imo i couldn't be much better.... ok spread the love from bell and ballance into roots pocket but he's had runs... buttler was great, just played a nice smasher with no pressure. i must say though..... 14 overs at them tonight is everything i'd ask for.
True, Moeen could have had some more too. But I don't think big scores were as important for them as for the ones who got them (except maybe Ballance).
ballance has done well this summer. root has done ok... oh and "form" is not one inning... form is delivering the same in the next tests...
too true. its a stay of execution until it becomes actual form. a win and a follow up test would be great
Yup, they kept saying how Cook and Bell have returned to form.... No, they've had 1 innings. They have a bit of confidence back which should hopefully help them return to form, but just like we shouldn't write someone off after 1 bad innings, we should start bigging them up again after 1 decent one. Lets see how the rest of thi game and then tour goes for thee 2 before we make a judgement on whether they are back to near their best.
cook dropped and bell lbw... all in all they got a bit of luck which they worked with and you could see cook was really trying to get forward.
that's the thing. they were both a bit lucky, but at least with Cook he was doing something different and didn't look as susceptible to the ball outside off as he has done previously.
totally agree, he swung on one yesterday and had inside edge. in the past could have this own stumps. bell swung on one and it flew over gully, lbw calls, dropped catches, balls not carrying. the indians have been decimated in 2 days with a bit of luck and hard work too. the proof is now in chasing the win and then the next test too.
If we could get one more now before the end of play would be a very good day. Still another 7 or 8 overs to go I think they said.
Close of play. England 569 declared (for 7), India 25-1. Good base for tomorrow, lets hope we can get into them.
That was as good a days cricket as England have had in a very good while. Should do the whole team a power of good. Bowlers now have to step up and do the business
broad was well up for it but he bowled too short according to the wise old failed england captains in the commentary box. apparently anderson could make the ball sing dance and masterbate last night though this morning i can see a very long day of bowling with very little return as the ball ages. morning conditions might mean zero swing.
wicket btw WICKET - Pujara c Buttler b Broad 24 (Ind 56-2) Stuart Broad strikes! A well-directed rib-tickler gets Che Pujara into all sorts of trouble and the stoic number three tries to sway out of the way but gets a faint nick through to Jos Buttler for his first catch as England's Test wicketkeeper. broad is angry it seems.
