Fifth Test: India v England, 16-20 Dec (Chennai)

[rich1uk]

it does say alot about the pitch and how toothless our bowling has been when there hasn't been a single use of DRS in the 90 overs this innings has lasted, nothing has been close enough to even call for a "tactical" review

[braveneutral]

I like when they list future stars by reading down a list of statistics from the last county championship.

[Dr Cricket]

Good point nasser england basically bowling way more overs in the final session where they are very tired and more likely to bowl more buffet balls.
should really be bowling more overs in the morning or when they are in top/india looking to survive or struggling to score runs.

[Dr Cricket]

Well played nair on his maiden 50.
crucial knock for him considering hard to see him playing a test or being in the squad again when the players are fit again.

[alfie]

Hi Rich

I wasn't suggesting they shouldn't take the new ball ! Think they obviously had to (in fact wish they'd taken it earlier in the last match) Just pointing out that expectations of results should be limited...

As for Rashid : yes one can argue he has been a big wicket taker ; but I get the impression he himself lacks confidence at times , and may best be used with a bit of care : sometimes expecting him to be the attacking option seems to cause him to meltdown and offer up a load of tripe. As you've probably gathered I'm not his most enthusiastic supporter But I try to be fair ; and would really like to see him succeed. Just feel that after ten Tests he really hasn't produced the cutting edge when it counts. Too many junk time wickets.
Potential is there. But I reckon he will end up with a far better white ball career than in the five day game.

This partnership has really moved the match in favor of the home team. Pitch still a road ; but if (when) India pass the 477 then some pressure will be right back on the shaky England batting...

[braveneutral]

Didn't stay on 333-3 long.

[alfie]

Well played nair on his maiden 50.
crucial knock for him considering hard to see him playing a test or being in the squad again when the players are fit again.

Yeah he's done well here. Nervous (understandably) at the start ; but he's got his fifty and shared in a very important partnership in the context of the game : had he gone cheaply it was game on - now India are firmly in the drivers seat. Even if he loses his spot , this keeps him on the reserve list...

[rich1uk]

Hi Rich

I wasn't suggesting they shouldn't take the new ball ! Think they obviously had to (in fact wish they'd taken it earlier in the last match) Just pointing out that expectations of results should be limited...

As for Rashid : yes one can argue he has been a big wicket taker ; but I get the impression he himself lacks confidence at times , and may best be used with a bit of care : sometimes expecting him to be the attacking option seems to cause him to meltdown and offer up a load of tripe. As you've probably gathered I'm not his most enthusiastic supporter But I try to be fair ; and would really like to see him succeed. Just feel that after ten Tests he really hasn't produced the cutting edge when it counts. Too many junk time wickets.
Potential is there. But I reckon he will end up with a far better white ball career than in the five day game.

This partnership has really moved the match in favor of the home team. Pitch still a road ; but if (when) India pass the 477 then some pressure will be right back on the shaky England batting...

i agree about the confidence thing but its not going to help him if his captain seems reluctant to bowl him, and it is something cook has a track record of with spin bowlers. what sort of future is he going to have if he has to be wrapped in cotton wool all the time.

i just think cook has had a terrible day in the field today, really cant understand alot of his decisions. convential wisdom states that you start a session with your best bowlers. dawson has started all three sessions today. a guy who has never taken more than 30 wickets in a season of FC cricket and couldn't get into the squad as a bowler ahead of batty or ansari doesn't sound to me like an option as our "best bowler". i had a little laugh to myself when gavaskar said he was bowling at the wrong end for a spinner at this ground when he came on for his latest spell, well that would assume he is an actual spinner not just a very slow left arm seamer.

[Dr Cricket]

wow manjreaker saying first pitch he seen in india that looks like the dreaded 1980 wickets.
lucky I wasn't born in the 60 or 70s then would have killed my self if I was watching this crap, hated the deck after the first over of this game.

[rich1uk]

i'm going to give the groundsman the benefit of the doubt in how this pitch has turned out given what happened in the week before the test

[Dr Cricket]

i'm going to give the groundsman the benefit of the doubt in how this pitch has turned out given what happened in the week before the test

yeah the cyclone clearly hampered the preparation for the test match.

[rich1uk]

i've got a horrible feeling we are still going to lose this game

we'll get bowled out for under 200 in our second innings and india will chase down whatever target that sets them on day 5

[Dr Cricket]

might be losing some overs today still 11 overs left and 35 mins to go.

[meninblue]

Another nice response to the first innings total.

Looks like we will bat entire day tomorrow and close in on the first innings target by stumps.

Team playing like anticipated.

Just 109 runs away with 7 wickets left.

[Dr Cricket]

wow first review.