That was the point. The Windies achieved what no one has achieved on that ground since the dark ages. Our declaration was perfectly valid...a record target was set giving us enough time to bowl them out. Congratulations to the Windies, but no reflection on the decision to declare. Does make the last Test interesting, whereas it had been frankly sad to see a team blown away as in the 1st Test (as I said before, this doesn't apply if it was Australia ).
It depends. You don't want to set an unreachable target, say 450 to get in a day, as the other side will just play for a draw. Timing is also important. Root declared so that Anderson and Broad would have 6 overs to bowl in fading light, with the ball swinging. That could have removed at least one of the Windies openers, but obviously didn't. Looking at it from another perspective, England captains in the past have been notoriously cautious about declarations, so it was good to see Root breaking the mould and backing his bowlers. In hindsight, it would maybe have been better if he had backed them on the first morning and put the West Indies in, especially after bowling them out twice so cheaply at Edgbaston.
Different wicket so debatable............I just think he read the wicket wrong.........difficult decision.
It was just an all-round illogical declaration (and yes, I did think that at the time) - only possible reasoning I could see behind it was Root trying to show that he's more positive than the two captains who have gone before him (so something of a PR exercise, that ultimately went somewhat wrong). If Root believed that WI could be rolled over again, we didn't need the extra 6 overs of bowling. If Root felt that we needed every over possible to take 10 wickets, then our lead was highly unlikely to be enough to see us still bowling 96 overs later. I accept that it allowed us to have two spells of Broad and Anderson, in the evening and then again in the morning, but we can't rely on these two forever. It's a relatively moot point. Primarily, we lost because of our bowling and their batting. The lead should have been enough to win the game. Had we not declared and instead last two wickets in two balls to be bowled, I wouldn't have batted an eyelid for the reason just stated. But given that we did have those wickets available to use, I didn't agree with not trying to utilise them. The equation of overs and runs just didn't fit a declaration. Be interesting if we make any changes for the final test. Nothing to do with losing this test (that would be an extreme and unnecessary reaction), but more in terms of looking ahead to the Ashes. I don't think you can throw someone in for their debut away to Oz (whether that be Crane as a spinner, or a batter at 3). I think you need to try them out in this series first.
at16:53 BreakingArmed officers at the Oval Reports now that armed police have arrived at the Oval. A crossbow arrow is believed to have been fired into the ground from outside and landed about two strips away from the wicket where Surrey and Middlesex were playing. All spectators have been ordered indoors. I have never known anything like this at a cricket match. This is a major incident now. It's an extraordinary scene. All the seats are empty and everyone is indoors." Mark ChurchBBC Radio London commentator
I suspect it is a moron rather than a serious attempt to hurt someone. Really annoys me when someone just ruins things for other people without having any idea of the possible consequences.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/41103549 Report on the arrow fired at the Oval....with the recording on Radio 5. Match abandoned and considered a draw.
Great last over hitting from Edwards. Up until that over, she'd played the whole competition just as a captain.
Sat in my seat at a sunny Edgbaston. Sat 3 rows from the front at cow corner for right handed batsmen. Could have a chance of a crowd catch or to make a pillock of myself live on Sky!
You offer Warks 175 at the start, they take it. You offer it to them after 6 overs, they probably don't. But with the pressure of a run chase, 175 is a good score. Get Ingram (and Miller) early, and it should be Warks'.
