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I’ve noticed in the County Championship this season at Trent Bridge the first morning always seems to be the worse with scores improving after the first session. Plenty of times Notts have lost alot of early wickets this season only for Read and Adams to bail them out later in the day.
More likely that is to do with a pitch thing or something ahead of Notts having a poor top order.
With Broad hitting plenty, that theory might be right which would make India look in a good position at present.
Gaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
Well, Clive, Bhaji is the best spinner they have faced for starters.
Really? Given that most of the top order have faced Warne in the past?
Kumar has had his match but not in a million years would he be the equal of Anderson
Im a big Morkel fan and to my mind hes at least the equal of Sharma. For a merely "useful" bowler, hes doing well to be ranked 4th in the world
It is not, as you suggested, an attack way beyond anything england has ever faced before
I did not say "way beyond"…I said "stronger".
I was also referring to spin bowlers currently playing but I obviously need to make that crystal clear. Otherwise, how far back could either of us go with players faced?
Zip
That was piss poor from India.
They had two chances to bury that game; when England were 124-8 1st innings and when India were 267-4 1st innings.
OK, they play a lot of cricket and need a bigger pool of players but that was a real mauling.
England thoroughly deserved it and will deserve to be top of the test match tree if they get there.
India really need to sort out their batting technique in English conditions.
I’m proud of England but disappointed with India.
Zip
Zippy,
Watching the Indian ‘bowling attack’ during the final two sessions of the England second innings, I was moved to wonder how many bookmakers this squad knows?
Harbajhan showed a dreadful attitude – if he wasn’t fit to bowl, what was he doing in the team? Yuvraj Singh bowled like an arthritic 80 year old and Suresh Raina was simply embarassing.
Dravid and to a lesser extent Kumar, seem to me to be the only Indian players making a visible effort to perform at Test standard and to show any pride or spirit.
I can’t help feeling that there must be things going on behind the scenes that are causing such poor performances – perhaps related to the IPL, injuries and players that couldn’t be tempted to go to the West Indies but expect to walk straight back into the team here.
AP
Well, AP….I’m not sure…but I thought you were going to suggest they some players were deliberately performing badly…which is an intriguing contention.
They did bowl dreadfully in that 2nd innings and I don’t know why Bhaji bowled if he was unfit before the start of the game.
I can’t see Sehwag and Khan making a series-changing difference, India are on a slippery slope.
Zip
There have been hints in the press that Harbijin has bottled it. Spinners can lose their way more than most players of course but wheres the strength in depth? This India side are number one in the world by default it would appear. They are primarily a batting outfit which is tiring
I can see them losing the next two tests by a margin, especially the oval
I wouldnt set much by supposed losing matches on purpose. They have enough cash not to go down that rouite
Clive,
I agree that it’s extremely unlikely that the Indian players have been corrupted – but can you imagine the reaction if Pakistan had performed in a similar fashion!
AP
Ah yes….
But sadly we know what was happening there. I remember watching that sydney test too….
I think they are a combination of a tired side (as you said) and one thats ageing in their area of strength. The one good thing that could come out of this is that Indias public opinion will be damning of the BCCI and their greed and we will see some scaling back of their heavy schedule. Ultimate wish would be to see the gross and genuinely horrible (declining) IPL abandoned. Fat chance sadly
But England are not winning by default. This is a very impressive side with strength in all areas and (worryingly for opposition) plenty of youth. Remarkable how many strong bowlers we have. Not so many people slagging county cricket now are there?
India were probably not the real number one side. next summer and south africa is going to be some series..
Zaheer Khan has bowled just three overs at Northampton today, conceding 24 runs – Northants are 215-1 at the time of writing. So not much chance of him coming to the rescue at Edgbaston.
AP
Well, my selections for this series were utterly woeful. Apologies.
I cannot believe how poor India were.
English cricket in rude health and it certainly is a refreshing change to be top of the tree. It was odd listeniing to India’s demise on TMS as it reminded me of how Eng used to capitulate in the 90’s and early 2000’s…when oft snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
Shame about Tendulkar. I have enjoyed reading the Indian cricket forums over the last 6 weeks http://www.indiancricketfans.com/forumdisplay.php?f=8 – seething they are!
Zip
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