England, under Stokes & McCullum, don't do draws unless weather intervenes so India will probably need to win the toss and post 450 plus at the very least and that would mean them batting for a day and a half plus. It would then become a question as to whether we chase the game and risk losing our advantage in the series.
Honours even at lunch though perhaps India slightly in front by virtue of Sharma winning the toss and electing to bat. A watchful Sharma (no boundaries) fell into the leg slip trap (caught by that man Pope) off the bowling of the man making his debut, Bashir for 14 (41). With the score on 89, Anderson, bowling with a lot of control, managed to find the edge of Gill for 34 (46). Jaiswal remains there on 51* (92) with his partner, Iyer, on 4* (7).
103-2 off 31 overs (we want to be careful because we might end up bowling more than 90 overs in the day!)
Anderson 8-1-19-1 Root 6-0-21-0 Hartley 7-1-24-0 Bashir 10-0-39-1
I do wonder if, as @killerandflash has intimated, whether we have missed a trick in not having that second seamer. Anderson is bowling at 78mph-82mph and does give us the control that Wood couldn't do in the First Test but that would allow us to utilise either Wood or Atkinson in short bursts. We are 36 overs into the game with no sign of Rehan and it does appear that we are using him when we have to rather than when we want to. Hope he proves us wrong and comes on and takes a 5 fer now!
The most surprising aspect of the day's play is that we are now half way through and there hasn't been a single extra. And of course the fact that we have bowled 47 overs in three overs though it seems that losing 19 ranking points and leaving us second bottom in the World Test Championship is hitting home!
Hartley strikes - Iyer goes to cut a ball that is both too close to him and stays low and Foakes does what Foakes does. Stays low to take the under edge
He's such a good keeper. Imo pretty much every other English keeper drops that
Most other keepers would have seen the under edge from that ball smash into their shins and people would have said that wasn't a chance for that reason.
He hasn't kept, apart from the odd T20, in the last two years for one reason or another. Think we will see him do a bit more next season. Hope he can remember what to do!
I do wonder if, as @killerandflash has intimated, whether we have missed a trick in not having that second seamer. Anderson is bowling at 78mph-82mph and does give us the control that Wood couldn't do in the First Test but that would allow us to utilise either Wood or Atkinson in short bursts. We are 36 overs into the game with no sign of Rehan and it does appear that we are using him when we have to rather than when we want to. Hope he proves us wrong and comes on and takes a 5 fer now!
Especially as we lost the toss and are bowling first.
We know the pitch is going to turn increasingly. We also know if India get 400, they haven't won. Get a few more wickets today and we are still well in it.
We know the pitch is going to turn increasingly. We also know if India get 400, they haven't won. Get a few more wickets today and we are still well in it.
True but India will be bowling when the wicket will be at its worst.
Breaking news - we've conceded our first extra. And you could have had 10 guesses as to how it came about and still not got it - a Jimmy Anderson "no ball"
Can either Atkinson or Robinson bowl reverse swing? A bowler who's only effective with the new ball is a luxury, whereas if you can reverse as well, that's a real asset.
Comments
I thought I'd counter Leuth's positive prediction, to give a bit of BBC balance
103-2 off 31 overs (we want to be careful because we might end up bowling more than 90 overs in the day!)
Anderson 8-1-19-1
Root 6-0-21-0
Hartley 7-1-24-0
Bashir 10-0-39-1
India 1.34 (from 1.61)
England 7.20 (from 3.30)
Draw 7.60 (from 16.50)
Jaiswal 93* (146)
Iyer 22* (49)
The most surprising aspect of the day's play is that we are now half way through and there hasn't been a single extra. And of course the fact that we have bowled 47 overs in three overs though it seems that losing 19 ranking points and leaving us second bottom in the World Test Championship is hitting home!
179-3
Jaiswal 125* (185)
Patidar 25* (47)
England 7.80
Draw 8.40