Test Cricket

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

After the World Cup proper summer returns with the Indian Tour ...Test Match Special and the sun is shining ...

Blofers 40 years of TMS!

somewhere or other a game of cricket is taking place ... Boycott berates the England bowlers to work up his appetite for lunch ...

[clive heath]

I arrived at my son's place up North last weekend and as he has Sky and the grandkids were off to parties on Saturday morning I allowed myself to gawp until the last /only England wicket fell. After that eventually happened I was more or less glued. Did anyone else actually see this Ballance over? I thought it looked very competent. Does he have form?

End of over 121 (2 runs) India 387/8

B Kumar 63* (132b 10x4) AN Cook 1-0-2-0
I Sharma 13* (52b 2x4) MM Ali 28-4-105-3
And now Gary Ballance, what is he going to send down...
121.1
Ballance to Kumar, no run, leggers! Middle and leg, pressed into midwicket
121.2
Ballance to Kumar, no run, similar line, it turns and bounces and takes the outside edge with Kumar aiming to the leg side, lands short of slip, very nice that
121.3
Ballance to Kumar, no run, drifts away and turns back a little, takes the pad outside leg stump
121.4
Ballance to Kumar, no run, well outside leg, Kumar sweeps and Prior takes it very nicely above his head, was it off the glove? Big appeal, not out
121.5
Ballance to Kumar, no run, middle and leg stump line, carefully blocked
121.6
Ballance to Kumar, no run, forward and pressed back to the bowler
That was actually quite a nice over!
End of over 122 (maiden) India 387/8

B Kumar 63* (138b 10x4) GS Ballance 1-1-0-0
I Sharma 13* (52b 2x4) AN Cook 1-0-2-0
It's now seam up from Cook with two slips!
122.1
Cook to Sharma, no run, awful back of a length outside off, pressed to cover
122.2
Cook to Sharma, no run, a Bob Willis impersonation, or was it Derek Pringle, with arm flicking behind his back, length just outside off defending
122.3
Cook to Sharma, OUT, full delivery down the leg side, flicked at, a huge appeal for a strangle and given out!!! Cook has a Test wicket! He tears off in celebration! A nonchalant take from Prior with one hand, they all went up, and Bruce Oxenford gave it out straight away, there's a mark on Hot Spot, great decision
I Sharma c †Prior b Cook 13 (45m 55b 2x4 0x6) SR: 23.63
122.4
Cook to Mohammed Shami, no run, length well wide of off stump, slapped to point
Vishwesh: "Whats with this game!? Bowlers getting runs and batsmen taking wickets!"
122.5
Cook to Mohammed Shami, no run, length on the stumps, pushed off the back foot to mid-off
Apparently could be the last ball of the Test, 5.05pm was the start of the final hour, or was it 15 overs, either way, here's the end...
122.6
Cook to Mohammed Shami, FOUR, wide and cut for four, it's all over
That's your lot from Trent Bridge, one Test down in this five-match series. The circus moves to Lord's and England have confirmed that Simon Kerrigan will be in their squad, so an extra option for them. The second Test begins on Thursday, so not much time for us all to recover. Stick around for all the best analysis and reaction, the match report is already live so go and read all about this final day. But from the commentary chair, it's goodbye for now...

[aeolium]

Another day, another defeat for England in this great summer of English sport The Indian bowlers (helped by a great innings from Rahane) outplayed them with bat and ball - congratulations to them. All England's senior players are playing horribly atm and Captain Cook is all at sea. His interview afterwards sounded like that of a chief executive explaining a series of catastrophic cock-ups by apologising that some things did not go so well but he remained the right man for the job - the standard response to failure in almost every British institution now, it seems.

[Belgrove]

That's my Test attendances finished for this year. The Trent Bridge contest was spoiled by a sub-continental lifeless pitch which had a draw written all over it within a half-hour of the start, but was eventually enlivened by Anderson's record breaking 81 within the 198 last wicket stand.

Lord's was more a game of continual catch-up by England through their bowlers failing to capitalise on the green pitch revealed on day one. The session before lunch on the last day was the most absorbing and gritty cricket in the entire match, with England looking as if they could win, but Ali was dismissed by the last ball before the interval in a wonderful and hostile over by Sharma (brilliant timing by Dhoni in bringing him on then). England had lost the match one hour after the resumption with a flurry of daft one-day shots, inexpertly executed by the panic struck middle-order/tail.

Anderson looked quite haggard on the last day. He and Broad are having to carry the team while not being in the best of form themselves. I fear they may be injured through having to bowl too much within, and without a good rest between, matches. And in spite of Mr Boycott's insistence, Bell is not (nor, in my opinion, ever has been) 'England's best player'. Buttler assumes Prior's role. I'd be surprised were Stokes played on Sunday. I fear that England are as shell-shocked now as following the Brisbane Test, and are facing the prospect of a series defeat after just two matches.

Still, we had some very nice wines!

[Hornspieler]

Whatever the result of this series, it will be the sponsors who will be laughing their heads off!



Hornspieler

[amateur51]

Whatever the result of this series, it will be the sponsors who will be laughing their heads off!



Hornspieler

As a radio-only recipient I am unaware of who the sponsors are!

It's been a fascinating series, with both sides struggling to find their form, new players getting themselves used to the five-day format, old-timers struggling with injury and over-work and self-doubt. England appears to have 'come together' at the same time, hence its dominance at this stage of the Third Test.

I was very pleased nay delighted that Cook's apparent rekindling of his game coincided with the awful Pietersen's call for him to resign, released no doubt to coincide with a new book about KP. Cook appears to have made a leap into a different mindset regarding captaincy and his team is respondingh. Hooray!

It'll be a fascinating day today

Happy listening/viewing!

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

indeed it is Ams, indeed it is!

C&C W&W and then B&A! 500 wickets these two in opening tandem is pretty good eh ....

[amateur51]

Anderson takes two in short order, including the crucial wicket of skipper M S Dhoni, India 120-6

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

... and Moeen takes another two in one over!

1231 just as the track ended Moeen took another for his five for!

[amateur51]

Moeen's now got a fivefer - 5-51 currently - bluddy marvellous!

Update: Moeen takes 6-67 and England win by 266, first win in just over a year phee-eeeew.

[amateur51]

First morning, Fouth Test at a soggy old Trafford. The start is delayed until 11:30. M S Dhoni wins the toss & elects to bat, rather daring in the circumstances...

Afrer 6 over India are 8-4 - yes you read that right!

Broad & Anderson bowling in tandem, beating the bat through swing

[amateur51]

India are 62-5 at lunch, Jordan getting the other wicket (Rahane) just berfore lunch. What a morning for England and for Test Cricket.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

ahem; let us enjoy this while we can eh ....

[amateur51]

ahem; let us enjoy this while we can eh ....

Oh most definitely ahem

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

oh oh the exquisite delight - a lady commentator with Boycott opinionating [zone of uncertainty and keep it up &c ]


oh and Anderson just got Jadeja!!!!!