England Versus India - 1st Test (9 Nov - 13 Nov)

[sussexpob]

Mo batting in the top six has paid off. Not something I expected

Yeah. There was always something about his average of 40 with the bat, his near 1500 county runs in his last year before his test cap, and his verging on appalling record with the ball that really made you think....

THIS GUYS A SPINNER...

Im not surprised. In 2013, he was a standout batting candidate. Yet he has been put down in a place he cant perform in, and now given an opportunity, is showing that before all the others it was him who was the prospect years ago before some moronic selector decided he was a spinning tailender.

[Gingerfinch]

I've never seen Mo as a top five bat, and tbh, he still has a bit to prove. That said, he's our second best player at the moment.

[Aidan11]

I must admit I've changed my mind about him.

Becoming a decent all rounder.

[hopeforthebest]

I said recently that Moeen should be seen as a batsman who bowls spin not a spinner who can bat, he simply is not good enough to be the principle spin option. Whether he's a top 6 batsman for all conditions is not yet proven but he does seem pretty good on these slow Asian wickets. Since Swann retired all we've heard is there are no spinners so Moeen was elected as the answer. No one else has been given a chance. The selectors were unwilling to take an old hand like Tredwell and give him a opportunity or until now Garath Batty and that experiment might be already over.

[budgetmeansbudget]

I just love a batting lineup where Broad comes in at number 11.

[Aidan11]

I just love a batting lineup where Broad comes in at number 11.

Should have had him opening seeing as it's his 100th test.

[budgetmeansbudget]

I just love a batting lineup where Broad comes in at number 11.

Should have had him opening seeing as it's his 100th test.

Why not, could have replaced the captain as a one off. Both left handers, both in similar touch with the bat.

He did start his cricketing career as an opener, obviously daddy wanted him to follow in his footsteps.

[andy]

Huge blow for India if Shami's injury is bad, and can't take the field again...has come on leaps and bounds, and is effective with both new and old ball, India need him on the park

[budgetmeansbudget]

Just read that the ball that got Cook out lbw was drifting past the leg stump.

Wonder why he didn't review?

[andy]

Hameed told him not to bother lol...good start for him

[Durhamfootman]

better start than I was expecting. I caught the score at tea, and frankly if there had been another 3 wickets next to the score of 209, I wouldn't have been surprised

[budgetmeansbudget]

Just seen the Root dismissal.

Poor old Rod Tucker, the third umpire, hadn't got a clue whether it was out or not out so bottled it and stayed with the on field soft signal, which always seems to be out.

I'm still undecided, so is it bowler's benefit or is there no such thing?

[yuppie]

Great start by England.

Maybe the secret is to win the toss in the sub continent.

Is it something like 18 of the last 19 times the team winning the toss in the sub continent has won? The one time they did not was a draw?

It is a pretty strong correlation.

[Dr Cricket]

But many of the games the toss didn't even play a crucial role though and if anything all the games were won by the favorites.

[Dr Cricket]

The only game the toss is vital when you get crap pitches where run scoring is easy on the first 2-3 days.