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AHB wrote:Are we all missing the obvious? Ballance has scored a ton - surely that means Bell will too? That would secure his place for the 2015 Ashes series.

But I'm a bit concerned that Cook only got 95, Bell usually needs two centuries behind him before he will score runs.

If Trott got his form back is there a place in the England side for him?

AHB wrote:Are we all missing the obvious?

That it's going to be a draw?

If Trott was back on form then he would take Robson's place, surely. Boyks thinks that Carberry should take his place. Perhaps the train has already moved on for Trott; perhaps he can have a late career resurgence à la Graeme Thorpe.

DRT wrote:

AHB wrote:Are we all missing the obvious?

That it's going to be a draw?

C'mon, both teams need a bat before we can tell much. You're right though, I think they will have to get a move on for a result. Not sure India look like they are going to take 20 wickets, England might give them away though.

If they can't take wickets we need to set a declaration deadline. Times? I would say we want one full session and then get them in half an hour before tea.

Nice if you only have to bat once, so they might just keep going.

Looks like little chance of rain or even any kind of overcast/humid conditions. Famous last words, but it would seem very difficult for England to lose from here, but not obvious how they will take 20 Indian wickets. I can only see one approach right now which is put on runs fast, maybe get to 500/550 then declare at tea and have a crack at them after tea. If they get a breakthrough and take wickets then they are in with a chance of a result. If India stay at the crease then it will take them until some point in Day 4 to get ahead, which would then make a draw fairly likely.

About a week ago DRT wrote:It is now more difficult for England to lose than to win.

flash_uk wrote:it would seem very difficult for England to lose from here

Just saying.

DRT wrote:

About a week ago DRT wrote:It is now more difficult for England to lose than to win.

flash_uk wrote:it would seem very difficult for England to lose from here

Just saying.

I disagree with Boyks: I don't think sticking with our two main bowlers at all costs is the point. I think winning the match is the point.

OK so didn't quite get to 550 at tea, so need to push on now and get to 550+ and then leave an hour tonight to have a pop at India.

AHB wrote:Are we all missing the obvious? Ballance has scored a ton - surely that means Bell will too? That would secure his place for the 2015 Ashes series.

[Looks smug icon] I'm not going to say "I told you so."

LGTrotter wrote:

AHB wrote:Are we all missing the obvious? Ballance has scored a ton - surely that means Bell will too? That would secure his place for the 2015 Ashes series.

But I'm a bit concerned that Cook only got 95, Bell usually needs two centuries behind him before he will score runs.

Not according to his track record. Bell has scored more centuries than any other England player when batting once someone higher in the order has scored a century in the same innings.

But this is not a bad thing - when you get the opposition down then keep them down. Ballance got them down. Bell kept them down. Now we just have to bowl India out twice. 650 for 8 declared is my prediction for England's first innings close, with the aim of not having to bat again.

AHB wrote:650 for 8 declared is my prediction for England's first innings close, with the aim of not having to bat again.

This could be an interesting steer on Cook's direction on captaincy. If he hangs on for 650 then England will not be bowling tonight and one could argue he is being his usual conservative self. Declare at 550 and maybe he's found a little aggression. Even at 550, India have a job to do to avoid a follow-on.

Bell fails again.

I love all this optimism. But we seem to be forgetting that India would be delighted with a draw and have it in their hands to make sure that happens.

djewesbury wrote:Bell fails again.

Thank God we have Root to rely on

djewesbury wrote:Bell fails again.

Boycott doesn't seem to be happy with the tactics. I heard him on TMS about an hour ago rabbiting on about "its no good getting six centuries and ending up with a draw". Hard to disagree.

There we go. 569-7 dec, and 14 overs left this evening. Now the question is, can England's bowlers make a dent tonight? I'll go for 48-2 at the close.

I'll go 52-0.

46-1

flash_uk wrote:14 overs left this evening.

DRT wrote:I'll go 52-0.

Run rate currently <3 and 1 wicket gone. I'm out!

Joss Buttler did the business, Bell got the usual, ie lots of runs when England already had a lot of runs. Anderson looks great.

When will they get India out? Tomorrow or it's a draw.

I'd say unless they get India out and force a follow-on, it will be a draw. Cook doesn't have the guts to declare in the second innings with enough time to bowl India out again.

Yes, I think a draw. But I shall still be paying close attention. I wonder how England can throw this one away. But the Indians are fond of batting collapses too.

So a couple of wickets in the morning session, not too bad on a strip that looks like hard work for the bowlers. Pick up another 2 or 3 after lunch and the follow-on can happen.

flash_uk wrote:So a couple of wickets in the morning session, not too bad on a strip that looks like hard work for the bowlers. Pick up another 2 or 3 after lunch and the follow-on can happen.

I think they will bat again rather than enforce the follow on. Looks like a hard hot day for the bowlers, they might want to put their feet up for a few sessions.

LGTrotter wrote:

flash_uk wrote:So a couple of wickets in the morning session, not too bad on a strip that looks like hard work for the bowlers. Pick up another 2 or 3 after lunch and the follow-on can happen.

I think they will bat again rather than enforce the follow on. Looks like a hard hot day for the bowlers, they might want to put their feet up for a few sessions.

mmm...not sure about that. if they have bowled them out for < 376, it is likely to by around 5pm tonight. So you could bowl at them again tonight and take a rest overnight. If England have the option but don't enforce it, it will be a draw, no question. So why not risk pushing the bowlers again for a chance of a win...there is nothing else they need to rest in preparation for.

mmm again....maybe not. I suppose if India are all out after first innings for say 350, so England lead by 217. You could bat again and add another 200 as fast as poss and put India in for 4 and a bit sessions and try and nail them.

It's starting a test on a Sunday which has thrown me, I can't work out how many days there are to go.

Cricket is such a boring game...

...6 gone...

AHB wrote:Cricket is such a boring game...

...6 gone...

Oh yes... draw... yawns...

Anderson finally gets Jadeja.

Yawn.

Yada, yada, yada. It's a draw.

DRT wrote:Yada, yada, yada. It's a draw.

or an India win when England collapse.

For my entertainment, I am following the cricket only by reading this thread. Informative. And most uninformative.

The only way England can scrape a win after the disgraceful performance by Anderson and Broad yesterday is if Cook bowls the first few overs himself, with Ballance at the other end. At least then we might be able to erode the massive Indian lead.

Hello Julian.

Any thoughts on Buttler's keeping?

LGTrotter wrote:Any thoughts on Buttler's keeping?

Reading text commentary here and Buttler is receiving lots of praise. Seems to be well and truly on the ball.
All gone for 330, will Cook put his foot down and tell the bowlers to stop whingeing? They've had a night's rest so they can look to finish the job.
I am sitting in the most beautiful library in Christendom. And it's only 40 years old.

No, they're batting. Please God let's get a move on and rack up a quick 150 and put them back in!

Now 67-1.

There is time to win this, but will Captain Cook have the stomach for it?

They should declare at lunch and get on with it.

DRT wrote:Now 67-1.

There is time to win this, but will Captain Cook have the stomach for it?

They should declare at lunch and get on with it.

No, that's a bit of an easy total, even for this Indian team. I still think we need to clobber out 150. One hour after lunch should do the trick. Even half an hour if they get the bit between their teeth.

I might have been tempted to put the biggest hitters up front, Buttler springs to mind.

djewesbury wrote:No, that's a bit of an easy total, even for this Indian team.

When was the last time India chased down a lead of 350+?

If you're looking for a team to pull off jammy fourth innings wins, it's India. They have form. Against little teams like Australia.

And India do have an abundance of really good batsmen. I still would want four whole sessions to bowl them out. Get on with it, the afternoon is feeling a bit sedentary.

All these ones and twos run between the wickets are strengthening England's position. They wear down the morale of India and boost the confidence of England. We have got time to win. I would still declare at 150.

The comments on the ESPN Cricinfo site all come from Indians. I personally am taking great delight in subcontinental English today, with its strange mix of the punctiliously correct and the idiomatically wonky, viz:

"At last Cook's days of spoiled dishes gone. Cooked tasty and healthy dish in both innings."

I could not be agreeing more! My mother (from Madras) would be pleased to see it. (Being in Berlin reminds me that she once claimed that she had pronounced a 'w' as a 'v' in a word, a common enough thing for an Indian to do, because she had been in Germany over Christmas.)

Ok, the skip's got 50 and the lead's enough. I'm waiting for a declaration now.

I thought the decision to bat again was a strange one. can only think that one or both of Anderson and Broad have some kind of issue that requires a bit of rest.

Edit: but then that hardly makes any sense either...one England declare they are back at it, so the rest will have been a couple of hours.

I didn't.. It's clear they didn't want to bowl two consecutive innings, Broad said so yesterday, and these days the follow on seems quite out of fashion.. But now it's time to declare..