Indeed
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Another remarkable Test at Headingley. The changes made by England after the debacle at Lord’s have certainly paid off, but I can’t help thinking that both sides are out of sorts. All square going to The Oval next week, it’s an intriguing series whose result is still difficult to call.Comment
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Goodness! They might have waited for me to be up before they did that!
Amazing game of cricket..... will review off highlights etc. later.... this is turning into a series of extremes....1-1 with two to go, just how I like it...Comment
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Rather glad I forked out for an extension on the NOW TV sports sub….Comment
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“Hope for another intense day of Test cricket but have a feeling the new ball will pretty much put the game to bed.”
Pretty perceptive from Mike Selvey on Twitter this morning ……..Comment
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Will we - won’t we ….. ??????Comment
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If you have to bat 3 sessions for a draw the Oval is the place to do it. In 79 India had to get 438 to win there . They got to 429 for 8. The difference was we had batsmen Gooch , Boycott and Brearley who got centuries …mind you they had Gavaskar.Originally posted by antongould View PostComment
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What a day in prospect. I was there on Friday and there was definitely an atmosphere charged by whatever we can call the past year, over and above the play. No restrictions, a crowd liberated by the summer and the game, I thought. As for the cricket itself, this England side are a hard watch, but I’ve been away playing this weekend so missed the Indian graft and don’t want unfairly fail to deny them credit. Overall a really well matched series. It feels odd that there’s still another test, especially as the forecast is poor and of course Manchester this time of year, enough said. All the more reason to watch today closely.Comment
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Will hope for a miracle, however a heavy defeat would seem more likely. Root has to fail some time and too many of our batsmen still seem good for a rapid 30 or so, but then get out without regard to the match situation, e.g. shortly before the taking of a new ball. That said this line-up seems more capable than previous teams this year: Hameed for one bats 'properly'.
The Indian batsmen played very well, showing the patience required for Test cricket. The wicket is not helpful after the shine has come off, however once again the England bowling lacked variety and I fear for their chances in Australia. Too many dropped catches did not help.
Let's hope I am proved wrong by the end of the day.Comment
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The problem of whether to play Anderson has been solved through the final Test at Old Trafford being abandoned. It also provides India’s players with some additional preparation time for the IPL, a factor that may have played a part in the BCCI’s thinking with India having (at least morally) won the series. One feels sorry for those with tickets for this match, but it’s pretty remarkable that this is the first Test this summer to be significantly impacted by the pandemic. The result of the series is still to be resolved, for financial purposes, but no one can seriously doubt that India are the better side and deserve the victory on those matches played.
The series has exposed systemic faults in England’s Test squad and the cricketing calendar. Test cricket does not seem to be the ECB’s first priority. Next year’s fixtures show a similar lacuna to this for first class cricket throughout July that punctuates two Test series between NZ and RSA. England’s openers are suspect, it is only Root’s exceptional run of form that papered over the cracks. Anderson and Robinson have been flogged and deserve a well earned rest. Woakes was effective for his return at the Oval following injury and other issues. Indeed, his figures show him to be among such all-round luminaries as Botham, Flintoff and Stokes. I should imagine that within its foetid inner sanctum, the ECB are hoping this winter’s Ashes series is abandoned so as to avoid further humiliation, were it not for the loss of income that would incur.Comment
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Thoughts/solutions for Test Cricket 2022 ….. ??????Comment
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Huge disappointment for me has been the lack of ball-by-ball radio or even BBC or ITV or Sky TV highlights for current Windies tour on any channel I can reach - was it all on BT?Comment
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It’s another punctuated season anton, where toy cricket takes precedence during the best part of the year. I fear Strauss’ master plan for reviving the red-ball form of the game is little other than a fig-leaf indelicately placed by the dysfunctional ECB whose principal role seems to be to serve itself and the money-men. It’s a shame N Zealand still only get a three test series, they are the most attractive side to watch presently. South Africa are not the force they once were, but are more than capable of rolling over England in its current state. I’ve never rated Root as a captain, and I fear neither do his team-mates. Stokes is the obvious choice for replacing him, but I’d prefer him to assume the role when he is fitter and the priority of Test cricket has been reestablished, so next season? Billings? Not Broad, he’d exhaust the DRS appeals during his first over. The openers remain a major problem that the game’s wider structure will not solve, so the overall prognosis is not good. It will probably be Anderson’s last outing, and it will be fitting for him to play at Old Trafford in August against SA. I’ll still attend Trent Bridge and both Tests at Lord’s, but I already anticipate the results. Good that England’s women have made it to the final.Comment
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As a sports fan you do now need BT - they also have the Premiership Rugby and Champions League Football. I pay £11 a month, which for me is bearable - less than my weekly pint of bitter after choir practice on a Monday night. The cricket coverage has been good. Mark Butcher is a spot-on pundit and I have enjoyed having the insightful and sometimes whimsical David Gower back, who was sacked by Sky. At 64 some might think he should still be in the team.Originally posted by DracoM View PostComment
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