England Tour of India

Utd heap

Models for Coin.
Joined
Aug 15, 2006
Messages
21,495
Well that turned around quickly.
Our middle order is having a shocker of a tour.

One of Foakes or Bairstow should really be dropped batting wise, but Foakes having a blinder with the gloves and Jonny not scoring a run means it has to be Bairstow.

Sadly it's Lawrence as the replacement who is an unknown really at this level rather than Brook.
 

Darkhorsez

Full Member
Joined
Oct 24, 2017
Messages
3,138
Location
Canada
Ffs - set the alarm to watch and this! what the heck happened? Is it good bowling or bad batting?
 

Utd heap

Models for Coin.
Joined
Aug 15, 2006
Messages
21,495
We will back ourselves to chase 550.

A swashbuckling 150-2 becomes 330 all out.

We lose by 220 but entertain the masses.

Job done.
 

KM

I’m afraid I just blue myself
Joined
Sep 18, 2008
Messages
49,744
How on earth?

This is insane bottle job this day.
 

Utd heap

Models for Coin.
Joined
Aug 15, 2006
Messages
21,495
How on earth?

This is insane bottle job this day.
I don't see it as a bottle job at all. Why is everything so dramatic online haha. It's just sport!

All teams have days like this.
 

KM

I’m afraid I just blue myself
Joined
Sep 18, 2008
Messages
49,744
I don't see it as a bottle job at all. Why is everything so dramatic online haha. It's just sport!

All teams have days like this.
We got absolutely trashed yesterday. Our second best bowler was forced off yesterday.

If anyone was truly expecting England to fold like this then they're kidding themselves.
 

Darkhorsez

Full Member
Joined
Oct 24, 2017
Messages
3,138
Location
Canada
Take a couple of wickets and England are back in it. Seriously what is going on with Root. Also when will Bairstow get dropped.
 

Utd heap

Models for Coin.
Joined
Aug 15, 2006
Messages
21,495
We got absolutely trashed yesterday. Our second best bowler was forced off yesterday.

If anyone was truly expecting England to fold like this then they're kidding themselves.
I thought we would get 400ish but you bowled really well and we batted poorly. Where's the drama?

I was just taking issue with the bottle job stuff. It's just standard top level sport, England had an opening and India smashed it.
 

KM

I’m afraid I just blue myself
Joined
Sep 18, 2008
Messages
49,744
I thought we would get 400ish but you bowled really well and we batted poorly. Where's the drama?

I was just taking issue with the bottle job stuff. It's just standard top level sport, England had an opening and India smashed it.
It's weird that you keep on undermining how big a factor Ashwin going off here is?

224/2 and Ashwin not on the field, weird to say that you thought you'd get 400 only on a decent pitch.
 

Utd heap

Models for Coin.
Joined
Aug 15, 2006
Messages
21,495
It's weird that you keep on undermining how big a factor Ashwin going off here is?

224/2 and Ashwin not on the field, weird to say that you thought you'd get 400 only on a decent pitch.
I posted last night I reckon it increased our chances a good 20% in the test match.

Your attack is also class without him, so it's not as big a factor as it would be for most teams. We also never bat long, so Bumrah bowling multiple spells was going to be unlikely etc etc.

England are still in the test anyway but I reckon the momentum shift will be tough from here.
 

groovyalbert

it's a mute point
Joined
Feb 14, 2013
Messages
9,690
Location
London
Because the shots that went for six yesterday went to hand today?
We actually played with more control than the score suggested yesterday, but just because one player is middling everything doesn't mean everyone strolling out to the wicket will.

As much as I love the new way we play, in test cricket you've got to earn the right to play like that each innings. Especially when you're chasing 450-500 scores. England have gifted the game here.

The fact that Bairstow and Root are incredibly out of form may suggest they could do with going back to some basics.
 

gorky_utd

Full Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2014
Messages
1,931
Location
India
Kuldeep was unplayable before lunch. But England threw it away. I am very happy to see root gifting his wicket to us every match.
 

Utd heap

Models for Coin.
Joined
Aug 15, 2006
Messages
21,495
We actually played with more control than the score suggested yesterday, but just because one player is middling everything doesn't mean everyone strolling out to the wicket will.

As much as I love the new way we play, in test cricket you've got to earn the right to play like that each innings. Especially when you're chasing 450-500 scores. England have gifted the game here.

The fact that Bairstow and Root are incredibly out of form may suggest they could do with going back to some basics.
I remember having these same arguements after the second Ashes test when we lost a similar position after Lyon hobbled off.

People are accidentally arguing for miracle Cricket. Smash it all over the place but only attack the right ball at the right time, oh and make sure you middle it. It doesn't work like that! Sometimes you scoop one to first slip...

We got to 220-2 / 1-1 in this excellent series playing with this mindset. It failed today. That happens.

Maybe we have only found a more entertaining way to lose in India but it certainly beats what came before it.
 
Last edited:

groovyalbert

it's a mute point
Joined
Feb 14, 2013
Messages
9,690
Location
London
I remember having these same arguements after the second Ashes test when we lost a similar position after Lyon hobbled off.

People are arguing for miracle Cricket. Smash it all over the place but do it to the right ball all the time, oh and make sure you middle it. It doesn't work like that!

We got to 220-2 / 1-1 in this excellent series playing with this mindset. It failed today. That happens.

Maybe we have only found a more entertaining way to lose in India but it certainly beats what came before it.
Of course it can't be expected to work every time, and the approach is far better to what previous touring England sides have forced fans to sit through.

But you can't just sweep aside failures like today based on the big picture approach.

England and Duckett built an incredible platform and have totally thrown it away today. The form of key players is now a major issue. The worst test nation would post better that 112-8 here.

England are a good enough team now to demand higher returns. They want to be the best test side in the world and have the talent to do so. You can't do what England did today and achieve that though. That's why they're rightly getting criticism. They're better than that.
 

Utd heap

Models for Coin.
Joined
Aug 15, 2006
Messages
21,495
Of course it can't be expected to work every time, and the approach is far better to what previous touring England sides have forced fans to sit through.

But you can't just sweep aside failures like today based on the big picture approach.

England and Duckett built an incredible platform and have totally thrown it away today. The form of key players is now a major issue. The worst test nation would post better that 112-8 here.

England are a good enough team now to demand higher returns. They want to be the best test side in the world and have the talent to do so. You can't do what England did today and achieve that though. That's why they're rightly getting criticism. They're better than that.
I don't think England do want to be the best test side in the world which does annoy me slightly. That would be an added bonus to them.

Hence days like today. And loads of teams would succumb to India like that, I disagree with that part. Even on a relatively flat deck (it is turning and reversing, but it's a 400 minimum pitch for sure).
 

KM

I’m afraid I just blue myself
Joined
Sep 18, 2008
Messages
49,744
Whilst beating India in India is tough also fair to mention that we've had a ridiculous amount of injuries. i haven't seen a weaker indian test batting line-up ever.

Infact the reason for this relatively flat pitches and not turners is probably due to our batting line-up.