When I saw it was Jadeja bowling I suddenly felt less confident he'd get a 50. In fact I felt like he wouldn't survive the over. I even knew how he'd get out. COVER YOUR STUMPS
Intriguing! All very intriguing. Well, I'll mull all of this over. I'm in the awkward position of being my club's (nominal) secretary this last season (a largely ceremonial role) but I've paid my subs and really there's nothing keeping me there. I'm going to be 30 next season and if I don't give this bowling lark a proper go soon it might never happen. They went to extraordinary lengths not to give me a bowl before, regarding it as some kind of joke. Sure, the leg-spin may have been, but I can actually land the off-breaks (and they turn, and bounce). Plus, I'm sick of batting up the order and blocking out 15 overs for 18 runs or whatever. I want to bat at 8 or 9 and play shots. Anyway, enough of this. Mulling. Thanks for the nice words though, folks!
Oh, and back on-topic, I really do think Batty will score a few today. Just a weird hunch
Ha, hope your off breaks are indeed more accurate than your predictions about Batty...
One thing for certain is that Hameed is here to stay. Fractured finger and 36* (138) is a truly valiant effort. All batsmen have their dips in form and he may, at some point be left out as a result of that, but we will be seeing a lot of him in the next dozen years or so.
214-9 and a lead of 80. Oh to have scored another hundred or more in the first innings.
It has been like playing with ten men playing Batty. If Broad is not fit I would play Ball. Unfortunately India have a vastly superior bowling attack to ours. Shami and Umesh Yadav are excellent fast bowlers. Also with Ashwin, Jadeja and the other Yadav are top class spin bowlers. In Indian conditions they are very difficult to beat.
I would also go so far as to say, having seen the way he plays and in his interviews, Hameed is a future England captain (after Root of course). The bonus being that he is unlikely to be needed for the shorter form of the game.
Cook says that Hameed wanted to stay and play the other two matches!
Both Atherton and Hussein have suggested that Billings comes in to bat down the order with Root taking over at the top with Cook - the rationale being that all the obvious openers are left handed and that will suit Ashwin and Jayant. Effectively 4 of our top 6 would be left handed as would 6 of the team if Broad plays too.
Comments
p.s. rashid ton
Hameed 15* (91)
Woakes 14* (21)
214-9 and a lead of 80. Oh to have scored another hundred or more in the first innings.
Hameed 57* (151)
Anderson 5* (10)
236 all out. India need 103.
Hameed 59*
7-1
I can think of a few Premier League footballers who wouldn't go out and play with a broken hand. And I'm not talking about keepers either.
A replacement will be called up, luckily there's a slight interval before the next Test
He's shown incredible aptitude so far, as soon as he's fit he'll be straight back in no matter what his replacements do
Both Atherton and Hussein have suggested that Billings comes in to bat down the order with Root taking over at the top with Cook - the rationale being that all the obvious openers are left handed and that will suit Ashwin and Jayant. Effectively 4 of our top 6 would be left handed as would 6 of the team if Broad plays too.