Cricket Summer 2014

Maybe our attention will turn to the series with India once tomorrow's World Cup final is over.  Must say this test has taken second place for me so far.

I agree the record last wicket stand has probably saved the match and we're heading for a respectable draw.  The Trent Bridge wicket hasn't been of much for the bowlers.

Can't say I'm optimistic about England's prospects for this, very cramped, series.  Cook is clearly still very out of form and we seem to suffer from lapses of concentration.  India are a good side and have learned patience so I expect them to take the series, probably by one test. I'd like to be wrong, though.    

India really let us off the hook yesterday with England on 202-7, was totally amazed when I got in from work and found out what had happened, would have loved to been at Trent Bridge today, won't be watching tomorrow as my son had a u11s district game, he bowled well this year without much luck so  finger crossed

England are re-building and at various points I'm seeing decent potential from the young players, lead by Root and Ballance and with Stokes a definite for the future. I think we need a spinner-Moeen Ali is not a test class bowler and may not justify his place as a batsman. Jordan may just end up as another all-rounder who is not quite good enough at either of his disciplines perhaps. I also find just watching his action painful!

The older players are the ones that worry me. Cook is world class, his record proves it but he is burdened by the captaincy and it makes no sense to ruin his batting form by the double pressure-but who do you give it to instead? Prior is the second in command but Butler has to be pushing him hard and would add a much needed bit of spice to a batting line up that really lacks a naturally attacking player. Broad an option but his form with the ball is not great. Nobody else comes to mind-Bell doesn't appear to be a candidate and frankly I've always viewed him as mentally soft with his penchant for not scoring the 'hard' runs.

This pitch has hardly been a help to the game. Amderson still looks burnt out to me but can we not create a pitch that plays to our strengths a bit and see if he and the other seamers can still deliver? Other nations create suitably 'friendly' puitches so why are we so even-handed?

Al in all i think England are making progress but it remains a long way back.

Hmm. Anderson and Jadeja have 'words' and push each other, allegedly. Major investigation and possibly bans to follow. Unlike Dhoni to deliberately wind up in this way-he always seems a thoroughly sensible and measured captain. Jimmy notoriously grumpy.

Maybe he should take up football, such behaviour is generally an asset and rewarded in that game.

Let's hope the groundsman has given Lords a bit of a watering and adjusted the blades on his mower back a bit.

Beginner-how did your son go on? I play local League cricket every week-it can be a cruel game. Just when you think you are in form it bites you back. Hope he had fun.

They won the game by 58 runs, he didn't get to bat but bowled five overs for twelve runs and took one wicket, all in all it was a good team effort, thanks for asking Bruce, 

Some teams in the League have a few U18's playing, I think all us old stagers are really keen to keep them involved and enjoying the games. They are the future. Some 'stick' and come back and I've seen them become team regulars. School cricket is often a bit poor (not least as half the season is in the holidays) so it is really important that these kids get encouraged.

Bruce

At the close of Day 4 of the second test the game looks delicately balanced.  A result on Day 5 looks highly likely but it could either way.  If Root and Moeen survive until lunch I would expect England to win.  If not India will probably wrap the game before tea.  My hunch is the latter is more likely than the former, given how fragile England's form has been.  

Meanwhile poor Cook continues to look out of touch.  It seems a long time ago that centuries were flowing from his bat every game.      

I'd be surpised if we even managed to get to 220.

Not been impressed so far. Winning toss on a wicket with some juice and over two innings we have failed to bowl well. We've also lacked a game-changer like Jadeja where a quick 50 or 60 swings the whole game around. I hope I'm proved wrong but I don't see it happening from here.

Time for Jos Butler, rotating the bowlers (whatever happened to Graham Onions?) and, sadly the captian has to have a break.

This is not a great India side, the differences between the teams are more confidence and form than real quality I think.

Bruce

198 for 5

They are just toying with us now. Surely not going to make it...are they?

I love this stupid, complicated, infuriating and glorious game.

Bruce

for 6

see what I mean!

England are in bits !!  ....... no change that,  they're an effing shambles.

From top dogs they are beaten by Australia, Sri Lanka & now India.

How many tests in a row lost is it now ?

Whats wrong,  what needs to change.

The individuals are good players,   why don't they gel as a team???,  putting on that england cap seems to be sucking the will to play out of them all. 

I gotta feeling its something in the backroom area,  is it something going on with the selectors, coaching, dressing room, maybe Cook needs a rest as skip or even as a player.  ???

This is a team of reasonable talents but low confidence. The senior players are most out of form-not an easy environment to succeed when you are incoming.

I think we need a 'big' player. Someone with self-confidence, chutzpah and a bit of backbone to inspire and release some of those around them. Not KP!

Cook i think will be rested. have a feeling that Mr Moores may not be long for his job either.

Bruce

 On the todays BBC Sport interview he says he is looking forward to playing again, sez they need some personnel changes to make that happen (wonder who that might be?) but he seems to think he is the man.  

KP will always believe he is the solution. He probably feels he can solve the Gaza crisis, Thirld World Debt etc. He is solidly the past and Moores and KP are not likely to get into the same room. Ever.

I see Prior has dropped out to have (convenient) achilles surgery. C'mon Alistair Cook, when you wake up this morning are you sure you cannot feel a bit of a tweak in a hamstring? I respect his wish to stick with the job but he is now a liability for the team and too much the story. It actually deflects attention from those others who need to seriously step up. Take a break, come back and flay hundreds of runs again with a clear mind.

Prior has looked out of touch with bat and gloves for a while now so him dropping out is no bad thing. If Cook were to be relieved of the burden of captaincy for a while he might regain his form. Trouble is, who would be a plausible captain to replace him?

Wayne Rooney?

...sorry, that is another thread entirely.

The answer: goodness knows! Broad lucky to hold his place but maybe the stopgap. Bell-never seems like any sort of leader to me and out of form himself. Shame on you for suggesting Prior has been dropped. He is injured.

Bruce

I think Stokes is one to keep-not least because I liked his attitude in the final Ashes test last year. I suspect we'll be seeing a new seam attack next match as Anderson may be having an enforced rest courtesy of the ICC.

We seems to be becoming rather careless of our talented players. Compton has potential but dreadfully dour and seemed transfixed by nerves when he played. Carberry peed off by his perceved handling (would be my pick for Cook) Finn unravelled over the winter, Tremlett gone backwards, Onions topped the averages yet ignored, Adil Rashid nurtured for so long came to nowt, Panesar in trouble half the time. Alex Hales bashes a big twenty20 innings then dropped from ODI.

I hope we stick with the young players. Not back to Bresnan, Bopara, Eoin Morgan etc.

Fair play to India, they played to the conditions and took the chances we gave. Dhoni has handled his side with aplomb.

Bruce

Not disagreeing with any of the above,  but we should not loose sight of the fact that India WON the test & although I only watched parts, what I did see it seems they won very impressively.

Absolutely. Engalnd's demise is longer term issue. Last nine tests; seven defeats.

One issue with the captaincy is that with central contracts very few players actually have any captaincy experience at club level. I'll guess that Root has only ever captained his school team!

Bruce

Bruce i think its a ploy to lead the aussies into a false sense of security before the next ashes, i fear its working to well

Yes, Wat. Nice to see Cook have a little bit of luck early in his innings when he was dropped at slip and go on to make a decent score.  Although he must have been gutted to lose his wicket on 95, in the post match interview he seemed upbeat.  Good for him. A rather slow scoring rate but Cook will be pleased for England to finish day 1 at 247 for 2. 

Good for Cook, could not really see it coming to be honest. Time will tell if we can pick up the pace and then put pressure on India. Have a feeling that alot of runs will be scored on this track. Can Cook's renaissance bring something out of Broad et al?

It was amusing hearing various pundits tie themeslves in knots to praise Cook yesterday when they'd formed an orderly queue to damn him before!

Who on earth decided to start a Test on a Sunday? I wonder how many seats will be empty later this week?

Bruce

Especially if this Test meanders to a high-scoring draw, which looks likely with this pitch. 

So a positive second day with the bat, posting a very respectable total @ 569 for 7. Nice to see Bell back in form and well down Buttler. India one wicket lost before close. Still, the pitch looks to favour the batsman and India are very patient.  Unless England have a very good morning session I think our attack will wilt and a draw is still the most likely outcome.