India in England

Couple months back, I had India with a good favourite to do well but its just lately it has struck me that Sehwag will miss about 3 tests.  As far as i'm concern, and I don't think i'm far from wrong, Sehwag is one of the biggest reason, i'd go as far and say more so than Sachin, why India have done so excellently recently.  When he provides start, its so much more easier for that classy line up to work its magic.  Sachin is pure class, more so than Sehwag, but Sehwag is just like Adam Gilchrist, puts the game beyond your reach when they score centuries!

Yes , exciting times just around the corner !  I'm hoping that the pitch is a damn sight livier than the one for the Lankan test.  If it is then all the batsmen will find the going pretty tough - I'm a great fan of Anderson , but Zaheer Khan isn't that far behind him and Ishant has really come back to something approaching his best. Tremlett will be a handful , but if the opening bowlers don't break through then the back up 3rd seamer will have a huge job on his hands.  England should have the advantage in this department as long as Broad pitches it up ! Munaf will be steady , but I don't see him running through a strong English line up.
                  It's going to be a real tussle and I think the wicketkeepers will be massively influential.  Dhoni leads from the front and has turned a modest total into a winning one on many occasions. Prior's glove work has improved dramatically and his batting is very easy on the eye as well.  Because England's batting in recent times has been solid he's scored his runs without too much pressure . I'll be interested to see how he goes if England are something like 140-5 and Harbhajan is bowling when he gets to the wicket.    
                 Finally , how much influence will Fletcher have , he knows most of the English batsmen better than Flower does !

 Dhoni calls it right at the toss and will have a bowl. PK wins the 3rd seamer slot. The English camp selection goes pretty much along expected lines. Right so here we go. Seat belts fastened.

 Darn the Rain!!!  Please stay away.


Edited by vote4peace - 21 July 2011 at 11:21am

Khan bowled really well but a typical English day, rain..... 

India missed out on day 1 - conditions were fantastic for both swing and seam. Too many balls in the wrong areas and now the worry that Zaheer could have a serious hamstring problem.  Dhoni should have swallowed that chance to get rid of Trott - he just didn't commit and gave Dravid no chance. The earlier chance off Harbhajan's 1st ball caught Dravid napping - I think he wasn't switched on , he's taken many a catch that was as sharp as this one.
                So Trott had a charmed life and I still worry about Pietersen's wandering about the crease before delivery. Go look at KP circa 2005-7 and he was very solid and still as the ball left the bowler's hand - I think his head's still scrambled.
                 The pitch is unlikely to deteriorate too much and I can't see there being that much help for the bowlers for the rest of the match. There should be some hlep though and if there's any swing , Anderson will exploit it better than the Indians have done so far. 
                 So what's a good total for England in this innings ?  If Zaheer is out they'll be looking for 400-450 , but if he's okay 330-350 should be competitive.   India need to strike early this morning , KP needs to knuckle down , they'll be after him.
                 The forecast isn't great for today , with more showers expected. It could be an on-off sort of day , but hopefully a lot more cricket than we saw yesterday. The good news is for fair dry weather for the remaining 3 days , so a positive result for either side is still possible.  
                  If England do win this I think Anderson will be the matchwinner, with help from Trott whose record at Lords is becoming something special !

Brilliant sunny skies this morning at Lords and no Zaheer to worry the English batsmen.  That's a huge plus for the homeside , Zaheer is far and away their best bowler.  There's murmers around the ground that Dravid will do some keeping today so that Dhoni can send down a few overs - now there's a surprise !
                Surely Pietersen will see that this is a fantastic opportunity to make a telling contribution , he just needs to apply himself.

Dhoni did take the ball for 5 years and nearly got KP twice. The balance in the bowling line is just not there. Praveen is more of a condition bowler - when things are not favourable, he is a pedestrian at best.  250/3, 60 overs remaining - it could be a long day in the field especially without Zaheer.

The forecast for the rest of the test looks fantastic with sunshine expected every day!

Honours even at lunch. Two masters at the crease and the pitch seems to have settled. England could be in for along day if they don't strike early post lunch

The Laxman drop has not cost them dearly. Dravid one might still cost them big. India 5 down and Swann showing just why is he the leading spinner at the moment

another ordinary batting display by the Indians barring Dravid and I have to say a decent effort by Mukund but once again the batting failed to click.

India are very heavily dependent on Zaheer for wickets and they are desperately missing Sehwag at the top whose quick fire 60-70 used to gie India the momentum at the start of an innings.

ENG well in control 193 ahead with 2 days to go, I reckon they would look to score around 230 in just over 2 sessions and given india a fair amount of 3rd session to bat and chase a target of around 425.

I was absolutely thrilled for Dravid making his hundred, and his reaction showed what it means to make a century at Lords, even for this most understated of cricketers: the bloke is easily one of the best batsmen ever to play the game but has never got the full appreciation he deserves through the sheer quirk of timing that saw him play at the same time as Sachin.

Also delighted for Broad, who was wonderful today and deserved a 5-for, but when the last pair were at the wicket he totally bowled for the team rather than himself, and did his bit to ensure Anderson kept getting 6 balls at Ishant.

It's hardly a shock injury dips - players are suffering the consequences of prioritising T20 cricket ahead of the real stuff, so Zaheer and India have only themselves to blame.

India close at 80/1, which is a good score but this partnership is the key for India and one has to wonder for how long can Dravid carry on? Gambhir is also injured apparently, sachin is down with viral infection and Zaheer obviously didn't play any part with the ball even in the 2nd innings, although I think all of them will turn up to bat I do not think India can survive for another 98 overs tomorrow, it will be very difficult, but if they can then well done.

Broad has bowled really well in this test and has looked like gettinga  wicket every time he has come on to bowl, Prior has once again shown his worth in this English team and I'm amazed that such a fine player isn't a part of the ODI set up, I think Prior is miles ahead of Kieswetter or Davies.

 India's fortune continues to spiral down from bad to worse . 1st Zaheer now Gauti and Sachin. Though both most likely to come out on Day 5, question lingers whether they a 100% . Sachin will have to wait at least until the first hour of the post-lunch session or the loss of five wickets to make his return for one last time to the Lord's.

  The Indian bowlers looked a lot more keener on the field ,particularly Ishant who seemed to have broken the shackles, until some excellent rearguard action from Prior and Broad.

  England clearly on top and will be looking to leave no stone unturned on Day 5. India surely in for a tough fight and, in Dravid and Laxman, have got two of the most ideal players for such situation. These two have shared between them many  a historic partnerships and bailed India countless times from the Big croc's jaws in the past. They thrive on such occasions (tailor-made fro them) But this time, considering that Raina or Dhoni may walk in at the fall of the next wicket, it could be one of their toughest tests just yet.

 I do see England wrapping this game by the 2nd or early into the third session and a Laxman century go in vain.


Edited by vote4peace - 25 July 2011 at 7:22am