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

[hopeforthebest]

When there's a lot of turn Aswin as most top off break bowlers, bowls around the wicket but Moeen is so reluctant to use that line of attack. I don't understand it.

[meninblue]

This is heading towards a draw.

[hopeforthebest]

This is heading towards a draw.

India to have an awkward 25 overs late tomorrow.

[yuppie]

Has the pitch started to break up?

England should be able to get 40-45 overs at India tomorrow if they wanted to.

Scoring at an ok rate at present, and over 100 runs ahead. Still another 15 overs this evening.

[hopeforthebest]

Has the pitch started to break up?

England should be able to get 40-45 overs at India tomorrow if they wanted to.

Scoring at an ok rate at present, and over 100 runs ahead. Still another 15 overs this evening.

The pitch seems to be holding together very well and these two are batting well. I don't see England declaring unless they get 300-350 by tea tomorrow. Then maybe they'll try and frighten India by taking a few wickets.

[meninblue]

This is heading towards a draw.

India to have an awkward 25 overs late tomorrow.

England will surely play some part of first session tomorrow. Batting for two sessions wont be very tough for us tomorrow imo. Lack of time will very likely take this to a draw. Also this wicket is not as tough day 4 and day 5 wicket as the usual ones.

[Durhamfootman]

score suggests that the pitch is still good for batting. A good pitch for Hameed to cut his teeth on

[meninblue]

Has the pitch started to break up?

England should be able to get 40-45 overs at India tomorrow if they wanted to.

Scoring at an ok rate at present, and over 100 runs ahead. Still another 15 overs this evening.

This is very different to most day 4 and day 5 wickets here. I would say this wicket is offering very less than the other wickets, like Mumbai on Day 4 and 5.

[hopeforthebest]

England will not want their bowlers to bowl too many more overs in this test with the second coming so soon.

[yuppie]

Cheers for the replies guys.

Considering the breaks between the tests, getting the Indian bowlers to go for another 100 overs might help in the long run.

Seems like a good pitch for the batsman to increase their averages. Indian bowlers wont be to happy about how their averages will also be increasing.

[hopeforthebest]

Strauss looks as if all the corporate lunches have added 5 stone to his weight. Of course being obese is a requisite for ECB management.

[Durhamfootman]

50 up for Hameed. Well done, son...... anything that keeps England's eyes off Jennings next year is much appreciated

[dan08]

Hameed looks a class act.

[bigfluffylemon]

Still 10 overs today? Have I misread the time difference between India and Oz, or is the over rate atrocious?

This looks to be heading for a draw, unless on team or the other collapses. Obviously it's still a little early to be thinking about a declaration, but if England are still batting by lunch tomorrow, they should have a lead of around 250. Might it be worth putting some pressure on India to bat out a couple of sessions, or is it still too risky on this pitch?

With Anderson maybe fit for the next game, I wonder if, as suggested above, the long view would make it worth just keeping the Indian bowlers and fielders out there all day, get the draw and wear India down for the next test, while England can rotate and have a relatively fresh bowling attack? Given their underdog nature and the 5-0 predictions, I think England will take more than India will from a draw.

50 for Hameed on debut. Well done that lad . Early days and a good batting wicket, but this bodes very well. Since Strauss retired, there haven't been too many 50+ scores by England openers not called Cook.

[hopeforthebest]

A very composed 50 as well, he doesn't look like a batsman on debut.