Stokes demonstrating incredible faith in Hartley - 20 overs (1-97) as opposed to 11 (1-32) and just two today from Leach. They are both left arm orthodox and Leach is our number one spinner so it can only be one of two things - that Hartley really is considered more of an attacking option or that Leach isn't very well (it's well documented that he suffers from crohn's disease). Either way, I am struggling to get my head around it.
I'm not saying that this is a bad thing in the case of TNT but you can tell that they've thrown together their coverage by virtue of the lack of analysis and nobody bar the commentators from the host feed (including unfortunately KP) and a voiceover in between breaks. This is the biggest Test challenge for us apart from say the Ashes (and even then playing in India is probably harder) and TNT have clearly opted to do this on the cheap. Would have been good to hear the views of someone like Lord Gower for example.
Again Leach bowls just two overs before being taken off (and went for two runs in total) - 13 overs in four spells - albeit with Jadeja, a left hander, the preference to Root bowling to him is, perhaps, an understandable one.
Leach claims the wicket of Jadeja, caught at short leg. Jadeja reviews even before the finger goes up and the slowmo confirms that there is a gap between bat and pad the size of the Mersey Tunnel. India still have their three reviews and we have, well, none!!!
I'm not saying that this is a bad thing in the case of TNT but you can tell that they've thrown together their coverage by virtue of the lack of analysis and nobody bar the commentators from the host feed (including unfortunately KP) and a voiceover in between breaks. This is the biggest Test challenge for us apart from say the Ashes (and even then playing in India is probably harder) and TNT have clearly opted to do this on the cheap. Would have been good to hear the views of someone like Lord Gower for example.
I've read somewhere that they will have a proper studio set up for the second Test, but didn't have time for this game.
This Test is sadly going the way we all predicted. This is what happens when you have no warm up matches. India away is probably the hardest tour of all, not having proper preparation is criminal.
This Test is sadly going the way we all predicted. This is what happens when you have no warm up matches. India away is probably the hardest tour of all, not having proper preparation is criminal.
I think warm up or otherwise we would've been completely outclassed in these conditions.
This Test is sadly going the way we all predicted. This is what happens when you have no warm up matches. India away is probably the hardest tour of all, not having proper preparation is criminal.
I think warm up or otherwise we would've been completely outclassed in these conditions.
Probably yes. But a few warm up games to get acclimatised to the conditions would have helped.
By the time England get used to the conditions now we will probably be 2 nil down.
Comments
Hartley has a maiden Test wicket of Shubman Gill after Root caught and bowled the dangerous Jaiswal earlier in the session.
Stokes demonstrating incredible faith in Hartley - 20 overs (1-97) as opposed to 11 (1-32) and just two today from Leach. They are both left arm orthodox and Leach is our number one spinner so it can only be one of two things - that Hartley really is considered more of an attacking option or that Leach isn't very well (it's well documented that he suffers from crohn's disease). Either way, I am struggling to get my head around it.
223-4
288-5
Smith opening doesn't seem to be the answer either.
356-6
358-7
Wood 13-0-43-0
Hartley 25-0-131-2
Leach 25-6-54-1
Rehan 23-3-105-1
Root 24-2-77-2
This is what happens when you have no warm up matches.
India away is probably the hardest tour of all, not having proper preparation is criminal.
But a few warm up games to get acclimatised to the conditions would have helped.
By the time England get used to the conditions now we will probably be 2 nil down.