The 'starting on day three' England v India thread

[E10 Rifle]

Christ on a bike, you go away for a week and no one else even bothers starting a thread about one of the most eagerly anticipated Test series of recent years.

So halfway through day three, let this be it. England on top, and look to have the better bowling attack of the teams, though claims for supremacy overall seem diminished without Sehwag or Zaheer Khan out there.

I'm there tomorrow. Anyone else?

[Gangster Octopus]

The 'starting on day three' England v India thread

We were supposed to be using Dunc's ticket selling thread, I think.

Anyway, how can you be the best in the world if you're buggered by losing one bowler?

[E10 Rifle]

The 'starting on day three' England v India thread

Yeah, in that respect SA are a superior side, but India's 3-7 batting order is a thing of genuine wonder. The half an hour before lunch today, with Tendulkar and Dravid playing with beautiful technical fluency while still being troubled by Tremlett and Broad, was Why I Love Test Cricket writ large. Nothing decisive actually happened, yet it was incredibly absorbing.

[E10 Rifle]

The 'starting on day three' England v India thread

But England have let it go a bit here now. The sight of Trott bowling being almost as uplifting and thrilling as the sight of him batting

[Gangster Octopus]

The 'starting on day three' England v India thread

It wasn't as much fun, but I was almost reminded of Kapil Dev's awesome four straight sixes to save the follow on back in '90...

[N est à?]

The 'starting on day three' England v India thread

Yeah, I thought that. And with Zaheer injured, India's attack starts to look nearly as toothless as in the 1990 series.

The ICC are banning the use of runners in October, which I hadn't heard about.

[The Exploding Vole]

The 'starting on day three' England v India thread

Why October?

[Duncan Gardner]

The 'starting on day three' England v India thread

Enjoyable day out yesterday. There was some real drama as India limped to their 275 target.

I followed on earlier in the afternoon. Potato and horseradish salad followed by ale with French fancies for dessert.

Draw still the favorite.

[diggedy derek]

The 'starting on day three' England v India thread

This Kumar is cool. I like.

[ursus arctos]

The 'starting on day three' England v India thread

Tangential query to the cognoscenti?

When is the full schedule for South Africa's visit to England next year likely to appear? At the moment, it appears that Headingley is the only ground selling tickets.

[diggedy derek]

The 'starting on day three' England v India thread

Oh god.

[diggedy derek]

The 'starting on day three' England v India thread

Oh no.

[ursus arctos]

The 'starting on day three' England v India thread

My, has this gotten more interesting quickly.

[Gangster Octopus]

The 'starting on day three' England v India thread

What the fuck happened whilst we were in Waitrose?

[N est à?]

The 'starting on day three' England v India thread

And with Zaheer injured, India's attack starts to look nearly as toothless as in the 1990 series.

Clueless internet commenters curse there.

[Duncan Gardner]

The 'starting on day three' England v India thread

Having been off so long due to illness earlier today, Tendulkar won't be able to bat until #7 in the fourth innings.

England cruising now...

[Janik]

The 'starting on day three' England v India thread

Zaheer's injury has been key. India just didn't have the depth of bowling options to force it home after their start today.
England will want a lead of at least 450, and leaving India a RR of >3.5. So this will continue for another half-hour or so.

[Duncan Gardner]

The 'starting on day three' England v India thread

Strauss waited until Prior slogged to 100 against some pretty poor bowling and fielding from India. Good support from Broad.

[Janik]

The 'starting on day three' England v India thread

Target set: 458 in 128 overs, up to 30 of them this evening.

[Duncan Gardner]

The 'starting on day three' England v India thread

Gambhir's gone for an X-ray on his bruised elbow, so India are down to eight fit players. Dravid opens with Mukund.

[E10 Rifle]

The 'starting on day three' England v India thread

Looks like the pitch is doing that Lord's thing of flattening out towards the end. Dravid and Laxman looked in control yesterday evening. But what a terrific day out it was yesterday, particularly that first session.

[Tubby Isaacs]

The 'starting on day three' England v India thread

Beefy and a couple of others think the pitch might not be as flat as it looks.

Dravid out, caught behind off one slightly wide.

[Janik]

The 'starting on day three' England v India thread

To quote Ursula Le Guin, "There was a wall."

Key wicket to get in attempting to stop a rearguard action.

[Tubby Isaacs]

The 'starting on day three' England v India thread

4 down now. Tendulkar still there but looks like quite a tail.

Laxman out to a long hop.

[E10 Rifle]

The 'starting on day three' England v India thread

India's bloody-mindedness re the non-use of DRS pays off in spades as Tendulkar is wrongly reprieved.