked out and he'll need to start doing something different

I agree with what you are saying and the competitions does suck at the moment.

Ajmal,Harbhajan,Bishoo and Shakib,Srilankan spinners is the only real competition at the moment i can think of. 3 of them are more unproven while Harbhajan and Srilankan spinners are sucking at the moment.

 

[centurymaker]

I agree with the poster who said yesterday that Swann is a valuable member of the English team and that his captain would be happy with him

However, I also believe that if he is the best spinner in the world, then the competition must really suck

In his last 12 test matches (or since the beginning of the Ashes), he has averaged 38 with the ball and you could literally count on one hand the number of even moderately threatening spells he has bowled in any format

IMO, he has been worked out and he'll need to start doing something different

paul harris isn't much much worse. he does a similar job and does it well.

and i dont think swann's been worked out. most indians are just great against spinners.

 

[Contra]

short ball does it for Mishra

 

[Howe_zat]

'Bout time. Great catch.

Now, what's Gambhir up to?

 

[Uppercut]

What a catch.

 

[Howe_zat]

'Bout time. Great catch.

Now, what's Gambhir up to?

Batting. So this is the last real partnership, 10 overs until the new ball.

 

[Jayzamann]

<3 Dravid sososo much

 

[Jamee999]

Kind of a no-win for Gambhir, here. If he bats well, then he should have been out there hours ago, and if he gets out early, then he needs to man up and grow a pair and be less useless.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Brilliant catch by Bell, having his own catch of the series competition.

 

[Contra]

My goodness Dravid's domination of Swann's been amazing, not quite a Lara to Murli 01 or Sachin to Warne 98.. but right throughout the series Dravid's been really urgent when it comes to Swann, picking him off for boundaries whenever possible.

 

[Athlai]

Kind of a no-win for Gambhir, here. If he bats well, then he should have been out there hours ago, and if he gets out early, then he needs to man up and grow a pair and be less useless.

Na no way, if he scores 300 no one will care.

 

[Jamee999]

Na no way, if he scores 300 no one will care.

 

[Burgey]

SJS, wonderful to have you posting in CC. It's all the poorer for your not doing so more often. WAG.