Cricket: 2014 India tour of England, 9th July-7th September

[Gargamel]

Gah, I really hate our "brand" of cricket.

Not content with making a defensive decision to bat again, we are now really going for India's throat with an attacking 2.5 runs an over.

FFS - get on or get out.

It is supposed to be an entertainment, not a punishment.

[SydneyBridge]

Gargamel said:

Gah, I really hate our "brand" of cricket.

Not content with making a defensive decision to bat again, we are now really going for India's throat with an attacking 2.5 runs an over.

FFS - get on or get out.

It is supposed to be an entertainment, not a punishment.

Just about to say the same thing.. now 2.4 an over and what a way to set a decent score with enough time to bowl them out - er not.
Don't know what the problem is, even if we get bowled out for 150 in less than 2 sessions, they will still need nearly 400 to win in 4 sessions

[London424]

I think they should have enforced the follow on.

Even declaring at tea doesn't exactly give the bowlers much rest (they've had overnight already) and now India only have to survive 4 sessions.

[Podie]

WTF! Balance was so far from that he may as well have been in another county.

[BraveSirRobin]

DRS issue again.
Should India be given an ultimatum - accept DRS or don't play Test matches?

[DJRC]

Terrible decision. GB given two shockers. Still rr is over 4. Add a ton in the afternoon session, declare at tea with a lead of 420.

[London424]

So Kallis has retired from international cricket. IMO one if the very greatest to play the game.

[dav123a]

Very poor decision Ballance missing out on runs. I'd like to see in a series if India don't want to use then they don't and England or who ever will use it.

How many more before England declare ? Set them around 430 ?

[a311]

Bell is on and accelerating things a bit.

I suspect a 400 lead would be plenty but wouldn't be surprised if Cook wants a lead of 450 up.

They need to treat this like a 20/20 match.

[spikeyhead]

What did Balance do to upset the umpiring gods?

[chimster]

Someone tell me why Jos isn't in.

[Gargamel]

chimster said:

Someone tell me why Jos isn't in.

Don't know, - but as we are going at 5.7 an over, I don't suppose it makes much odds now.

Anyway the reason is, Cook is a percentages guy, by the numbers, dull mechanical. Probably thinks changing the batting order is some kind of communism.

[chimster]

Probably. Yes they are going at a good rate, but has anyone told Cooky that JB is one of the top T20 batters in the bloody world!!!

[a311]

Right we're beyond a 400 lead, why aren't we declaring?

They'll hope this doesn't come down to the wire tomorrow for a win otherwise Cook et al will be in for soem stick.....

[Leithen]

chimster said:

Someone tell me why Jos isn't in.

Because he needs a break too? Easy to forget that keeper's working non stop in the field. As is happening, the team's higher order batsmen ought to be able to produce the runs at an acceptable rate.

Give Jos a chance to get the pads off for a few hours.

[Leithen]

Seems like he wants 450.

[Leithen]

Leithen said:

Seems like he wants 450.

Well he nearly got there....

[chimster]

Leithen said:

Because he needs a break too? Easy to forget that keeper's working non stop in the field. As is happening, the team's higher order batsmen ought to be able to produce the runs at an acceptable rate.

Give Jos a chance to get the pads off for a few hours.

He's a 23 year old lad. Rest? He wants to bat. Put money on it

[NormalWisdom]

Given Anderson bowled a shed-load already, Broad has a suspect knee, Jordan sprayed it to all parts and Woakes is still a little untried, I suspect Cook will look to have c90m at them tonight (not to tire bowlers too much) and give them sufficient rest (effectively 2 days and 2 nights) to go full blatt tomorrow.

And I was wrong ;-)

[Leithen]

chimster said:

Leithen said:

Because he needs a break too? Easy to forget that keeper's working non stop in the field. As is happening, the team's higher order batsmen ought to be able to produce the runs at an acceptable rate.

Give Jos a chance to get the pads off for a few hours.

He's a 23 year old lad. Rest? He wants to bat. Put money on it

Oh, I don't doubt that he'd be champing at the bit, but keepers need to be protected from themselves too (speaking as a particularly ordinary schoolboy keeper).

So far Cook has done pretty much everything right, proving my desire to have Read in as captain and keeper as entirely wrong.

Now he just needs to start with six slips....