India v England - 1st Test, Chennai

Andrew Strauss hit a superb 123 but England collapsed from 164-1 to close day one of the first Test on 229-5 as India came roaring back in Chennai.
England went from 118-1 to end the day 5 wickets down for 229.
The day will be remembered for a fantastic century from Andrew Strauss and 2 awful umpiring decisions, one which would have left England in a better position, the other would have left England struggling.
----------
Strauss was brilliant, this was just such a typical Strauss century, no pressure and thwack, hard to concentrate on cricket and Strauss stands up to be counted.
How gutted England are feeling for turning down the option to refer decisions, Bowden (supposedly the 2nd best in the world) somehow saw the ball hit the glove, even with the arms and pads about 2 yards away from each other for Collys dismissal (surely this is last chance saloon for him now) and then nightwatchman Jimmy Anderson's first ball took a huge inside edge into the keepers hand - but the umpire saw a 2 yard gap between ball and bat..hmm - the debate on video technology and involvement of the 3rd umpire rages on.
Good start - dismal finish, India have to be the happier with a great final session. England are still more than in this game, another 100-150 runs tomorrow puts England in the driving seat for me - what I dont want is to be 250 ao by lunch tomorrow.

Against Australia, India were scoring big big runs, 400 easily, more like 5 pushing onto 600. They outbatted the Aussies, and so I doubt that 400 will be a commanding position for England to be in.
Of course it depends on how we bowl, but assume we get to 400 and India start as we did but dont fuck up, they could easily be 250-3 at the end of tomorrow leaving us up against it.

Good point, however I dont think this pitch is as good as when the Aussies came, and if England were to get 400 it would be a clear match winning position for them. With an added spinner, and only 3 recognised seam bowlers, the gamble with the team selection has to pay off. Runs on the board is what counts, whenever England come into bowl, be it lunchtime tomorrow or for an hour before the end of play tomorrow, they have to strike early - if you let that top order go, they score quickly and heavily, and with England only mustering up 200+ in a days play, thats the last thing we need.

Well it always brings a smile to my face when Struass does well.

I still think he should have been captain for the Ashes tour.

It will be interesting how many more runs we get as I think 400 might be a good amount on a wicket that they only found out to be a test wicket a couple of weeks ago, so in saying that I am in Huzup's camp in thinking it might not be the feather bed of the Aussia series.

Being a bowler - when I see a couple of caught n bowled dismissles in the same innings of top order batsmen - I tend to think the wicket will do funny things in the days ahead.

Nearly as funny as the umpires giving out batmen who lead with their pads!

TickTok wrote:

Nearly as funny as the umpires giving out batsmen who lead with their pads!

Umpire Billy Bowden = "Should have gone to Specsavers" !

Graeme Swann claimed two wickets in his first over as a Test bowler as England took control on day two of the first Test against India in Chennai.
India finished the day on 155-6 at stumps on day two of the first test match, still 166 runs behind Englands first innings total.
------------------------
Well well well - who said anything about India's amazing powerful batting line up who are indestructable on home soil...
Crap start with Freddy out straight away, but brilliant from Anderson and a great half century from Prior who just ran out of partners...England may have only added 80 odd runs to yesterdays total, but the significance of a slower pitch than expected, might turn out to be the key factor in deciding the end result of this test match.
The selection of the second spinner is paying off, it may have been a forced selection as Amjad Khan was the only other option, but it is clear to see the benefits of playing a spinner - no matter how good 'supposedly' the Indians are at playing it (even on home turf I'd like to add).
Harmison struggled, and coming off for an injury was the last thing I wanted to see - but then to come back on and make India's day worse was a good sight, I hope they use him when needed and take every precaution possible with our seam bowlers - we have no genuine replacement in the squad, we need Harmy fit, even if he isnt on top form.
Swann and Panesar, expensive as you'd expect against the Indian batsman - but with their agressive nature comes risk, and on a slower than expect pitch, it tends to reap rewards for the slower bowlers. Panesar was agressive, switching angles, even the bit of added pace, reallymixed things up for the middle order. Swan was an unknown quantity and that first over showed the Indians did no homework on him at all - not that we're complaining.
If England can bowl out India below 200, England really should win this test match from here. Fantastically set up, played to almost perfection. Great position to be in.

dicanio wrote:

TickTok wrote:

Nearly as funny as the umpires giving out batsmen who lead with their pads!

Umpire Billy Bowden = "Should have gone to Specsavers" !

Haha - Your not wrong!

I think this will be like many of the other tests were we get a good run at them in the first innings and in the 2nd they score a far heavier total - I wonder what the price on the draw is or a India win?

TickTok wrote:

I think this will be like many of the other tests were we get a good run at them in the first innings and in the 2nd they score a far heavier total - I wonder what the price on the draw is or a India win?

7/4 on an India win
7/2 on a draw
6/5 on an England win

huzup wrote:

TickTok wrote:

I think this will be like many of the other tests were we get a good run at them in the first innings and in the 2nd they score a far heavier total - I wonder what the price on the draw is or a India win?

7/4 on an India win
7/2 on a draw
6/5 on an England win

I have had a tickle on the draw n a nice sized bet on India - so if I was you reading this - I would pile on England for the win

Andrew Strauss and Paul Collingwood batted England into a commanding 247-run lead with two days remaining in the first Test against India in Chennai.

Strauss, a centurion in the first innings, was 73 and Collingwood 60 in an unbroken 129 for the fourth wicket.

After India had been dismissed for 241 four balls after lunch, England held a lead of 75, but were soon in trouble at 48-3 in their second innings.

But they recovered magnificently to reach 172-3 at stumps.
----------------------------
It's is so perfectly set up now, the record successful chase at this ground is 155, needles to say this pitch breaks up, and with 2 attacking spinners in Monty and Swann, I smell victory.
Andrew Strauss is playing really well, all England need is to bat through till tea, bowl at them in the last session, couple of early wickets and a win is in the bag.
Panesar was outstanding, as was Freddy in the bowling, good signs for England.

Any normal side cudnt fail to win this game now, but you never know with England. The 300 lead seems a certainty at the very least, which will be double the record. We need to recognise this and come out tomorrow and score quick runs and have them in before lunch, hopefully a wicket or two down. Then we will see if our spinners can spin us to victory and beat the Indians at their own game.
I think I would put my money on a dogged 400 ball century from Dravid to save the game for India.

India turned the tables on England in dramatic fashion through a blistering innings from Virender Sehwag late on day four of the first Test in Chennai.

Sehwag hit four sixes in his 83 off 68 balls as India finished the day on 131-1, needing a further 256 to win.

The hosts faced a massive target of 387 after England declared on 311-9.

Andrew Strauss hit his second hundred of the match and Paul Collingwood also made a century but England made only 57 runs between lunch and tea.
-------------------------------------------
hmmm...realistically on a pitch like this England are still huge favourites, but Sehwag decided he wont let the pitch affect him and smashed England's bowlers all over the park, the early figures of Panesar, Harmy and Anderson were a bit to say the least.
Interesting position, a draw is looking the leasat likely out come.

I have to say this is a very good test match and it exactly why it beats 20-20 for a true lover of Cricket.

TickTok wrote:

I have to say this is a very good test match and it exactly why it beats 20-20 for a true lover of Cricket.

That is so true.

I think the pitch is one that suits the aggresive style of batting. If you look at it, it is atrocious but most balls are not misbehaving. The odd one every now and again does something a little special and they are the balls that get you out.

That said, if you scratch around and try to occupy the crease for a long time, that ball will still inevitably come around and get you out, whether you are on 1 or 100. May as well be aggresive against the balls that will come on nicely.

Its a big day tomorrow for Englands bowlers as they are still firm favourites, but will be feeling the heat given their 400 lead is now less than 300!! The scorecard would have looked that little bit sweeter if Gambir had been given out when he padded up and ended up gloving it to Prior.

abcdef wrote:

Any normal side cudnt fail to win this game now, but you never know with England.

Looks like I was spot on!!!

Got up at 4am this morning expecting a great fight but was let down by a dismal England display. Should have been a titanic struggle for India today but they picked up runs freely and easily all through the day. They batted well and have deserved their victory, but England thoroughly let down themselves, the fans and the game of cricket--because it could have been one of the great test matches.

The bowling was so so bad. Harmison, Anderson and Monty all need to be asking questions of themselves. The latter was outbowled by a debutant and Flintoff showed the new ball pair that it wasnt so hard to bowl at least an acceptable line.

I think it was Botham who said in the media that England would enjoy a 5-0 whitewash of a poor Aussie side....perhaps he hasnt been watching England of late.

A new captaincy and a new coach has not changed the mentality of this side. England should have set a target which was totally out of reach, but a defensive mindset, with wickets in hand being more important than getting runs has once again led to the downfall of what is becomming an extremely average side, with a couple of god players.
All credit to Tendulkar, a hero, no wonder he's been given god status in India (that's true btw ), Yuvy gave a batting master class too.
There was pace and turn for Monty, but he decided not to use it.
Freddy's just super Freddy, no matter how bad England play, he will always perform with the ball, and he held a great line in his 20+ overs he bowled.
Harmy and Anderson cannot adapt to changing circumstances.
Nothing changes at all - India become one step closer to being the best in the world, England are just giving them the helping hand they need.
It should be embarassing, especially from the position we were in, but this England...they're still waiting to arrive in to the millenium in the game of cricket.
Aussies are planning to send out their under 15s to give them some practice for second rate cricket I hear.

Well the most important decision to come out of this latest England fold is - What am I going to spend my winnings on?