England v India - 2nd Test

[Casper2]

Hopefully that’s the last we’ve seen of Pope

[DAVETHEVICAR]

Dreadful start but a little unlucky

[DAVETHEVICAR]

Need a long and big innings from the skipper

[ClaretTony]

Not going to last much longer I wouldn’t have thought. We are now 83/5 with Brooks out.

[Spijed]

Smith & Stokes might as well let loose as they've nothing else to lose now.

[jdrobbo]

Totally outplayed on this occasion.

India have batted better and have bowled far, far better.

[Vino blanco]

I wonder if Stokes will bowl first if he wins the toss in the next test?

[ClaretTony]

I wonder if Stokes will bowl first if he wins the toss in the next test?

I imagine he will and once upon a time it just didn’t happen. In test matches played in this country with Stokes as captain we’ve won the toss eleven times and he’s put the opposition in all but once.

[Gunfury]

I wonder if Stokes will bowl first if he wins the toss in the next test?

Well he was arrogant enough to bowl first on this flatbed of a wicket so who knows.
There’s nothing wrong with putting the opposition in first providing you have the bowlers to back it up,which we haven’t.
India have scored over a 1000 runs in this test and we haven’t taken 20 wickets

[Ric_C]

The pundits keep saying that the players heads were mentally frazzled after being out in the field for so long. Bizarre decision to bowl first. In both tests I might add

[Claretnick]

The pundits keep saying that the players heads were mentally frazzled after being out in the field for so long. Bizarre decision to bowl first. In both tests I might add

What a load of rubbish by the pundits. If they can't cope with fielding for a day or two maybe cricket is not the sport for them....

[TheFamilyCat]

I presume we're still chasing these, seeing as this team doesn't play for draws?

[Vino blanco]

What a load of rubbish by the pundits. If they can't cope with fielding for a day or two maybe cricket is not the sport for them....

Now, whom should I listen to? ....the cricket pundits, all of whom have played hundreds of games of test match cricket or Claretnick on the utc messages board? Let me think about it.

[Claretnick]

Now, whom should I listen to? ....the cricket pundits, all of whom have played hundreds of games of test match cricket or Claretnick on the utc messages board? Let me think about it.

Haha okay point taken

[ClaretTony]

Stokes gone in final over before lunch - 153/6

[JR1882]

Stokes gone in final over before lunch - 153/6

And with him any tiny hope of a draw that remained. India have utterly dominated this test from the word go.

[ClaretTony]

And with him any tiny hope of a draw that remained. India have utterly dominated this test from the word go.

I would have put the draw hopes at less than tiny to be honest. India fully deserve to win.

[JR1882]

Aye a big step up needed for the Lords test. And we have Bumrah to look forward to

[ClaretTony]

199/7 - Woakes gone

[ClaretTony]

Smith given out for 71 but changed on review

[ClaretTony]

Smith gone now for 88. Two sixes and he went for a third but caught out on the fence. Five for Akas Deep and England 226/8. Clever bowling.

[Ptangyangkipperbang]

Crowd wise it's reminding me of England v Scotland at Wembley in the 70s just thousands of away fans there

[CoolClaret]

Big rethink needed, barely laid a glove on them in this test.

No idea what the selectors see in Bashir, I'd prefer to play another batsman that can bowl some off/leg break part-time along with rooty if we can't find a legit spinner.

Smith has to swap with Stokes in the batting lineup. There's an argument to move him up higher and have him as a specialist batsman, bringing Foakes in, but I prefer the idea of having a solid middle order with Root, Brook, and Smith.

Major question marks around Crawley, Pope and our seam attack. Woakes is unconvincing on a flat track, and that's what we seem to keep preparing and what we will get down under.

[ClaretTony]

Is Mark Wood injured again?

[matttheclaret]

Is Mark Wood injured again?

Injured his knee in March at the Champions Trophy. Had surgery, I think they said at the time he had an outside chance of being back for the end of this series

[DAVETHEVICAR]

Mark Wood is hoping to be back for the last test

[ClaretTony]

Injured his knee in March at the Champions Trophy. Had surgery, I think they said at the time he had an outside chance of being back for the end of this series

He makes a difference but he’s had a career beset with injuries

[ClaretTony]

Brilliant catch by Siraj to get Tongue - 246/9.

[ClaretTony]

All over. 271 all out and India winning by 337 runs.

[Steve-Harpers-perm]

He makes a difference but he’s had a career beset with injuries

Yep good bowler but as you say struggled with injury though appeared more than Archer has who for some reason we seem to be pinning our hopes on despite him hardly playing for the past few years.

[Casper2]

Big rethink needed, barely laid a glove on them in this test.

No idea what the selectors see in Bashir, I'd prefer to play another batsman that can bowl some off/leg break part-time along with rooty if we can't find a legit spinner.

Smith has to swap with Stokes in the batting lineup. There's an argument to move him up higher and have him as a specialist batsman, bringing Foakes in, but I prefer the idea of having a solid middle order with Root, Brook, and Smith.

Major question marks around Crawley, Pope and our seam attack. Woakes is unconvincing on a flat track, and that's what we seem to keep preparing and what we will get down under.

100%

[Casper2]

How about trying to defend for a draw , some of those shots were ridiculous.

[kentonclaret]

Now, whom should I listen to? ....the cricket pundits, all of whom have played hundreds of games of test match cricket or Claretnick on the utc messages board? Let me think about it.

Oh yes, those Sky pundits? Adamant to a man on the first morning that India had got their team selection completely wrong and that Bumrah should be playing having been declared fit. Given their way Akash Deep wouldn’t have played and Bumrah would have missed Lords.
Yes, they are knowledgeable but they also get an awful lot wrong.

[Ashingtonclaret46]

Last 7 tests against India we have managed 2 win and 5 defeats and three of those, including today, were very heavy defeats.
Certainly need a rethink for Lords, however, I am not confident that it will happen. CoolClaret hits the nail on the head with his observations.

[ClaretTony]

Oh yes, those Sky pundits? Adamant to a man on the first morning that India had got their team selection completely wrong and that Bumrah should be playing having been declared fit. Given their way Akash Deep wouldn’t have played and Bumrah would have missed Lords.
Yes, they are knowledgeable but they also get an awful lot wrong.

I don’t think they got it wrong. What they were saying seemed obvious to most of us. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

[Andreshotboots]

I wonder if Stokes will bowl first if he wins the toss in the next test?

The way we've been batting, apart from some wonderful fleeting individual performances , it won't matter if we bat first or second, we simply have to be harder to dismiss. This constant gifting of wickets is ridiculous..

[Andreshotboots]

We"re pinning our hopes of Archer next text match, who's had about 4 days of red ball cricket in 4 years or something ludicrous.

He should have been playing for his county this week to get miles in his legs, not carrying the drinks.

I'll have a little wager with anybody he doesn't get through the Lords test..

[Milltown1882]

Short turnaround between tests but also throw in the fact we only have three tests till the Ashes how many changes can they realistically make?

Gus Atkinson has been added to the squad so would imagine him to come in and Archer for Woakes and Tongue.

Would love to see Bethell in for Bashir to strengthen the batting because I genuinely cannot understand what they see in Bashir.

Looking forward to Crawley nicking off to second slip and Pope chopping onto his stumps on day one of the Ashes.

[Steve-Harpers-perm]

We"re pinning our hopes of Archer next text match, who's had about 4 days of red ball cricket in 4 years or something ludicrous.

He should have been playing for his county this week to get miles in his legs, not carrying the drinks.

I'll have a little wager with anybody he doesn't get through the Lords test..

Or he’ll make it through the game and not be seen again. And it is bizarre why he wasn’t playing for his county this week.
But as long as he’s fit for the Ashes!

[Ric_C]

Has Atkinson been injured?

[warksclaret]

Games like these make you realise the value of Anderson & Broad

[TheFamilyCat]

Has Atkinson been injured?

Yes, not played since May. Would be a hell of a risk to play him and Archer given their lack of game time.