Cricket Summer 2014

Can't believe it's the same team!

+1

Where did that grit and application come from? Well done Cook and England.

All I can say is it is about bloody time. Roll on the next test and hopefully JA won't get banned.

That was more like it; although a curiously supine performance by India who missed Ishant badly, and also seem reluctant to pick a decent spinner which is a rum state of affairs.

Cook has gritted it out, hope he can go on. The other seniors chipped in this time too. Good to see Moeen Ali in the wickets and did Butler put a foot wrong behind the stumps? I hope he has the job nailed on for a while now. Still not sure Robson is going to make the grade but they appear to be giving him a proper chance. Same applies to Jordan for me whi is so ungainly it makes me wince. If Anderson is banned we might have a rather callow attack for the next game.

One other concern is the fairly woeful crowd these last few days. The logic of having a Test start on a Sunday beats me but test match crowds all summer have been down. Did not use to happen.

Bruce

A good Day One to the fourth test.  At 8 for 4 India must have feared a rout so their final score was something of a recovery. Pity England lost 3 wickets but they are still in a strong position.

Message to India (and other opponents). Just don't wind up Jimmy. He used the conditions perfectly, along with a revitalised Broad. Good toss to lose.

Bruce

Hard to understand how it went from so bad to what they are doing now. 

I fear the weather will win this one - especially so as its Cropredy !! 

I suspect you're right. Picked the wrong day to watch it!

Well well they beat the weather & India 

Innings and 54 runs,  who'd a thought it !!!!

Good win lads

Very good win, especially with Broad off the field. Nice to see Ali's confidence growing, as we need a quality spinner.  Must say, though, that India didn't seem to have the heart that I would have expected.   They are usually dogged, patient fighters but in this test it wasn't evident. 

Some turnaround to the series, a victory inside three days after losing the toss. England good but lets be honest not magnificent. Something very wrong in that Indian team I think-lots of people who look like they are just waiting for the flight home. Or maybe they just get up for one-day stuff nowadays?

Broad's injury looked nasty, or potentially so. It somewhat surprises me that the manufacturers don't make that gap less than ball width.

Moeen Ali seems a likeable talent, they are sticking with him as a bowler who bats at the moment so he has to take wickets for that to work out.

Bruce

I'm not sure Moeen is quite as good as his figures have suggested but it is obvious he is improving, and Cook has used him with more confidence as a result. Since there are no other spinners apparently pushing up from the ranks his place is safe but I hope he can keep concentrating on his batting too.

Butler looked classy, batting with patience and control. Looks fit for this Test spot now. Prior is history. I'm glad we also have at least one player with a bit of 'X factor' that might be the sort to suddenly turn a game around too.

I've tickets for the Headingley ODI. I hope India rediscover some mojo for then.

Blimey! Again.

Oh dear. Only the first session but India seem to be completely shot! What a turnaround this series has seen. Momentum for England looking like a bit of a steamroller now. Is Dhoni now the captain whose head is now going to be on the block? Duncan Fletcher?

Don't you just love Test cricket? An evolving story between two teams over the summer, individuals coming into and out of form and favour. Hope the weather allows this last game to be played out in full.

India's tail wagged a bit. I feel a little sorry for Dhoni who was the only batsman to contribute.  England's game to win now but it will require application and patience to build a good first inning's score.  I agree with Bruce about India's resolve.  They do look brittle when things don't go well.

If I was Dhoni I'd walk into the dressing room, hurl my kit in the corner and tell some of my teammates to buckle down and work hard and show a bit of my fighting spirit too. With the occasional expletive.

I'm not captain of our local league team, you can see why!

Bruce

I once did that. I wasn't captain and I was out for 3. I just thought I'd get it in first...

Weather forecast for the Oval looks just about ok tomorrow and with the lead England already have I wouldn't be surprised to see India loss within 3 days again. I guess Cook is waiting for Root to get his century before declaring and a lead of 300 looks likely.  

4 ball duck for me yesterday. I'll get me coat.

At least we won!

India 6 wickets down already.  If the weather holds, I can't see India surviving the day.

And it's all over. India all out for a meagre 94 runs. Some really woeful batting by India, including two wholly unnecessary run-outs. How the fortunes of Test cricket can change?!

Well done to England in coming back from one-nil down to wind the series 3-1 but India need to look themselves. I know they probably aren't used to/like English conditions but even so, I would have expected more spirit and application.  

Thats it - all over - an innings and 244 runs

Its a win for England but a BAD DAY for cricket

That is a real thrashing. 

Good stuff today, confidence is a great thing and some xcellent catching and fielding to complement the bowlers. Dreadful decision to give out Broad however; umpire not sure of the rules? Good job it did not matter.

Hope England can carry it on. No winter tour this year means April for the next Test Match. All ODI's now. However it increasingly appears to me that only England and Australia really care about Tests. I wonder how the Indian public will respond to their players if they win the ODI series against England now? Maybe they will forgive them.

Bruce

I think I would add South Africa to that list, too, Bruce