Well that, as they say, is that. There were no final day heroics. There was no happy ending. I guess the doom mongers were right after all. That bloody pitch, and some excellent bowling from India, simply got the better of us. Buggar. I’m afraid I wasn’t able to watch our hasty demise this morning – I set the alarm clock for the afternoon session and it was all over by the time I tuned in – but I’m disappointed with the way we capitulated so readily. After fighting...
The 2nd Test Grim Survival Thread
I’ll be really busy over the next few days (bloody work!) so rather than doing individual daily reports I’ll give updates and opinion here. Please add your own insights in the comments section below as the game progresses. Thanks. Day Four Well, we’re still fighting hard. It’s not over yet. There’s still a mountain to climb but at least we’re making India work hard. Could we pull off an unlikely draw? Stranger things have happened. Albeit not much stranger...
Reasons To Be Cheerful, Not Tearful
Now I’ve got over my ‘Cook you negative nincompoop’ tantrum, it’s time to look at the Rajkot test objectively. The bottom line is that England competed really well, put India under pressure, and showed we’re a far better side than the one that capitulated at Dhaka. Yes we could, and perhaps should, have won if our captain had shown some imagination, but everyone knows what Alastair is like. Perhaps it was unfair to expect him to metamorphose into Michael Clarke … or at least someone with...
Cook’s Caution Costs England Dear – Day 5 at Rajkot
I love it when social media is split down the middle. It means there’s a row brewing and some healthy debate to be had. This is precisely why test cricket is the best game in the world. There’s so much to talk about and disagree over. Depending on which corner you’re in today, Alastair Cook is either a bloody hero who should be congratulated for securing a draw, or he’s an uber cautious coward who didn’t have the cojones to press for a win. Personally, and...
Can We Win This? – Day 4 at Rajkot
So then. We’re 163 ahead, with all ten wickets left, and three sessions of the match remain. Can we win from here? You bet ya. All it takes is a quick 50 from Root, a cameo from Stokes, and maybe even a belligerent knock from Duckett (who should be in his element in this situation), and Cook can safely declare with a lead of 300 at lunch. If England can manage 137 runs (or there abouts) in the morning then we’ll be able to put India under significant pressure late on the fifth day...
Ben Stokes It Up – Day 2 at Rajkot
There’s a lot to admire about Indian cricket. They’ve always produced elegant batsmen, canny spinners and the odd robust seamer. One thing they’ve traditionally struggled with, however, is fielding. Back in the good / bad old days, Virender Sehwag would score a lightning fast century with the bat, and then slowly give several of those runs back in the field. He was about as athletic as molasses. And some of his teammates we’re much better. Although India’s fielding...
