What a magnificent final innings and victory by India, and in Australia! Hats off to the guys.
What about the South African Aussie: Labuschagne?
(Is that spelt correctly?)
Battle on for England now.
Bess and Leach bowl 64 overs, just 7 maidens and no wickets. Jimmy ‘Peter Pan’ Anderson six for 40.
Chasing 375 England are 13 for 2, both wickets to the spinner.
A pity Moeen was not considered fit. His stock is rising every day he doesnt play at the moment.
Bruce
We’re not getting any coverage here, we got the last English series but for some reason not this one. Hope we get the Indian tour, I am looking forward to you guys facing up to what I believe to be the best test side (sorry NZ) period. It’ll be a great guide to the next Ashes.
This thread is probably the most update scores were (well me anyway) getting so thanks for the update.
No problem Pete. I hope we get to chat about Eng v India with coverage for us both. It will be a stronger England squad with Stokes, Archer, Woakes etc but a big challenge.
Any reaction to the Australia India series down under? I heard a very honest and generous interview with Langer. Not sure if the scheduled tour to SA is still on?
If what I watched bowling this morning are the best spinners we can offer there is something very wrong with county cricket.
I dread to think what will happen in India.
Only real reaction is how much respect the Indian side gained. No ones bitched about the Aussies performance just how well the Indians fought.
I’m sure they’ll have a look, there’s lots of soul searching but tbh they were beaten by a team that wanted it more. Every time we had them they fought back. Remember they were dismissed (including Kohl) for 36.
Think there’s a few things going on inside and this has been a bit of shock. We play SA away next I’m looking forward to see how they bounce back. I think Stark will struggle to make the Ashes (on form anyway), thinks his close to the end.
Yep - both Leach and Bess benefited from bowling on what’s called ‘Ciderabad’ (a.k.a. Taunton), and Bess moved on as he wasn’t getting enough game time.
I see this position as an artefact of limited-overs cricket where ‘flight & guile’ has been replaced by pushing the ball through around leg/middle & leg on a fuller length - Briggs is a good example of this. Not only does a white ball not swing & seam, it doesn’t spin like a red ball either IME, which is where the ‘ripping’ leggies come in with their looping deliveries, such bowlers often flattered by batsmen in ‘headless chicken’ mode.
I had high hopes for Leach as a replacement for Monty/Swann but seems not to be, as he doesn’t spin a ball like Monty nor is he consistent.
And it’s becoming clearer why Surrey didn’t retain Sibley who has a batting style only a mother could love, and struggles against any attack without pace on the ball. I think Crawley can sort his issues out, as he generally plays straight. He needs to study Root’s approach.
In India, I wouldn’t be surprised if India open the bowling with their spinners.
Any batsman who has such a limited technique tends to get worked out at Test level. Not sure Sibley can - or is willing to - re-fashion his game to the required extent.
Well, England, more Joe Root as in the 1st Test (hon mention for Buttler), are toughing it out - still much to do.
But with Sibley, Crawley and Lawrence getting a combined 8 runs and the openers having big fluffy tails against the spinners, there’s work to do and some interesting selection decisions ahead.
Some good bowling this am on a more challenging wicket. Lawrence got a beauty.
Burns is going to India. Like Moeen I guess his stock has risen by not playing but I am not a fan. Pope is going although has not played since a shoulder operation. I note Bairstow is not picked which seems odd. Does not see like a character to ask for time out but who knows. I think he could open again however it seems that he has a somewhat prickly relationship with the selectors (and maybe his teammates) and is not considered essential.
England’s chance in India possibly depends on wickets to suit India’s current pace bowling strength and (relative) spin bowling weakness due to injury etc. Not banking on it.
Bruce
Isn’t Bairstow, like Buttler, tagged for the IPL and going to be released to this end at some point?
Plus, if you want to see how the newer players get on against spin, then SL is a good place to start.
…oops, another one down.
Not heard that re Bairstow and IPL but he us not in the squad for India from the start. Buttler is.
Bruce
Smith has been released by his club as well
Per press article I’ve seen, Buttler is in but won’t play last 3 Tests against India and Bairstow is slated to join for T3 onwards and remain for the white-ball games. So, Foakes is likely to get a game or several in India.
Rotation is the name of the game for Ed Smith and others are to come home post SL - I think Curran and Wood ++?
It sees 2021 has a very congested calendar for English cricket with 17 Tests?
That plan makes sense, rotation for players will be needed but I guess they also have to keep players onside with their IPL earning potential too.
It would be good to see Foakes play a few matches. He has been very patient.
Yes in these pandemic times rotation is important, because people won’t get any cricket. Also ES and Giles have said that those returning to England do so for mental health reasons - lockdown takes it toll and should not be belittled.
Very much agree with last point about MH, and we shouldn’t forget all the prep required to get these games on. All tours are tough when you’ve roots at home and not all people are good travellers…although the rugby boys in days of old seemed to make things work!
We also (that is cricket followers in general) shouldn’t overlook what the likes of the IPL and one-day cricket in general have done for the game, something akin to Packer through one lens. There has to be a balance and the ECB, wisely in my view, gave up fighting the lure of the IPL and saw it as a development bed for some players…albeit I don’t think they counted on a Super Over at the destination!
I’ve changed my mind about 20/20 cricket now after the Indian tour. There’s no way India would have chased down the target without the experience of the short form.
Test players today are now making strokes/shots that would have been unthinkable 29 years ago.
Looking at Root just now he definitely looks like a man in need of a rest, and a very cold shower.