The Cricket Thread

[suhaas307]

Looks like England has come to terms with spinning-tracks and can play pretty well. India also has this nasty habit of getting into a shell when things aren't going their way. A culmination of steady and positive batting, and bowling in the right areas has worked.

We are 5 down now and still haven't taken lead.

Looks like England will level the series with this one.

[Eddy]

A couple of things are very clear now

- Bhajji is finished
- Sachin is finished

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by Eddy

- Sachin is finished

And so the argument begins

[vibbs]

Originally Posted by Eddy

A couple of things are very clear now

- Bhajji is finished
- Sachin is finished

I would add something about Dhoni too. He is not exceptional behind the stumps nor is as good a player with bat as he was. Does he deserve a place in the team on merit? I guess in adversity his captaincy also goes for a toss.

It is surprising that two batsmen batted on the same pitch as it was the flattest pitch in the world and on the same wicket a bunch of players brought up on similar tracks are struggling. Either, our spinners are useless or the batsmen not upto mark. Or both!

[suhaas307]

Wow 7 down now.

Our score-card looks like a telephone-number barring Gautam's 41.

England will wrap this up in two sessions or less.

[harry10]

Originally Posted by Eddy

A couple of things are very clear now

- Bhajji is finished
- Sachin is finished

Add Dhoni to that list too. He is good for nothing in test matches. We need a keeper who can bat and he is not that.

I see match being over in first session itself tomorrow.
So much for a turning track!

[neofromcapone]

SRT needs to be selected in form not reputation. This is were I believe Laxman would have the go-to guy.

Well played England

[karty_83]

Originally Posted by suhaas307

Our score-card looks like a telephone-number barring Gautam's 41.
England will wrap this up in two sessions or less.

Hope they do and win the game by 10 wickets in the very first session itself tomorrow. Thats probably the only way to force changes in the team and select players on form.
Too bad, the dream of 4-0 drubbing remains a dream. Cant fathom the fact that England are beating India comprehensively on a rank turner

[champ27]

Originally Posted by Eddy

A couple of things are very clear now

- Bhajji is finished
- Sachin is finished

The earlier they realize the better. Ponting is struggling in Aus and Sachin in India. Think both of them are really not accepting the fact that it's OVER now.
Similarly, Bhajji looks a pale shadow of himself. This was an ideal pitch for him to mark a comeback due to the bounce along with the turn on offer, but of no avail!

Originally Posted by suhaas307

India also has this nasty habit of getting into a shell when things aren't going their way. A culmination of steady and positive batting, and bowling in the right areas has worked.

They were in a shell even before the match began with MSD's demand for a rank turner from day 1. Goes on to show how much belief he has in the team or this team has in it's abilities. Deflating demand to say the least. This showed that he had no trust in his fast bowlers, no trust on his batsmen's abilities to play pace in Indian conditions and certainly added more pressure on the spinners.It showed in the end as India failed on almost all 3 counts and even added one more to the list, i.e, they can't play spin either when the need arises.

[PPS]

I think we should give some credit to the English spinners. They have bowled in good areas with a flatter trajectory & also at a quicker pace than our spinners.

[vinu_h]

Looks like there'll be no white wash after all. England 1, India 1 with 2 more tests to go. Makes it more interesting this way.

Edit: Dhoni deserves a mention here. With just 53 runs to gamble with, he still doesn't want to give up. He unleashes his most valued weapon, Ashwin, in the 1st over.

[motortechie]

so what kind of pitch should dhoni ask for the next test match?

[vinu_h]

Originally Posted by motortechie

so what kind of pitch should dhoni ask for the next test match?

Obviously, doctoring the pitch didn't help. He'll probably try cloud seeding now. That's the only way India won't lose. " RAIN ".

[vibbs]

Originally Posted by motortechie

so what kind of pitch should dhoni ask for the next test match?

I guess he should now ask for absolute Flat beds and hope his batsmen can bat atleast on them. Thats the only way he would have some hope of not losing the series. England have adjusted well, their batsmen are looking far more assured than ours even against spin and their bowlers seem to be way ahead too. So much that it seems like both the teams are playing on different tracks.

Ask for a batting paradise and hope his batsmen are able to play out for a draw. That seems the only way forward in this series.

Indian think tank has to take some strong decisions. They just cant have players in the team resting on past laurels, no matter who they are. If they are not performing, give way for others who can.

[riturajsharma19]

What was Gambhir thinking during the final wicket stand? He took singles off the first delivery of overs, exposing Ojha for the remaining deliveries. Neither did he show any intention of hitting a few. Surely, with some aggressive intent, he could have stretched the lead to about 80 odd.

P.S Look how England has gone about the chase. They are making a mockery of the Indian spinners.