Cricket fred

[Puja]

A quality day's work from both sides really. Some mistakes as tiredness set in, but that's to be expected. It's not always the case test cricket is a sustained test, this was, and unless we bin it in the first session tomorrow we're in a very strong position

But we are gonna bin it in the first session tomorrow though, aren't we? Let's be realistic. All out with maybe another 40 runs on the board.

Puja

I honestly can't ever see us getting a "par" score... we're not going to score another 120-140, we'll either get another 50-60 or another 230+...

We've got Stokes, Pope and Buttler to come, we should have plenty of runs left in the tank.

Or those three will score a combined total of 12 and we'll only get over 300 because of a last wicket stand of 26.

Puja

[Puja]

Glad to put the reverse jinx on them - Root makes his 150 and Stokes to 50.

Fascinating battle going on between Stokes and the spinners right now. There's a massive patch of rough outside the left hander's off stump and the ball is turning and spitting from it, making Stokes look massively uncomfortable - he's been dropped twice in the 30s (both very tough chances, mind) and have been rapped painfully twice with deliveries that caught him unawares. So, he's reacted by hitting out - a 6 and two reverse sweep 4s in the space of 6 balls faced. He'll either be out for a very entertaining 60-odd or he'll break the bowlers and go on to make 150 of his very own.

Puja

[Puja]

India broke first - the spinner that was giving Stokes so much trouble has been pulled from the attack. It's all calmed down a bit now.

Puja

[Which Tyler]

I arrived just as they head off for lunch - I expect I'll get a montage of what's going on after the ad.s

I've got to say, it's great having test cricket back on the telly again after a 15 year hiatus.
Said hiatus means I have no idea who's who, or what they're strengths and weaknesses are

[Digby]

Utter failure to bring up the ton in that session!

It's an odd thing to watch us being competent in our batting. Great to see though.

[Stom]

Utter failure to bring up the ton in that session!

It's an odd thing to watch us being competent in our batting. Great to see though.

Silverwood is doing a good job. 7 scores of 400+ in 15 1st innings is some going, even if that did include wi and sl

[Galfon]

Another masterclass by JR, but he'll be pleased Eng won't be batting last on this track.

[Digby]

Interesting Bumrah is bowling this far ahead of the new ball. Which begs the question will India take the new ball (they keep asking for this one to be swapped after all) and if not is the plan to leave England trying to hit a very soft ball?

[Digby]

The much feared collapse doesn't seem so bad this time. The wickets are at least moving the game forwards which wasn't happening before

[Galfon]

Interesting Bumrah is bowling this far ahead of the new ball. Which begs the question will India take the new ball (they keep asking for this one to be swapped after all) and if not is the plan to leave England trying to hit a very soft ball?

Bumrah asks questions even with an old ball, though a few gone quickly now so they have options.
No time for complacency Eng - up against a top team.

[Digby]

Interesting Bumrah is bowling this far ahead of the new ball. Which begs the question will India take the new ball (they keep asking for this one to be swapped after all) and if not is the plan to leave England trying to hit a very soft ball?

Bumrah asks questions even with an old ball, though a few gone quickly now so they have options.
No time for complacency Eng - up against a top team.

He's a quality act, but it does seem also to show they didn't intend to take the new ball

[Digby]

Reverse comes to the party

[Galfon]

ffs..
got to tip your hat to Sharma though,
great to have that in your armoury.

[fivepointer]

Well that was very satisfactory. Root is batting majestically right now.

[Stom]

Leach doing his best to get Moeen a game.

[Digby]

Ali adds a left hander to the batting attack which may or may not be wanted, but with Root and Bess he's not adding much variety to the bowling, against which Leach isn't offering much to the bowling period. And of course Leach still has some foot marks to bowl into, he could yet pick up 4 or 5 wickets very cheaply

[Digby]

I know there are foot marks, but this ball is pitching a long way outside the leg stump and the umpires don't seem bothered, this isn't what I'd expect to be allowed ball after ball

[Which Tyler]

Hmmm, no point batting beyond that wicket being lost, already ,400+ up, and surely want as long as reasonably possible to bowl them out

[Which Tyler]

Even kes point now with 2 new batsmen, which will inevitably slow the scoring rate.

You've got enough of a lead, if you're not getting an extra 4 per over then why bother? Especially if you've got your bowlers out there anyway, so they're not exactly recuperating

[Digby]

Give how much Leach is coming down the pitch playing shots alongside Archer running down the pitch I'd be willing to guess what they're still doing out there

[Which Tyler]

Fair point, but it's not buying us Indian wickets.
We've already set them a new world record run chase.


Nice little freebee confidence booster for Ashwin there, ahead of the 2nd test

[Stom]

Insanity.

Well, at least we'll have a few overs of new ball. Who will get it? Anderson surely, but will the other end go to a spinner?

[Digby]

I don't perhaps agree with not wanting more overs, but this way the ball will be harder come the start of play tomorrow when our bowlers are fresher, and we'll still get plenty of overs with a 2nd new ball at it's best if needed.

Uneven bounce from Archer, really quite low. India might need to not drive unless it's well pitched up

[Digby]

Leach struggling, perhaps with the hard ball, perhaps just struggling

[Stom]

Leach struggling, perhaps with the hard ball, perhaps just struggling

I'm not sure he's actually that good... unfortunately.

Pujara is the worry. He can easily stick around for the whole day. Need an Anderson special, I feel, or Jofra to find another gear, or some golden arm from Root.