India Vs England 1st Test

[Quickenthetempo]

Starts tomorrow and live on BT sport or whatever it's called this week.

England have announced their team already with a brave bowling line up.
Mark Wood and Stokes the only seamers (despite their injury concerns over the years)
Leach, Hartley and Rehan are the spinners with Root as back up.

[ChrisG]

Starts tomorrow and live on BT sport or whatever it's called this week.

England have announced their team already with a brave bowling line up.
Mark Wood and Stokes the only seamers (despite their injury concerns over the years)
Leach, Hartley and Rehan are the spinners with Root as back up.

Stokes isn't going to bowl apparently, so just the one seamer.

[Andreshotboots]

Think it's pretty obvious by our selection that this pitch is going to be a spinning, dusty bowl from ball one and wood will just be used in 2 or 3 over rapid bursts.

They've also selected the better keeper option which backs this us as keeping to spin is the hardest discipline..

[Casper2]

I thought Root was 3rd back up spinner , so we only have 1 seamer , madness.

[Quickenthetempo]

Can't see these tests lasting more than 3 days, especially with the way the batters attack.

[AfloatinClaret]

Can't see these tests lasting more than 3 days, especially with the way the batters attack.

I tend to agree, but since recent history of us and indeed most everyone else, playing 'traditional' Test Cricket in India hasn't been very successful, why not give the more aggressive/Baz-Ball approach a lash. At worst, we'll get hammered rather than just thrashed, but if we get lucky, we might achieve an upset.
The biggest difficulty I see us having to contend with is not the lack of seam bowlers in the side, but the selection of spin bowlers that we're able to field; they aren't nearly as good as India's, so our batsmen will need to outperform the Indian ones to compensate.

[burnley007]

I don't give England much chance in this 1st Test.
But will have it on in the background, with fingers crossed.

[claretonthecoast1882]

Root to open the bowling from 1 end ?

Ashwin & Leach top wicket taker for each country for the series 15/2 is a decent poke

[Quickenthetempo]

I tend to agree, but since recent history of us and indeed most everyone else, playing 'traditional' Test Cricket in India hasn't been very successful, why not give the more aggressive/Baz-Ball approach a lash. At worst, we'll get hammered rather than just thrashed, but if we get lucky, we might achieve an upset.
The biggest difficulty I see us having to contend with is not the lack of seam bowlers in the side, but the selection of spin bowlers that we're able to field; they aren't nearly as good as India's, so our batsmen will need to outperform the Indian ones to compensate.

I think our approach will be a good thing, especially the sweeping tactic.
When you're not sure which way it will turn or how much, sweep it. It doesn't matter then.

[CleggHall]

A very unbalanced side, illustrates the lack of talent coming through in County cricket.

[LittleBritton]

Too many spinners, poor recruitment if you ask me

[FCBurnley]

Anybody know what time it is on tv

[Bordeauxclaret]

4am start I believe.

[FCBurnley]

Thanks so 11 pm for me. That sucks !!!

[DAVETHEVICAR]

Probably be over inside 2 days if the pitches are as dreadful as the last time we played there .
Like playing on an uneven backyard and we should have packed our bags and come home after the first test.

[Clive 1960]

England win toss and bat and Jimmy not in team going all spin...

[Clive 1960]

started well 50.0 then lost 3 quick wickets for 10 runs now 72.3 Bazball ...

[claret wizard]

Sat in the stadium, good turn out from England supporters here.

[Clive 1960]

140.6 from 50.0 ..

[claretonthecoast1882]

155/7

Hard to believe just turning up in India and playing with an unbalanced side doesn't work.

[Newcastleclaret93]

What’s peoples thoughts on Ollie pope?

I know he’s got great technique but I’m just not sure he’s got the mentality for it. Just seems to consistently fail

[onewillieirvine]

Our top seven didn't look too unbalanced, on paper admittedly.

[onewillieirvine]

If Ollie Pope didn't play for Surrey I don't think he'd been given as many chances.

[claretonthecoast1882]

Hartley staking a claim to bat at 3

[claretonthecoast1882]

194/8

[claretonthecoast1882]

215/8 at tea Stokes 43 not out

[DAVETHEVICAR]

Pope averages 34.45 in tests .
He is vice captain and an excellent fielder who can also operate behind the wicket which he has done when the selected wicket keeper had been injured during the Test match .
He is held high in the selectors minds

[claretonthecoast1882]

50 for Stokes, if we can somehow get to around 250 it could become interesting batting last.

232/8 with 2 sixes

[Bordeauxclaret]

9 down. Hopefully see some fireworks from Stokes now.

[Newcastleclaret93]

Pope averages 34.45 in tests .
He is vice captain and an excellent fielder who can also operate behind the wicket which he has done when the selected wicket keeper had been injured during the Test match .
He is held high in the selectors minds

To be honest that stat has backed up my opinion of him. How have we ended up with a number 3 with such a poor average

[Clive 1960]

246 all out , runs on the board...

[fatboy47]

To be honest that stat has backed up my opinion of him. How have we ended up with a number 3 with such a poor average

Tend to agree.
Take away his 206 against the might of Ireland and it looks less impressive.
Psychologically massive to have a very strong reliable batter coming in first drop. I don't think he'd be in that side if he were a Burnley lad out of St Ted's.

[sjb]

Hartley needs to learn very quickly if he doesn't want a Test career like Simon Kerrigan. 2 dreadful overs.

[TheFamilyCat]

Two reviews wasted as well now.

[Milltown1882]

Good catch Stokes.

Hartley is absolutely nowhere near Test level, not even Lancashire’s best spinner.

[Milltown1882]

What’s peoples thoughts on Ollie pope?

I know he’s got great technique but I’m just not sure he’s got the mentality for it. Just seems to consistently fail

Great anywhere but the subcontinent. Would rather have Jennings in over him this series.

[Milltown1882]

All 3 reviews burned within the first 14 overs, pathetic.

[Bordeauxclaret]

Joe Root has pushed for all three of those reviews.
Unbelievable.

[Quickenthetempo]

To be honest that stat has backed up my opinion of him. How have we ended up with a number 3 with such a poor average

India have 2 batters with worse averages. K Rahul and Gill.

Pope would be a number 5 in most teams, but 3 is a problem number for the England team. Nobody wants to bat there and when your the new batter you get shoe horned into where the team needs you.

[Quickenthetempo]

Good catch Stokes.

Hartley is absolutely nowhere near Test level, not even Lancashire’s best spinner.

Stokes should have brought him off after 2 overs and brought him back with a slightly older ball. In more favourable conditions.

Dreadful captaincy so far.

[MrTopTier]

This is a three day test at best.

Inexperienced spinners, no warm up games and a team that is generally poor in terms of batting against spin. Up against a side that is none of the above and haven’t lost a series for ten years at home.
Tells you a lot about what we are thinking regarding test cricket.

Poor all round.

[Flixtonclaret1]

Good catch Stokes.

Hartley is absolutely nowhere near Test level, not even Lancashire’s best spinner.

and who do you think is Lancs best spinner?

[Bordeauxclaret]

Nathan Lyon.

[Flixtonclaret1]

Nathan Lyon.

Let’s hope you are right

[Flixtonclaret1]

Spinners can’t really prosper and develop when the 4 day games are in April and September. I thought it was poor captaincy to give Tom over number2 - surely Leach would have been a more logical choice - the Indians were always going to target Tom.

Hoping for a good day tomorrow

[Milltown1882]

Spinners can’t really prosper and develop when the 4 day games are in April and September. I thought it was poor captaincy to give Tom over number2 - surely Leach would have been a more logical choice - the Indians were always going to target Tom.

Hoping for a good day tomorrow

Agree on that. Hartley averages 36 at FC level, Bashir 67, Ahmed 39 were not exactly blessed in the spin department so we’re on a hiding to nothing over there as it is.

Doesn’t help when county teams get penalised for heavily turning tracks.

[Longsidelenny1882]

Don’t think Hartleys good enough for lancs never mind england please prove me wrong upthecolne

[Leisure]

Just read that Ben Duckett says that after the 1st day, England are happy with the score that they got and are in s strong position!

[Cheshireclaret]

Don’t think Hartleys good enough for lancs never mind england please prove me wrong upthecolne

Find it hard to disagree with this. Stokes popping corks with his reviews will ironically hinder him, notg help him.

[claret wizard]

Good start today, 2 wickets in the first 45 mins. National holiday in India today, sun has broken through earlier than yesterday, stands are filling up and we’ve just brought Mark Wood on. Feels it’ll be hot today, sat in the south stand and it’s cooler, official Barmy Army baking in the sun in the West Stand.