England tour of India

[sussexpob]

Pant coming down the pitch and smashing the first delivery with the new ball over Andersons head.

Ballsy

And again, Pant smashes the second ball through the covers.

Pant has had enough pretending to be patient, hes going to have a slog. Third he tries to mash but to a fielder.

This is eiter going to be 30 minutes of firewors, or over in a flash.

Anderson responds with a snorter. Get your seatbelts on, this is going to be some battle

[sussexpob]

Props to Ben Stokes for bowling his heart out, but the lad is totally gassed, and starting to spray it round. You cant expect someone to bowl 20 plus overs of pace in 40 degree heat, and it was only yesterday that the ECB said Stokes was not feeling well and suffering from a stomach upset. Need to be taken off, quite why Root brought him on to tire himself before the new ball is beyond me

[sussexpob]

What the hell have I just seen. Pant just reverse swept Jimmy Anderson over the keepers head

Not even Rambo would attempt that

[sussexpob]

Pant gets his hundred. Love how Harsha asked Sunil what Pant would do....

"Hes on 94, he's just going to slog it for 6"

Yep. This has been a crazy innings to watch. Audacious in the maximum.

[sussexpob]

One hit too many, Pant smashes it to the field this time. Hell of an innings mind, potentially won the series and match.

I dont know what to think of Pant. He is what he is I guess, but you just felt he lost his head and got himself out when Sundar could have got in his ear and told him to settle and make the close. But then he did bat himself today. I guess maybe if he didnt do those audacious shots he might not be the same player.

[sussexpob]

Stokes on again? Is Root trying to kill him? Hes bowling at 73mph atm, way down on pace

Another 50 for Sundar, hes played very well

[Durhamfootman]

oh dear

not what England would have wanted from this last session. This is the session where India won the game. Pity really, because England had done very well up to the tea break

[sussexpob]

oh dear

not what England would have wanted from this last session. This is the session where India won the game. Pity really, because England had done very well up to the tea break

25 overs, 123 runs (near 5 an over) and 1 wicket says it all really.

[Red Devil]

England's over rate is appalling - scheduled close of play now and Eng still have 16 overs to bowl. An over rate of 12 an over today!

Root has wanted Anderson and Stokes to bowl as much as possible but slowing the game down to achieve that is against the spirit and the rules of the game - should really be action taken on this. Eng still in go-slow mode despite being so far behind the over rate.

[Durhamfootman]

England's over rate is appalling - scheduled close of play now and Eng still have 16 overs to bowl. An over rate of 12 an over today!

Root has wanted Anderson and Stokes to bowl as much as possible but slowing the game down to achieve that is against the spirit and the rules of the game - should really be action taken on this. Eng still in go-slow mode despite being so far behind the over rate.

England have been like this for years. Nothing ever gets done about it. I'm not sure they even consider over rate anymore. They just do what they do without thinking about it. There must be pretty much a whole generation of English cricketers who have never even heard of the term 'over rate'

[sussexpob]

England will be delighted to see the increasing nip coming out those rough patches. That last ball flew past everything

[Red Devil]

One hit too many, Pant smashes it to the field this time. Hell of an innings mind, potentially won the series and match.

I dont know what to think of Pant. He is what he is I guess, but you just felt he lost his head and got himself out when Sundar could have got in his ear and told him to settle and make the close. But then he did bat himself today. I guess maybe if he didnt do those audacious shots he might not be the same player.

Completely agree - I was willing him to calm it down and bat till close and just put the bad balls away but I think he just can't control it once the adrenaline starts to flow

[sussexpob]

Completely agree - I was willing him to calm it down and bat till close and just put the bad balls away but I think he just can't control it once the adrenaline starts to flow

As I said though, taking that element of wild rawness away from him might change him as a player, so I think you just have to take him for what he is. Certainly I found he batted himself in today and gave himself a platform, which hasnt done at times. The most puzzling thing in Australia was how he got platforms to score hundreds and even in the 90s was playing suicidal cricket when you think most players would be cautious.

[sussexpob]

Not sure what this appeal is for, he didnt hit it. Ah checking the stumping, but the foot remains down.

[sussexpob]

Sundar given out. Umpire had a long think, didnt appear out to me thought going down leg... actually looks like a massive inside edge anyway, so this will be overturned.

Harsh for Bess. Finally thinks he gets a wicket and its overturned. Hope that doesnt dent his confidence further.