Decent effort from Extras to get six batting last. Distant relation of Own Goal, our star player of the last few seasons.
Stokes opts to bat last again and India win the first session, reaching 78-0 at lunch. Second session to England, though, with wickets for Woakes, Dawson and Stokes. India 149-3 at tea and England will be quite happy. Run rate under three and Dawson bowling well.
Just flicked it on to see Pant get hurt attempting a ridiculous shot. Looks like he’s going off. Frankly he’s being a bit of a tart about it. Someone has blocked the little golf buggy ambulance in with some dining room chairs which bodes well for an emergency.
Two probably stupid questions. 1) Why can’t cricket players ever wear shorts? 2) Why if opting for a jumper do they have to pick a wool number like it’s 1864?
Test cricketers can wear shorts if they chose to, however they prefer not to as pads can chaf, also long trousers protect from the sun and from diving to field a ball. (It being cricket it’s also just not done. What’s a wool number?
1) Tradition, plus not comfy tying pads to flesh 2) Tradition, though modern jumpers tend to be cotton or merino wool, quite light and breathable. But overall modern cricket kit is amongst the most artificial and tacky of all sports kits. Crisp cotton white shirts and flannels long gone, sadly. Used to be a nightmare getting the stain from the ball and grass out of the flannels mind. Thanks mum. These Tests seem to be following a familiar pattern.
If I’m fast bowling, which feels unlikely in the near future, I’m opting for shorts if given the choice, which I’m not as I won’t be.
The kit man would be happier. Nobody thinks of the kit man. Oooh reverse swing while the kit man cries.
Wearing shorts? Just wouldn’t be cricket, dear chap. Besides, who wants grass marks on their knees. Don’t mind the old cricket jumpers…. had one in the day, problem was, my mother wash it and it shrunk to half its size! Looked a right putz for the rest of the season.
