India tour of Eng, June 20 - Aug 4

[sussexpob]

But for Bashir, I don't get having men on the boundary. Siraj is highly unlikely to be hitting above mid offs head.... get that man in, surround the bat at every angle

That run was an inside edge that popped to silly point. Why are the men back, if a guy with an international best of 15 in about 150 matches wants to go over the ring, the bloody let him....And then Jadeja gets a late over nudge from a forward defensive into the offside.

Do not like this field plan to Bashir.

Down to 25

[Arthur Crabtree]

Runs are disappearing like smoke. But I like Bashir and Archer as a pair.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Might have to be a runout...

[sussexpob]

Siraj wont mind wearing that, cant be out off the shoulder

[sussexpob]

I still think England are favourites until you reach a situation where Jadeja has only one blow to finish it.

At what stage does Stokes have to start consider ending the plan to give Jadeja singles and protecting the boundary? Personally I say not yet, I'd consider it in single figures.

[sussexpob]

Partership half way to the target.... 23 remain. Silly point finally in

[Arthur Crabtree]

Basher does it. What a relief. Not like Edgbaston 05, but still a relief.

Great effort by Indian lower order.

[sussexpob]

Bashir castles him

[Arthur Crabtree]

England 2-1 up. Even though it feels like they've been struggling.

[sussexpob]

Unbelievably unlucky that. Siraj dead batted it, it bounced in front of him, spun backwards into leg stump before he could kick it away. Amazing, you dont often see those ball, and when you do 95% dont remove a bail.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Root for POTM for me. Top score in both innings on a pitch not easy to play strokes on.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Less unlucky than Kasprowicz though!

[backfootpunch]

Root for POTM for me. Top score in both innings on a pitch not easy to play strokes on.

Has to be stokes surely

Runs, wickets, run outs

Bowled himself into the ground

Felt like he willed the team to a win

[Arthur Crabtree]

Fair enough!

[sussexpob]

A tough match to critique overall. We have seen the best that test cricket has to offer, but also the very worst it has to offer too. Test match cricket is an excellent sport when two evenly matched sides like this get at each other, and both sides know the other can be beaten. The atmosphere has changed in this game, this is classic tough test cricket we seen here at Lords, where old fashioned grit, patience and technique was rewarded most of the time.

Having said that, I wonder if anyone new to this game or unsure of it would have gotten past Day 1 or Day 2. Stokes England tell us they are entertainers and want to revolutionise cricket - well, a good way of entertaining people is to actually give them what they pay for. The slow play is unacceptable, I don't really care which side is more or less to blame, the culture itself is rotten. The umpires contribute. We cannot accept this in the game, something has to be done. We need to play 90 overs a day, where it is possible with weather. No excuses.

Its time to revise some playing conditions. If a batsman is hit, get him off the field and send someone else out. If a bowler is injured, get him off the field.... and I am not exactly sure how we justify Bashir being fit enough to bowl, but not being fit enough to field. The whole "external injury" thing makes no sense. Get an over timer on and if either a batsman or bowler is not ready within 45 seconds of the last ball then penalty runs, field must be set for each over unless batsman swap, drinks breaks should be for drinking and not having a sit down for 8 minutes. And you get one ball for 80 overs, I dont get if it ends up like a hockey puck, get on and bowl with it.