England 108-3 at lunch in the first Test against India. A good toss to have won, as there's already significant turn and a bit of variable bounce.
Our spinners couldn't ask for a more helpful pitch, but unfortunately they're just not good enough. India now 23 ahead with 6 wickets in hand.
Think we might as well kiss this test goodbye......390/7, lead of 144 on a deteriating pitch..... do well to make India bat again.....
Yep. On a spinning wicket, with very average to poor spinners, we really have very little chance. Hartley looks well out of his depth. India finish leading by 175 with 3 wickets remaining.
England starting to crumble after a promising start to their 2nd innings. Root seems to have been out of touch for a long time now. We need a big partnership to somehow get some kind of meaningful lead. 119-3. 71 runs behind.
At least we've made them bat again. If these two could somehow see it through to the close, we might have a squeak. Foakes is a decent player of spin.
Who knows how this would have gone had England bothered to have any decent preparation matches? As it stands we will be using this one and probably the next test of a 5 test series to get acclimatised to the point where Bazball comes naturally again. Even now we are scoring faster than them, we just need a couple to stick around a bit longer.
Great innings from Pope. **** me, he's just been dropped off a dolly. Vital for these two to still be there at the close, but as we know, that's not part of the Bazball playlist.
