I’ve written this on my phone because my computer is apparently taking a few hours to update, so please excuse the brevity.
It’s been an up and down day for England. If you had offered Root a 13 run first innings lead this morning, he would almost certainly have snatched it gratefully. As it is, he is likely disappointed that England aren’t at least 100 runs ahead.
There are three broad themes for the day. The first was England’s very good bowling performance. Surprisingly good, in all honesty. Whilst the first spell by Anderson and Broad was a bit tame, Sam Curran soon changed that and took 3 wickets in quick succession. Stokes continued this after Lunch, and India were on the ropes at 100-5.
Which brings us to the second theme of the day: missed chances. Cook and Malan both dropped fairly simple slip chances, including one from Kohli when he was on just 22. Hardik and Kohli steadied the ship and, although wickets kept falling at the other end, Kohli guided India’s tail until they were almost level with England.
The third the of the day was Kohli’s brilliance. Particularly at the end of the day, when the ball had stopped swinging, Kohli dominated the English bowlers who were utterly unable to keep him off strike. Much has been written about Root’s conversion rate ”problems”, but one genuine weakness is his (and the other England batsmen’) inability to bat with the tail. They either fail to shield the tailenders from the strike, or play so aggressively that they throw their wickets away. Kohli did neither, and so India scored another 124 runs for their last four wickets.
With a slight lead and almost half an hour left, England will have wanted to just see out the day without losing any wickets. Cook unfortunately couldn’t manage that, falling to an almost exact copy of the ball which dismissed him in the first innings. On one hand, it was a very good ball. On the other, Cook is (by reputation at least) England’s best player of spin, so him getting out in this way is pretty troubling for the rest of the team.
The umpires didn’t have a great day either. There were several successful reviews, plus another two decisions which would have been overturned if they had been referred. In all honesty, I can’t think of any day I’ve seen with more overturned decisions.
As always, feel free to comment about today and tomorrow’s play below.
Being Outside Cricket 
Just a brilliant day’s cricket which I enjoyed immensely. A masterclass from Kohli and plenty of ebbs and flows throughout. Hope the remainder of the Test is as good.
LikeLiked by 1 person
One thing I’d add is how poor Stuart Broad was today. His days at international level are very much numbered. In fact, I’m willing to bet he will have has lost his place in the XI by the start of next summer’s Ashes.
LikeLike
Yeah, I totally agree. Although guessing whether he’s in the XI means second guessing Ed Smith, which I’m not sure I can manage after he picked Buttler and Rashid.
LikeLike
Broad’s form fluctuates frequently. I can’t think how many times he’s been written off only to come back with a superb spell of bowling. Having said that his age will surely count against him and he is injury prone. He’s been known to bowl unfit, when he shouldn’t. The results of that can be as painful as his injury.
LikeLike
To whom might be the issue, Adam.
LikeLike
It’d be interesting to compare, say, the performances of Kraigg Brathwaite to those of Cook over the last couple years.
LikeLike
If my computer was working, I had something lined up. Maybe tomorrow?
LikeLike
Well here we are at the end of day two of a match being played on a surface that seems by most accounts to offer an unremarkable degree of menace, yet the third innings of the game is already underway. England didn’t bat as well as they might’ve done yesterday and the Indian bowlers capitalised. A similar story in reverse today, with only Kohli playing a decent hand. Even that might’ve been in vain if England had held onto a few more catches and hadn’t failed yet again to clean up the tail (OK, that might be harsh as Kohli was apparently superb). At least it’s a fascinating contest though, if so far unexpectedly low scoring. I happened to walk past Edgbaston shortly after 6.00pm – sadly about as close as I’ll get to the action. I think I heard them singing the praises of one “Ali Ali Cook” in the Hollies stand. Presumably this was the distraction that proved his undoing…
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s interesting how poor cricket can lead to great entertaining cricket. Had England been the ruthless oiled machine that they would like to be the catches would have been taken. Kohli would be our for 21, and India would have been about 120/7. Likely a 100+ lead, and an almost certain England victory.
But no, poor fielding lead to a great innings and virtually parity of the two sides. And everyone saying how much they enjoyed it. Funny how that works.
Pressure very much on England now, because if they screw up tomorrow it will be what should and could have been.
LikeLiked by 3 people
But that’s how a test should be. It reveals your character. Kohli is probably one of the most disciplined and determined players ever.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Watched every ball,of Kohli’s innings. A masterclass in how to stay and build. And in the early evening when bowlers were a bit tired the boundaries flowed and it was just beautiful to watch.
LikeLike
I haven’t been able to watch much cricket this year due to circumstances at home (there’s a bit of volcanic activity to deal with) but managed to watch the 2nd day highlights via sling.
No comments on most stuff, highlights tend to misinform, but I was impressed with Sam Curran – it’s really the first time I’ve seen him bowl. He’s not tall and not fast but seems to bowl around 85 mph which is sharp, but there’s something in his action that reminds me of Wasim Akram. A short run-up and a good action but it’s a flurry. Speaking as an ex-opening-batsman, I think he would have troubled me because the ball comes out of his hand faster than you expect and he clearly swings the ball as well. One or two of his deliveries looked to be almost unplayable.
Interested to see what others think.
Hope everyone’s OK and have missed reading the blog and comments recently. Seems we have Hurricane Hector on the way so apologies if I go off-air again but should be around for two or three days.
Tom
PS. Really happy to see Rashid back in the test team. First time in my lifetime we actually have a decent leg-spinner.
LikeLike
Yes, I like him. It’s good to see someone new. What I like about him is as a swing bowler he pitches it right up there. He is not afraid to go full. Sometimes other swing bowlers prefer to protect their figures by bowling short and wide. Because of 20/20 the full ball is seen as high risk because if you get it slightly wrong it goes for four.
Problem….. as you point out is what happens when it doesn’t swing? Reminds me a bit like Mathew Hoggard, similar pace. If the ball was swinging he could be a real handful, if it wasn’t, he became cannon fodder,
LikeLike
If Sam got up to 85 mph then he’s put on a bit, because the word on the street is that he’s not sharp enough. The fact that his speed gun readings aren’t much different to Jimmy Anderson’s (at Headingley) passes the geniuses by, but there you go. Not for Jimmy the “he’s losing his nip” that accompanies less stellar performers like Matthew Hoggard, because now Jimmy is smarter than ever. Again, don’t take this as me asking for Jimmy to be dropped, but just look at the message we are being given. Jimmy bowls well and takes no wickets is up there with Cook getting another good ball.
Sam is never going to be more than a third seamer who will chip in some big runs at some point. Woakes-esque but with the advantage of offering something different as a left armer. Of course, after one test Shiny Toy said he could be our Charminda Vaas, which is idiotic, but something I’ve become accustomed to from that man.
Good luck with Hurricane Hector. Stay safe.
LikeLike
Some thoughts, including my promised grumps:
First though, some plaudits:
1) England bowled really well for most of the day. The conditions favoured them, but they actually bowled to take advantage. (So often in the past they have wasted it.)
2) Kohli rode his luck, but really that was a classic battling innings, full of grit and (esp. when farming the tail) tactical decision making.
3) Despite the poor play at times, the tension and individual battles were a great advert for Test cricket.
Grumps:
1) Both teams looked undercooked – although it afflicted the batting more than the bowling. Really fed up of the 1st game in a series being a crapshoot of players trying to remember how Test cricket works.
2) I forgot to emphasise in my predictions how much everything, but everything, depends on the weather for this England team. Roll on some clouds and humidity and the swing makes them look like world beaters. The long range forecast suggests the next couple of Tests will favour them this way too. In this way Curran (who bowled very well) is just another one off the swing rank and this will come back to bite us when we have to play away.
(If you think I’m over-egging the issue, note how the bowling faded when the conditions shifted lat in the day.)
3) Bowling was good from England, but not sure about the tactics. Anderson wanted Kohli so badly it hurt, but was it good for the team in the next innings (or next match) for him to bowl such a big spell.
4) What is going on with Broad? Injury? He didn’t set the world on fire in his first spell, but there was plenty of opportunity to give him a go when Stokes was getting tired.. and they didn’t… so while Broad didn’t bowl great, I can’t say he was given a fair go so far.
Still, as a spectator, the game in finely balanced and India can hope Ashwin keeps them in the game…
LikeLike
Regarding conditions.
1st hour was baking, sun out few wispy clouds India 50-0.
The clouds arrived and I joked to someone will this improve the bowling, Curran came on and it worked, however I would also point out he bowled fuller and straighter and made the batsman play.
After tea the sun came out, however Anderson was sometimes losing a bit of his action (even if that was the spell he got his wickets). Stokes looked tired, Curran looked tired, almost as if they had ignored a spinning option in the 2nd hour after lunch which would have allowed them to keep fresher. So I wouldn’t say it was all conditions as fatigue and captaincy were also responsible.
Re: Curran overseas / not swinging. I think his skiddy action and wicket to wicket approach could help him overcome any lack of help in conditions and I think he should be given a chance. He can only learn what works for him by playing in foreign environments
LikeLike
I think England may have to rethink the idea of 3 left handers in the top 5 against Ashwin.
LikeLike
Perhaps 4 or 5 then Mark?
LikeLike
The four of us who watched it live are in agreement that clearly we missed the memo.
Kohli’s batting masterclass particularly with the tail was a joy to watch.
The rest of the day was a mixture of a few (5-6 overs) bowling spells that were compelling but also non-test batting (trying to score off every ball) which made it less compelling that high class test cricket.
I’m not sure whether the quiet atmosphere in the ground added to this, but it wasn’t the day (from our point of view anyway) that the fourth estate appeared to make out.
It was a good days cricket but not The Best Test Match cricket ever.
As I write this Root has just gone, he looked comfortable, whereas Malan and appears to be trying to hit everything out the park.
Ashwin turning it though.
Can see India winning by tea at this rate.
LikeLike
People are well aware of what I think about this “greatest ever” shite. It’s clickbait, it’s lazy, it’s annoying, it doesn’t take anything into account that is more than six weeks old half the time, and when something genuinely brilliant happens, it has been devalued and those that didn’t see it will go “oh well, who knows”.
I am increasingly resembling the old man shaking his fist at the cloud. Fighting this lazy rubbish. Vaughan is among the worst at it, the true Robbie Savage of cricket punditry, but he’s not alone. Edgbaston 2005 Days 1 and 3 were great days of cricket. Day 4, curtailed as it was, was test cricket at its best. High drama built at the end of a long story, with so many sub-plots and so many great players. Are we making this a “great” day because Virat Kohli, at the sixth or so attempt, made a score in England and so he’s confirmed it in the eyes of the cognoscenti that he’s the real deal? Did they need that to happen?
I genuinely wonder what this generation of commentators would have made of Viv Richards in his pomp playing in this era.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Agreed. Don’t worry about being an old man shaking his fist at the cloud. You will find it will get worse as you get older. Particularly with today’s media.
I also find it interesting how many pundits have used the phrase….. “Cook is back to his best” …in the last 2 years,
The “best ever” means absolute nonsense. Here today gone tomorrow punditry.
LikeLike
“Can see India winning by tea at this rate.” I thought this might be unduly pessimistic when I read it earlier, but England have imploded. Lunch taken with a lead of 99 and only 4 wickets left – so events seem to be bearing you out. Realistically, from here England would probably need a century from Buttler, or some fantasy bowling, to stand an earthly. What was at least an interesting match position last night now looks drearily predictable.
LikeLike
It’s felt like it all morning unfortunately.
I have been coming to tests long enough to know that this sort of morning you can settle in for some slow batting waiting for the shine to go off the ball. Sit back, watch the overs go by slowly, because once the balls a bit softer you can score quickly.
This morning every batsman that came in didn’t settle, not because of the bowling but more because they wanted to get bat on ball.
Someone needs to take them aside and explain how to build an innings in test match cricket
LikeLike
I love a little KP, as you know, so here goes.
Remember Edgabston 2008, when we were playing South Africa. We were a little behind on first innings, and some people early chucked their wickets away (do check out a certain opener’s dismissal….) and then a chronically out of form Paul Collingwood joined the always lively KP. They dug in, they scrapped, and the partnership built. Collingwood fought hard, KP started flowing. And England moved forward, in to a position of a strength. And then KP went down the wicket to get to his ton, didn’t clear mid-on, and was on his way – for 94 I think.
The roof came off. Irresponsible. Selfish, Stupid. How could he? Threw the match away (without him there was no match).
England lost the next day because of Smith’s innings (and he being out at least twice with no decision in our favour) and the rants went on. So what did we do? We made KP captain.
Moral of this story? We’re mad as a cricket nation, we blame the highest scorer, we focus on one particular event that “cost” us matches, and fuck me, what we’d give for someone to get out irresponsibly for 94 these days. Oh, yes, Paul Collingwood made a sticky old ton when he resolutely stuck in and never gave up. An example to us all.
LikeLike
Also as I was there and watched both innings unfold – I think was also the match with Flintoff v Kallis which is my favourite ever passage of play I have watched live – Collingwood went for a ton by hitting it for 6.
The hypocrisy in the crowd was stunning, KP was apparently arrogant and stupid and threw it away, 20-30 minutes later Collingwood was brave and showed that ‘South African’ how to do it.
Collingwood remains my favourite England Test Cricketer
LikeLike
Seriously I give up at England’s ability to understand what test batting is.
So this morning I have witnessed very few defensive leaves or a proper forward defensive or even Fletcher’s favourite a front-press to the spinner.
Stokes could have left it, it was too high and lunch was a couple of balls away.
Bairstow could have left it on line and length.
Malan had a couple of lives and from his first ball tried to hit the cover off it.
Root could have eschewed a shot for a defensive press
Can’t remember Jennings.
In the space of a few hours we have thrown away what could have been a match defining session (well it is likely to define the match in India’s favour, but the ball isn’t doing that much, just ODI batting in a test arena)
Ironically another 80odd runs gets more than India’s highest run chase to win v England, however usually 4th innings chases are defined by a deteriorating day4/5 pitch.
This will start today at some stage and finish probably sometime tomorrow
LikeLike
I remember writing this after we had won the 2nd Test v Pakistan….
“I maintain, and will until I go blue in the face, that without big hundreds, the opportunity to make massive scores to insure them against flat wickets and insufficient power bowling, England need people to be regularly scoring big centuries. Jos showed it wasn’t impossible – and he’s going to have to get used to being stranded if he keeps this form up – and yet our top batsmen have now got one ton between them in the last five test matches. I’m worried. Sorry, that’s just a bloody fact. While we might get a wicket we can bowl teams out on in this green and pleasant land, it’s not going to get us much further if we can’t string big innings together.
There are no easy answers and we (I) am not pretending there are. There is no solution easily to hand, so that’s why maybe I’m a little more down on this team than others who seem to suspend critical thinking on the basis of an upward tick in a single test. The fundamental issues apply still.”
But then I was seen as too critical.
When we wake up and realise that the likes of Bairstow, Stokes, Cook, and yes, Root, are to blame as much as those who can’t establish themselves in this train wreck of a batting line-up, the sooner we admit the problem then the better we can address it. Because a win here on the back of a miracle bowling performance will only paper over the cracks.
Oh. Malan is now the one to be dropped. Good luck the next one. Two tests ago he was mooted as our number 3. Now he is mooted for the chop.
#noangerlefttogive
LikeLiked by 2 people
Was that the post that led to an interesting debate with the press in the comments section?
LikeLike
A member of it.
Still, we can always rely on a lower order player to keep a game alive. It’s a blueprint for future tests.
LikeLike
Ne’er mind
Batting coach, Ramprakash
With contract extended yet so undefined
In a mind meld of fear that’ll continually crash
Collapsing approaching the inevitable
Media currently grandly smiling in self love elsewhere
So the malady of Malan tis but a shelf of cupboard bare
He’s gone, no elan, next cab will be rank, I despair
#Noangerlefteither
LikeLike
Wait until they pick Burns. They’ll wait until he has a run of low scores, or no scores, and then see his rather ungainly, unattractive technique and the media will pick it apart when he fails. And he will, sadly, because this isn’t a great environment to come into right now.
Meanwhile Alastair will continue to get good balls, Keaton will have a better technique until he doesn’t, and Joe Root will make a fifty every three innings and be blamed for the failure of others. This summer has real catastrophe potential if India keep their foot on the gas.
LikeLiked by 2 people
You’ve hit on a very important point. Bayliss is getting stick for not taking the test team forward, but Ramprakash has taken our batsmen backwards. Stokes looks far less balanced than he was, Bairstow has gone from giving glimpses of the test batsman he might become to glimpses to the test batsman he could have become. Root is still falling over to off, and all of them are playing needless shots and getting out to them.
The point, I think, is less about the lack of players pushing for spots or the failure of those coming in, but rather the failure of Root, Bairstow, Stokes, and Cook to do well and be better.
if you have a batting coach, then he has to take responsibility for the batting, and after long enough in the job, then he can be judged depending on progress or regression. Regression it is, and Ramps is holding the bag for that.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Still angry, but then I paid to be here.
LikeLike
Seriously you swish at your first ball after lunch???
LikeLike
That’s your vice-captain right there.
Jos’s problem with tests is that he doesn’t have a huge track record of digging in for the long one, and quite often gets found out between sticking and twisting. It’s what got him dropped in the first place. At his scintillating best, he’s great. But there’s not a lot of middle ground. With all of them there is this chimera of a dazzling upside. Pity is we’re ensnared in a miasma of mediocrity.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Even in an ODI after just coming out to bat he would try and get his eye in.
However at number 6 he isn’t meant to come in at 90/5.
Cook apart there just seems to be no one in the top 5 who is prepared to take the shine off the ball. Cook has other issues but he knows his game and how to construct an innings.
We miss Collingwood and need another nuggety cricket who knows his game and his limitations and is prepared to grind all day
LikeLike
I miss Collingwood….. sigh. I’m very fond of Morgan but there’ll only ever be one Colly. How much longer have we got to wait before he can be England coach?
LikeLike
I would replace Malan with Morgan.
LikeLike
No. He’s wanting him to do well. No doubt.
LikeLike
It’s a good word that..miasma…one of me faves! 🙂
LikeLike
Of all people Ishant Sharma…
LikeLike
Every so often he bowls a magic spell.
LikeLike
I got to admit I’ve lost track of him somewhat and after looking at the numbers, my goodness, he’s taking them at 27.something lately and that’s for real. Comparable to Morne Morkel? And he’s not old or broken either.
LikeLike
On the bright side, Jimmy will get an extra 2 days rest.
LikeLike
Bright idea to schedule day 4 and 5 on the weekend.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Can’t shift for Lord’s (except I think next year’s Ashes test starts on a Wednesday at the Imitation Home of Cricket).
LikeLike
The weird thing about this match is we are about 50 away from India’s highest run chase for a win in England. Probably 75 runs away from giving our bowlers a target.
LikeLike
I was glad to hear Micheal Holding not allowing the new Cook excuse to take root. Which is that it’s impossible for left handers in the age of DRS because you can’t get your pad in the way without being out. It means that even the greatest players in the world (no sniggering at the back) have no chance.
While it is of course a big problem of the review era Holding pointed out that it’s still better to get your pad in the way than being bowled. As he said….. the umpire might give it not out, and if it’s clipping the bail the batsman will get the benefit of the doubt. Sangakkra suggested that maybe he should get across to off a little more to hide his stumps. These we should note are former overseas players. They seem to have more freedom to offer some perspective.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I didn’t hear Holding, but the point is well made. The thing is Ashwin didn’t really do much apart from being an off spinner getting a little turn coming over the wicket. The ball pitches on about middle and straightens to hit middle and off? That’s not a magic ball, but rather a pretty standard one. In all honesty, it reminds me of what he did to Ben Duckett.
Perhaps what Mikey is missing is that from a batsman’s perspective, you either have to be closer to the pitch of the ball, or play as far back as possible. prodding out a bog standard forward defensive shot presuming the ball won’t deviate is simply missing it. The DRS point is valid, but that’s why batsmen have had to adapt to counter. KP did it remarkably well, and was fully aware of the necessity, and I had thought Cook had worked it out too.
Not at the moment though. You get bowled twice by the same ball early on in both innings of a test? That’s squarely on the batsman.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Same ball twice is the big bugbear for me. You knew it was coming, he knew it was coming and… he’d changed nothing to prepare for it…
LikeLike
Some more random thoughts.
Why are England playing with 1st, 2nd and 4th slip. There is a big gap, and funnily enough the drop was 2nd diving to where 3rd would be
Why not open with Curran instead of Broad, he’s just got his highest score, bowled well in the 1st innings and Broad has done nothing all match
LikeLiked by 1 person
Brilliant reverse jinx.
LikeLike
I thank you 🤔😂
LikeLike
Now do it again please.
LikeLike
One more and it’s very interesting
LikeLike
Going to try with…
Kohli has looked very comfortable and hasn’t looked troubled at all
LikeLike
And on cue Broad gets a wicket.
LikeLike
If I was Vaughan I’d claim it 😂😂😂
LikeLike
Would like to see the ball tracking on that LBW.
More random fielding, England have a fielder midway between fine leg and square leg not really covering either and I’m not entirely sure of the point
The atmosphere is much better today though with the Hollies stand full
LikeLike
Hitting top of middle
LikeLike
Thanks
LikeLike
One of the Sky commentators said that Broad has been suffering with a “touch of the flu” for a couple of days but he seems to bowling OK today
LikeLike
Is he on a roll?????
LikeLike
He’ll need to roll back the years…
LikeLiked by 1 person
He has the crowd behind him, the atmosphere has got to the usual post tea loudness with added spice that we need to take early wickets.
Could be all over by this evening if we take two more
LikeLike
Hope kills.
LikeLike
I have never understood the concept of test match coaches for batting and bowling. Imagine turning up at the Masters as a golfer and suddenly being allocated a new coach who says your putting stroke is wrong, and you need to change your backswing on your driver. It’s madness.
Players should be responsible for their own technique, and they should be selected on such. If when they play Test cricket it’s not up to the task then so be it. But you can’t expect someone who has played a certain way most of his career to change in a few weeks.
Top players can make adjustments, but it needs to be done with their own coaches and tried out in county cricket. A couple of nets with Ramps isn’t going to cut it. We expect too much from the coaches, and in fact I think they may make things worse.
LikeLike
Time for Rashid?
LikeLike
Always time for Rashid
LikeLike
Only when it is too late to matter.
LikeLike
It’s almost like they don’t want to get Kohli out…
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m not putting this on the other thread to avoid spoiling the mood but that Rashid isn’t going to get to bowl until Anderson, Broad, Curran, and Stokes have all burnt off 20 overs tomorrow (for better or for worse) is … garbage.
Evidence on what’s going on here has accumulated over the years, and the relevant context is wider than Rashid himself.
LikeLike
0300 but there is no way I’m going to bed. If we can get Kohli…………….
LikeLike
We’re not getting Kohli, he’s playing a different match to everyone else
LikeLike
I was thinking the same thing.
LikeLike
I would give a Rashid a go now. There is only 15 minutes left. Does Kohli want to attack at this part of the day?
England still have runs on the board.
LikeLike
Yes I would but it seems to me from pitch side that Root isn’t really in control.
Yesterday it appeared to be Anderson deciding on the length of his spell.
Today just before Stokes most recent spell Rashid was clearly warming up, he came over took his cap off and Stokes walked up also took his cap off gave it to the umpire and got the ball.
Rashid just put his cap back on and wandered off to fine leg again.
It seemed clear to us he was due to bowl, but Stokes decided he wanted to and so did
LikeLike
Why does this not surprise me?
Oh, and why are they playing on after 6.30? There is not enough time to win tonight?
LikeLike
Apparently play can be extended in England, if they have come off for bad light or rain. Why they can’t extend play if the fielding side cannot be arsed to bowl 14 overs / hour is beyond me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Because there was bad light briefly before tea (odd decision by the umpire)
So play was due to finish at 6:20 because of the delay.
Plus because no side can ever manage to bowl their overs an extra half hour was added
LikeLike
Root carrying on the fine tradition established under Cook.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am sure Rashid will be dropped / criticised for not taking any wickets in the second innings. Mind you bloody hard to take wickets as a bowler, when you’re not bowling at all.
LikeLiked by 2 people
On the plus side, he scored more than Cook and Buttler together.
LikeLike
Well if you have a ticket for tomorrow you will get a fun session of play. And the ECB won’t have to refund any money.
LikeLike