Cook gone.. Was having a decent innings, didn't look in too much trouble, then round the wicket outside off stump entices the edge.
Cook is better off out anyway he's just ganging on to make a bit if a show, not offering much scoring Moen IMO is England's only hope and frankly once tomorrow is over bell and cook must be looked at
problem is, who comes in to replace Cook? With Robson young and inexperienced, having another young or inexperienced opener with him is very very risky.
Very difficult to see anything other than a defeat here, but as we all know, it's a funny old game (I hope).
at 140/4 with a new ball due in 18 overs... unless england score 100 in the next 20 overs i can't see us surviving a new ball skittling. the reality is moeen and root are two of the 3 batsmen i mentioned yesterday or the day before.. if they don't do it for us... well... Prior - hasn't been good. Stokes- not a batsman Broad - been really dissappointing in throwing his wicket away chasing stuff Anderson - 3 miralces in a row is too much to ask for Plunkett -not a batsman So in short lose one more wicket IMO and the gates open.. the final 5 men won't get the required 319 from say 200 or 240...
WICKET - Moeen c Pujara b Ishant 39 (Eng 173-5) Moeen, Moeen, Moeen! Keep your eyes on the ball! Ishant Sharma, who troubled Joe Root with a couple of sharp bouncers in the final over before lunch, directs one at the throat of Moeen Ali who turns his head, trying to duck out of the way, and the ball hits his glove to present a simple catch to Che Pujara at short leg. 173/5 at lunch.... oh dear. at least he put a just under40 average score up unlike the other uselss england excuses... thats it then... have to go purely defensive now and bat out the day if at all possible. 146 runs to win, 5 wickets to lose and 4 overs until new ball.... will england get with 100 runs of victory? i'd hope so at least... within 50? doubtful. I can see another last wicket blocking show for an hour. Robson lbw b Jadeja 7 Cook c Dhoni b I Sharma 22 Ballance c Dhoni b Shami 27 Bell b I Sharma 1 Root not out 52 Moeen c Pujarab I Sharma 39 Extras 1w 9b 15lb 25 the extras outscored 3 of englands top order thus far in 76 overs
