shubs
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Post by shubs on Feb 16, 2021 12:45:38 GMT
A really tough game for England in the same way that the first test was for India. A few things occur to me about England:
1. Burns, Sibley and Lawrence really struggled. Are they up to it at this level?
2. Stokes and Broad-not sure what they offered.
3. Ali and Leach bowled some really good stuff but also too many poor balls.
4. Was it wise to drop Anderson after he had such a blinder in the 1st test?
Like you Nuts, I don’t really have any solutions.
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Post by dincey99 on Feb 16, 2021 12:57:59 GMT
Burns and Sibley play across the line too much.Zac Crawley should be back so worth a try.Along with Bairstow .
Moeen has returned home which is a shame.
Being a day/night game hopefully the ball will swing a bit for our seamers which is why i think Anderson was rested.However India seamers pretty good too.
I have no problem with the 2nd Test pitch ( although vastly different to the 1st Test ) cos we produce green tops to help our seamers.
What do you guys think about getting rid of the toss and giving the touring side the choice of batting/bowling.
This seems to have worked in the County Championship.
Another CB9 postcode
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soulhalshall
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Post by soulhalshall on Feb 16, 2021 13:59:50 GMT
Seems pretty unfair that if it had already been agreed for Moeen to return home after two tests in India that Root is now hanging him out to dry by saying he chose to leave. There were plenty of calls for Buttler to stay on but along with the others rested, Root didn't say anything about it other than that's what they had always planned. I get that it looks like a bit of a shame as Moeen had only played one test but he got Corona virus and then wasn't selected for the first test in India.
Generally I think the rotating players here is probably a necessary evil in a busy year and in an unusual situation with bubbles etc. Plenty of players have found it hard in the past, understandably, and it seems positive to me that England should be preventing issues rather than having to cure them. So then seems not quite right that Moeen's departure wasn't played with a straighter bat.
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Post by champair79 on Feb 16, 2021 17:05:00 GMT
Meek but not totally unexpected. The pitch made it very one-sided because, to put it simply, India have better spinners (they land the ball in the right place nearly every ball and ramp up the pressure) and their batsmen are better players of spin bowling plus they could put away the bad balls which England delivered with regularity.
There are so many unanswered questions about the pink ball test. It will be the first international fixture at the completely rebuilt stadium in Ahmedabad so no one has any idea how the pitch will play. One would expect it to favour spin overall but the pink ball may swing a bit especially if there’s a bit of evening dew around. I certainly don’t think it’ll be quite so one-sided as the Chennai beach pitch!
As for England’s selection, I would re-introduce Bairstow and Crawley if fit at the top of the order. Rest Burns as he’s out of form? Foakes keeps his place as the wicket keeper (one of the few to come out of the last test with any credit). Bess to replace Moeen. I’m undecided about the fast bowlers. I was very impressed with Olly Stone even though the pitch offered very little. Broad didn’t offer anything but we all know how good he is. Anderson I’m sure will play. Archer? I’m not his biggest fan but he offers something although I’d prefer Stone. What about Woakes? His record is poor in India but this pink ball test may favour him and he bolsters the batting. Curran? Without seeing the team, I’d pick 12 (with the 12th man replacing Bess if the pitch is unusually seamer friendly).
Crawley, Sibley, Bairstow, Root, Stokes, Pope, Foakes, Bess, Leach, Broad, Anderson 12th man: Archer/Stone
Does anyone really believe Root when he said Stokes is fully fit? I get the pitch didn’t offer much but Ben Stokes is that sort of bowler that can create stuff out of nothing. He needs to bowl more.
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imp566
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Post by imp566 on Feb 17, 2021 20:46:51 GMT
It was a strange bowling attack for me in the last test. Broad was chronically underbowled, 20 overs in the match, very economical but barely looked like getting a wicket. He was the 5th bowler tried in the second innings. I can't imagine Anderson would have bowled as few overs if he had played. Worse still, Stokes only bowling two overs in the entire match. There must be an issue with him, on his day he is a match winner with the ball. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Root doesn't bowl himself often enough. He is a wicket taker and has a knack of getting big players out.
Batting, none of the players, Foakes apart, looked at all likely to build an innings, almost as if we were intimidated by the Indian 1st innings and the state of the pitch. We really aren't blessed with players who can come in and make much difference, although Bairstow is a shoe in at 3, after his form in Sri Lanka. I feel we will stick with Burns and Sibley at the top of the order, Crawley didn't impress as an opener in Sri Lanka.
I get that all countries are allowed to prepare a pitch to suit their needs, but if that was a county ground in England, the home team would have been fined for preparing a sub standard surface.
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danielcufc
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Post by danielcufc on Feb 24, 2021 10:07:31 GMT
Here we go again...
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nutsaboutamber
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Post by nutsaboutamber on Feb 24, 2021 11:37:55 GMT
Oh dear. Only upside is the return of the Strauss/Cook partnership!
You know we're struggling at 81-6 and Archer walks in to save us.
Great stadium, great crowd and quite good to see Swanny.
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shubs
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Post by shubs on Feb 24, 2021 19:25:09 GMT
It looked like someone had got it wrong when India picked 3 spinners and England just 1. Maybe getting Kohli at the end will give England a boost for tomorrow? Mind you, there is a lot of Indian batting to come.
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imp566
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Post by imp566 on Feb 24, 2021 20:00:57 GMT
That was a very cautious line up, packed with bowlers, when we know Stokes won't bowl many and Root always underbowls himself. There was so much reliance on the top 6 getting runs, shame they folded like a pack of cards. Only one way this series is going now, I can't see anything other than a 3-1 win for the hosts. So disappointing after the first match.
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Post by champair79 on Feb 24, 2021 22:43:00 GMT
Frustrating but India are definitely the better team. Vaughan is right - this year is about the Test team. I get the whole bubble challenge but I think our best team should’ve been available for all 4 tests. We have plenty of exciting options in the ODI/T20 squads but the Test team needs nailing down.
Looking at today’s play, the Indian spinners are excellent and most of the English batsmen have been spooked. It’s as much a mind game as technique.
If we have any chance, we need 3 quick wickets early on and restrict them to less than 100 lead. I still think we’ll be thrashed.
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nutsaboutamber
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Post by nutsaboutamber on Feb 25, 2021 9:51:34 GMT
Well England back in the reckoning after 40 minutes this morning.
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imp566
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Post by imp566 on Feb 25, 2021 10:33:13 GMT
So, Capt Root has finally realised he is a good bowler!
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Post by getoffmyland on Feb 25, 2021 11:11:52 GMT
He going to have to be a good batter as well with the muppets he is surrounded by.
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Bedfordmoose
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Post by Bedfordmoose on Feb 25, 2021 11:14:56 GMT
Really poor pitch for test cricket. It is supposed to be a five day game, rather than be a two or three at best game.
Having said that apart from Root and Stokes we do have a lot of batsmen with poor technique, bad decision making and clearly out of form/practice. Doesn't help when you send your best players home mid series, and bring others in from the winter in England.
And selected the wrong team. Perhaps they only considered the pink ball and not the pitch itself.
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Post by getoffmyland on Feb 25, 2021 12:32:29 GMT
Cock ups all round on this.
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