England vs India Third test

[Hbclaret007]

Which other stats are not good enough?

AS for today, I would say Duckett has failed - getting out to a bad ball. Crawley has just gotten out to a very good ball. I'm not proclaiming Crawley to be in the best ever category - just that there's such a narrow focus that he gets too much stick in my opinion.

He doesn't "get stick" from those who matter. He seems un-dropable. He did get a good ball today, but he usually gives his wickets away.

[Casper2]

Which other stats are not good enough?

AS for today, I would say Duckett has failed - getting out to a bad ball. Crawley has just gotten out to a very good ball. I'm not proclaiming Crawley to be in the best ever category - just that there's such a narrow focus that he gets too much stick in my opinion.

He averages 30 from 60 test matches, you really defending that ?

[Quickenthetempo]

The problem with the style England want to play is, it's usually played by number 4, 5, and 6s.
Trying to get them to come in and play in the top 3 against a moving ball in England is a hard task to say the least.

As for today I can't fault any of the openers. Batting an hour against the moving ball for 43 and helped us go 88 at lunch.

Crawley did everything right for his dismissal, protecting his wicket and didn't follow the ball.

Duckett had to try and score off a freebie, just didn't get hold of it.

[Bordeauxclaret]

They’ll all done ok today so far in very testing conditions.

This is why it’s better to judge a player over a period of time.

[Bordeauxclaret]

Wicket first ball after Tea
153 for 3. Pope gone.

[dandeclaret]

How quickly could you see that Cook and Strauss's average isn't that great and is a modest bar to compare against?

Which England opening partnership would you like to use as the baseline for this analysis?

[kentonclaret]

Ravi Shastri 2 deliveries prior to the dismissal of Harry Brook “You don’t often see Bumrah wicketless after this many overs”.
Nice one Ravi

[DAVETHEVICAR]

They commentators say it is a slow pitch and not coming on to the bat as quickly as in the 2 previous matches
400 on here maybe like 600 at Edgbaston

[TheFamilyCat]

Which England opening partnership would you like to use as the baseline for this analysis?

There's cricket outside of England.

[dandeclaret]

There's cricket outside of England.

But conditions for openers are often very different.... therefore, for consistency of comparison, it's best to focus on England pairings.

[TheFamilyCat]

But conditions for openers are often very different.... therefore, for consistency of comparison, it's best to focus on England pairings.

Yeah, if it suits your defence of an opener who averages 30.

[dandeclaret]

Yeah, if it suits your defence of an opener who averages 30.

Can I be clear? Is your argument that it's not harder to bat as an opener in English conditions?

[ClaretTony]

Game held up because of ladybirds

[Bordeauxclaret]

251 for 4 at the end of Day One.

Outstanding from Root, assuming getting runs is your kinda thing.

[ClaretTony]

251/4 at close with Root on 99 no

[kentonclaret]

Game held up because of ladybirds

A loveliness of ladybirds

[TheFamilyCat]

Can I be clear? Is your argument that it's not harder to bat as an opener in English conditions?

No. Is that cleared up for you?

[ClaretTony]

A loveliness of ladybirds

That I didn’t know until Stuart Broad mentioned it

[alwaysaclaret]

Deffo not a good start to the morning, and could get worse here

[alwaysaclaret]

20 for 3 is it this morning

[kentonclaret]

England batsmen suffering from ladybirds yesterday afternoon and butterflies this morning.

A nervy scratchy start.

[JR1882]

Wicket doing more or is Bumrah just magic? Would probs snap your hands off for 360 as it stands and have a real go at them this afternoon.

[ClaretTony]

Wicket doing more or is Bumrah just magic? Would probs snap your hands off for 360 as it stands and have a real go at them this afternoon.

I missed most of the fun with Bumrah this morning but Smith & Carse have now put on 45.

[claretonthecoast1882]

Wicket doing more or is Bumrah just magic? Would probs snap your hands off for 360 as it stands and have a real go at them this afternoon.

With the 2 still bat then 360 would be amazing

[ClaretTony]

With the 2 still bat then 360 would be amazing

At 335 now

[ClaretTony]

I see the Queen has turned up - well Brian May.

[ClaretTony]

50 for Smith, from 52 balls

[dandeclaret]

Stuart Broad has waded into the ball situation.... in a tweet he has said "The cricket ball should be like a fine wicket keeper. Barely noticed. We are having to talk about the ball too much because it is such an issue & being changed virtually every innings. Unacceptable. Feels like it’s been 5 years now.
Dukes have a problem. They need to fix it. A ball should last 80 overs. Not 10"

The law of unintended consequences here could see us end up with just the unsuitable Kookaburra ball as an option. I wonder if half the problem is players asking for a ball change so often. Reckon you could introduce a 2 ask rule.... that's all you get for each ball, after that, you just play with it.

[ClaretTony]

353/7 at lunch, Smith 50 & Carse 33.

[claretonthecoast1882]

At 335 now

Brilliant partnership and not what I expected once Bumrah got on a roll.

I will be amazed if we don't get 360

[Tribesmen]

On a side note Jersay looking likely to beat the Scots

[LeadBelly]

400 half way through day 2 would well justify batting first and be a good recovery from 44/2 and 271/7.

What a great career Jamie Smith is having in test cricket batting so far. I'm no expert at judging keepers but seems decent enough in that department.

[DAVETHEVICAR]

Not missed a ball this morning
Been a wonderful session which looke like belonging to India but now England’s morning
India changed the ball when Bumrah was causing chaos and it serves them right when the changed ball is even softer than the one they had

[claretonthecoast1882]

1st test 50 for Carse 378/9

[TheFamilyCat]

Good fightback by Smith and Carse.

Let's see what Jofra's got.

[ClaretTony]

Wicket for Archer in his first over

[claretonthecoast1882]

Go on Jof

[RVclaret]

So good to see him back. What an excellent opening 3 balls on his return.

[TheFamilyCat]

Box office

[TommyPicks]

Archer! So good to see him back

[Newcastleclaret93]

Jofra just has something the rest of the lads don’t.

Star factor.

[LeadBelly]

Another wkt before tea would be handy.

[Buxtonclaret]

So hope we can keep Jofra fit.

[Buxtonclaret]

What a catch !!

[claretonthecoast1882]

Decent grab by Root 74/2

[ClaretTony]

It’s a brilliant catch and he’s now taken more catches than any other outfield player in test cricket passing Rahul Dravidian

[JR1882]

Will be a very handy afternoons work if we can (somehow) send Shubman Gill back to the pavilion before the end of the day. Pivotal hour or so now.

[ClaretTony]

Gill gone for 16, c Smith b Woakes.

India are 107/3.

[Buxtonclaret]

We wanted that!

[ClaretTony]

We wanted that!

Wanted and needed