England not in a spin

[The Purple Cow]

England not in a spin

Apparently the name Shane Keith Warne is being bandied about - which would make for an interesting Ashes series, if nothing else. My pick would be Tom Moody. Highest priority would be working on the batting which has gone backwards under Moores.

England not in a spin

It'll never be KP will it to go, one of the best batsman in the world who's made a reasonably impressive start to his job as captain and is showing good signs of learning, or a coach who's reuptuation is fading fast... which one do England mind pissing off the least and which one will cost millions in advertising if he goes?

[Tony C]

England not in a spin

If Moores goes then it's likely that Andy Flower will be made up to head coach on a temporary basis to take the team to the West Indies.

Flower is very highly regarded and apparently popular with the players. If he makes a good job of the tour he'll be at the front of the queue.

[The Purple Cow]

England not in a spin

I agree, and hopefully so does he.

**

Either Moores or Pietersen will be gone by Monday, my money's on Moores. Pietersen like his predecessor thinks that Moores isn't quite good enough.

Who's up for the new England coaching job? The usual subjects - Whatmore, Chappel? Anyone else?

[Etienne]

England not in a spin

Well in that case he needs to get higher up the Yorkshire order than 7 and average over 32.

[The Purple Cow]

England not in a spin

Rashid considers himself primarily a batsman.

[Etienne]

England not in a spin

Well, at least England didn't do that. Hopefully Shah will get at least a couple of tests, but as Bell is a flat track bully par excellence and even some of the NZ top order scored runs against the Windies, I'm sure he'll keep his place.

Surprising choice of Rashid, not many teams take 3 spinners to the Carribean and you'd have thought he'd learn more playing more on the Lions tour.

[The Purple Cow]

England not in a spin

Strong rumor has it that it's Michael Vaughan who is being lined up to replace Ian Bell on the West Indies tour.

That clunking sound you can hear is Owais Shah banging his head against a brick wall.

[Tubby Isaacs]

England not in a spin

Great little interview in The Guardian with Illy yesterday who said he'd have taken 4 wickets in 25 overs (compared with a career strike rate of 97), and that he and Derek Underwood would have bowled India out. Underwood would have done better than him but don't know if the pitch would have suited even him.

[G-Man]

England not in a spin

The Aus vs SA season is followed by the return series in South Africa. If SA win in Australia (which I don't think they will) and then beat them at home (perhaps), then the standings will be very interesting indeed.

[ursus arctos]

England not in a spin

This Pakistani report appears to have figured it out.

"The ICC Test Championship is only updated at the end of each series so [India's win in Chennai] is not reflected yet but if Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s team put in a similar performance in the second and final Test at Mohali they will gain three points and move into second position, just 11 points behind Australia.

Then it will be all eyes on Australia as the world’s number-one team attempt to stay at the top. A 3-0 defeat will drop them below South Africa by a fraction of a point in which case just four ratings points would separate the top three teams in the world.

A 2-0 win for South Africa would leave them in second place just two points short of Australia while a 1-0 or 2-1 victory would leave the gap at five points and a drawn series would see Australia lose two points and South Africa gain one.

. . .

A 3-0 series win for the home side will give them four points and stretch the gap with SA to 21 while Australia can also strengthen their position at the top by winning 2-0, 1-0 or 2-1. South Africa must be careful it doesn’t end the series behind India. If India win the second Test against England in Mohali they will go second leaving SA needing a series win of some kind just to stay second in the Test Championship table.

[G-Man]

England not in a spin

I don't quite know, but I have a hunch that whatever happens in India, SA would would overtake India if they win the series in Australia. Winning a series you previously lost or drew brings in big points.

[ursus arctos]

England not in a spin

Traumatised by Sehwag's innings?

Are the test rankings done on the basis of a set formula? If so, does anyone know if there is a possible combination of results in Mohali and South Africa's visit to Australia that would vault India into top spot?

[E10 Rifle]

England not in a spin

Yeah it seemed odd given that, from the very start of the day, run-rate required was not an issue, that Pietersen put such an onus on posting people out on the boundary, preventing fours when ones or twos would always do.

[The Purple Cow]

England not in a spin

Good point. He had one guy positioned on the off-side boundary where only someone playing the reverse sweep could get the ball to. Which no Indian batsmen was ever going to do in this situation.

[Tubby Isaacs]

England not in a spin

Was Pietersen's field placing any good? For an outside leg line you don't need many on the off side. Couldn't he have put two men at deep midwicket?

[Kusal Flyer]

England not in a spin

Tubby Isaacs wrote:

The commentators were making a lot of how England could bowl outside leg stump and shut up shop. Did that not happen? If not, why not?

The TMS guys ditto. Although it seems ST was happy enough sidefooting Monty and Swanny away until their line strayed, when he hit them to midwicket for four. All the pundits bar Vic Marks had basically given it up half way through the mid session.

[Tubby Isaacs]

England not in a spin

I watched it till just before lunch. Tendulkar was playing very well and the pitch was behaving, but I still thought England would win. The commentators were making a lot of how England could bowl outside leg stump and shut up shop. Did that not happen? If not, why not?

I seem to have turned into Douglas Jardine this morning. We Oxbridge amateurs bring so much gaiety to the game.

[Kusal Flyer]

England not in a spin

What a marvellous game of cricket. Ravi Shastri has given the MoM award to Sehwag. As Agnew said on TMS, without his amazing eye yesterday India woulde probably have had to dig out a draw.

I repeat my prediction at the end of the South Africa series that Monty will miss out on the Caribbean leg next year.

Super Sachin to soldier on for two or three more years?

[The Purple Cow]

England not in a spin

As I said earlier, what's happening to Panesar often happens to test players at this stage of their career - he's been worked out. Now he has to go away and re-think his bowling in response to the changed situation he's in. He should take as inspiration Andrew Strauss who has totally re-modeled his batting style - playing very compact, close to his body, and leaving everything else. Or perhaps closer to home - Simon Jones, who re-invented himself as a reverse swing bowler.

In the mean time, Adil, get yourself out into the nets, son.

[G-Man]

England not in a spin

Monty's figures are less unimpressive than Harmison's. I don't think England will get that close again. How do they pick themselves up after failing to capitalise on such a great winning position?

[ursus arctos]

England not in a spin

Talk about your Bollywood finish.

Sachin completes the greatest run chase ever on the subcontinent and gets his century on the last ball.

[E10 Rifle]

England not in a spin

India now cantering to victory. Don't know whether to hail India's astonishing batting line-up, or bemoan England's pedestrian lack of initiative in defending the total.

Time to drop Panesar? Or his ineffectiveness in this game a product of his lack of recent cricket? Either way, he hasn't put in a significant performance for England for a very long time

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

England not in a spin

Perfectly set up for tomorrow now. India 131-1 at the close, needing another 256 to win; England obviously still need to take 9 wickets.

This could end up with India on about 370-9 with two or three overs to go - one of those Test matches that finishes up more like the end of a tight one-day game.

[The Purple Cow]

England not in a spin

Here are my thoughts on the day. Uncoordinated and random as usual.

I'd still rather be in England's position than India's, but Sehwag's brilliant knock has set up an exciting day tomorrow.

I'm sure if England do win that Strauss will get MOTM, but Pietersen tonight must be reflecting how lucky he is to have Freddy Flintoff in his team. At a time of total mayhem, he came on and immediately stopped it dead from one end. Allowing Pietersen some sense of control of the situation, and if nothing else, time to think.

There is a sense that the world's test batsmen have worked Monty out. Of course that the way in test cricket, as a bowler or batsman, you initially have success and then opposing teams learn your weaknesses, and start to work you out. Now Monty has to go away and learn some variety, a doosra would be nice. He also needs to toss the ball up more after he is hit, not less.

Swann could be key tomorrow, right at the end of the day he was extracting a lot more turn than Monty, the ball was really fizzing.

Gambhir and Sehwag both given not out off balls they had gloved through to the keeper. Had the new referral system been in play here rather than in Dunedin, England would be in a much stronger position.

Amusing to see Sehwag accuse England of negative bowling tactics, after India had bowled just eleven overs per hour in the afternoon session.

25,000 + crowd. Reports of the death of test cricket in India appear to be exaggerated.