Joe Root on now - I'm trying to work out when was the last time we bowled four spinners in an innings. Patel, Ali, Rashid and Root all played together in Dubai against Pakistan but Root didn't bowl in that game.
Didn't stokes bowl the odd over of spin last winter. Would that count?
Joe Root on now - I'm trying to work out when was the last time we bowled four spinners in an innings. Patel, Ali, Rashid and Root all played together in Dubai against Pakistan but Root didn't bowl in that game.
Didn't stokes bowl the odd over of spin last winter. Would that count?
India have now agreed to use DRS for the forthcoming Test series - the cynic in me says that they've been on the wrong side of umpiring decisions recently which is why they have relented at last.
Maybe they've gotten over their fucking ludicrous hissy fit (marginal decisions don't go our way waaah) - maybe the (intelligently) altered lbw umpire's call parameters have helped.
India have now agreed to use DRS for the forthcoming Test series - the cynic in me says that they've been on the wrong side of umpiring decisions recently which is why they have relented at last.
Ali goes and I believe is the third victim in this innings to do so playing the sweep - a shot that is hard to play successfully when the ball is turning and bouncing as much as it is here.
We are now 107 ahead. I can't help thinking that there will come a point where Stokes/Bairstow/Woakes will try and hit their into a meaningful lead of 200 plus because, at the moment, it is a slow death.
We are now 107 ahead. I can't help thinking that there will come a point where Stokes/Bairstow/Woakes will try and hit their into a meaningful lead of 200 plus because, at the moment, it is a slow death.
Yes, was thinking the same, maybe time for a counter-attack now - get 180 lead smacking them about a bit or 150 by slow death (if we're lucky)
We are now 107 ahead. I can't help thinking that there will come a point where Stokes/Bairstow/Woakes will try and hit their into a meaningful lead of 200 plus because, at the moment, it is a slow death.
Yes, was thinking the same, maybe time for a counter-attack now - get 180 lead smacking them about a bit or 150 by slow death (if we're lucky)
I know i want them to counter-attack, but that doesnt mean reverse-sweeps ! - such a risky shot, batsmen talk about percentage shots, but that surely has to be the most risky of all.
ball starting to keep low too now - 2 of the last three have scraped along the ground, the latter hitting the helmet behind the wicket thus giving away 5 penalty runs
It seems that the ball turns and bounces most when new, and that the seamers are most dangerous with the old ball when it reverse swings, so you need to bowl your bowlers the wrong way round!
It is unreal how far we have come as a team but, more so, with the ability of our middle and lower order to dig us out of trouble. We all remember the days of 120-5 to 140 all out.
Now, when we are five down, there is an expectation that we will get runs each and every time we have lost half our wickets. Of course the likes of Stokes, Ali and Bairstow have put us in that position.
Bairstow has to be the one that takes the most praise. When he first came into the side I have to say that I had my doubts whether he would make it. But he went away after being dropped and worked at his game. And this year he became the first batsman to score over a thousand runs in a year batting at 6 or lower.
Ballance would do well to talk to his Yorkshire team mate. I suspect, though, that whilst Bairstow had to tweak his technique and also work on his temperament in pressure situations, that Ballance needs a lot more than that - he's already gone away once to do so and it may just be to big an ask for him to overhaul his obvious deficiencies.
It seems that the ball turns and bounces most when new, and that the seamers are most dangerous with the old ball when it reverse swings, so you need to bowl your bowlers the wrong way round!
I think that's very fair comment. Whether Broad's ego (and his influence on Cook) will allow us to have two spinners open the bowling is another thing altogether.
I think one or two counties will be looking at Mehedi especially in the shorter form of the game. He is a few days short of his 19th birthday and to think that most spinners don't fully mature 'til they get to late 20s/early 30s and it is fair to say he has a long future in the game. And he has a first class average of over 40 with the bat having captained the Bangladesh U19s.
It is unreal how far we have come as a team but, more so, with the ability of our middle and lower order to dig us out of trouble. We all remember the days of 120-5 to 140 all out.
Now, when we are five down, there is an expectation that we will get runs each and every time we have lost half our wickets. Of course the likes of Stokes, Ali and Bairstow have put us in that position.
Bairstow has to be the one that takes the most praise. When he first came into the side I have to say that I had my doubts whether he would make it. But he went away after being dropped and worked at his game. And this year he became the first batsman to score over a thousand runs in a year batting at 6 or lower.
Ballance would do well to talk to his Yorkshire team mate. I suspect, though, that whilst Bairstow had to tweak his technique and also work on his temperament in pressure situations, that Ballance needs a lot more than that - he's already gone away once to do so and it may just be to big an ask for him to overhaul his obvious deficiencies.
The sad thing is that by all accounts, Ballance didn't try to work on his weak areas, he 'trusted his technique' etc which is fine in coubty cricket but has led to more of the same performances at Test level that got him dropped the first time.
Comments
Batty seemed to be bowling too slow from the off and I'm surprised it took him/Cook nearly all day to realise.
He finally upped the speed & got a wicket quite quickly. We bowled ok but not as well as Bangladesh I feel.
Moeen Ali was the most dangerous.
We were always going to struggle after I backed us.
I still fancy us to win, but it might be close.
Ali goes and I believe is the third victim in this innings to do so playing the sweep - a shot that is hard to play successfully when the ball is turning and bouncing as much as it is here.
Now, when we are five down, there is an expectation that we will get runs each and every time we have lost half our wickets. Of course the likes of Stokes, Ali and Bairstow have put us in that position.
Bairstow has to be the one that takes the most praise. When he first came into the side I have to say that I had my doubts whether he would make it. But he went away after being dropped and worked at his game. And this year he became the first batsman to score over a thousand runs in a year batting at 6 or lower.
Ballance would do well to talk to his Yorkshire team mate. I suspect, though, that whilst Bairstow had to tweak his technique and also work on his temperament in pressure situations, that Ballance needs a lot more than that - he's already gone away once to do so and it may just be to big an ask for him to overhaul his obvious deficiencies.
131-5 and a lead of 176
Stokes 52* (102)
Bairstow 21* (51)
Our game to lose now