Well, I was wrong about that. An interesting match, and it’s a shame it’s now going to peter out into a bit of a dull draw.
Interesting to note the generally high over rates of both teams here. It’s possibly not surprising from England, since Cook could be up for a ban if they don’t keep up. But I wonder how much of it is down to the lack of DRS slowing things up? It’s a shame about that Prior dismissal, really, as that is exactly the kind of blatant howler the DRS is intended to eliminate.
I watched the cricket highlights yesterday pretty much to watch that shot. It was elegantly done and just as cheeky as I’d expected. Too bad he couldn’t kick on to a hundred but then it was his first first-class fifty and already more than seven times his Test average (so, the equivalent of Bradman hitting a 700 then 
).
And to round off a peculiar match, Cook finished with a Test wicket. Hope the next pitch is a bit more the business, though.
Just as odd as this one is the current photo up of Alistair Cook appealing for his wicket.
For anyone who hates test cricket and who thinks 20/20 is the way to go, today’s test was all the proof they need to push for the extinction of the 5 day game. They were talking about the likelihood of a draw during the first session of the first day. Utter waste of a test match.
Apparently not according to the TMS commentators - it’s not even roughing up very much. Everyone seems to agree it was a disappointing pitch, I’m sure the groundsman will not be happy with how it turned out, presumably he will take it on the chin and try something different next time. To be fair, Trent Bridge usually produces a result so I think this was more the exception than the rule. As long as Taunton doesn’t become a Test match venue :).
I really like this article about how bad the cricket commentary on TV is. http://www.telegraphindia.com/1140703/jsp/opinion/story_18573271.jsp#.U7TxY_mSyHd
The article makes these points rather better than my excised version, so it’s worth reading. FWIW, I (obviously) agree with the article, particularly about the Indian commentators. The author seems to think Nasser Hussain does a good job. I’ve always enjoyed Boycott’s commentary myself.
Does Boycott get much TV work? I always try and listen to Test Match Special on the radio even if I’m watching the pictures on the TV. I don’t actually mind listening to Atherton, but Ian Botham annoys the hell out of me - he’s always got a better way in his head.
TMS pairs a journalist and an ex-player expert summariser in 20 minute off-rotations, and it works really well for the most part (especially since Trevor “If they take 6 quick wickets now, they’ll be in control” Bailey stopped).
Yes, Boycott can be really annoying (and is perhaps not the nicest of people) but he speaks his mind and genuinely knows a lot about the game, I like his style. TMS have a good team at the moment.
He used to, at least. Then I think he had some health issues(throat cancer?) and disappeared for a while, and after that it was rare to hear him. I think his commentary career suffered for the very reasons I found him interesting. He said what was on his mind, usually clever, incisive stuff, but occasionally impolitic.
Heh. We don’t have the TMS option unfortunately, so cricket watching happens on mute mostly. One of the more ‘listenable’ commentators we have is Harsha Bhogle. Like-able, smart journalist type who loves cricket and is reasonably entertaining at least. He’s much more interesting than former test playing idiots. Ravi ‘Like a Tracer Bullet’ Shastri is the worst offender in the canned commentary department, but as the article says, they’re all like replaceable bots.
He lost a lot of his British tv work when he was convicted for beating up his girlfriend, and I think he then went overseas to India and places to keep up his commentary work, after which he got throat cancer. He’s back in the BBC fold now and while, as Dead Cat notes above, he’s perhaps not the ‘nicest’ of people, he’s not afraid to tell it as he sees it. Which is his job.
Harsha Bhogle. Harsha fucking Bhogle?
Is better than any/most of the Indian(or Paki) commentators, yes.
To clarify, this is not high praise. It only means I don’t mute the TV like I have to when Shastri or Rameez or Gavaskar come on.
So, Test 2 of 5 underway - good start by England, getting an early wicket, but Prior has let another chance slip by. I hope he’s not mentally affected by this and recovers immediately.
He dropped a couple in the morning session, but I think he’s pulled it back in the rest of the game. As indeed have England generally, although we are now once again struggling to bowl out the tail.
Ended the day at 290 for 9. When I saw the score I was disappointed, but for some reason most reports say that India did alright. I suppose better than a disaster is alright, but I’m still not pleased. What do you folks think of the Jadeja-Anderson spat? I’m a little surprised to see so many suggestions(mainly in the English media) that the two of them should just ‘shake on it’ and move on, and settle this like ‘adults’. I would have thought that the proper and adult thing to do was to put matters in front of the appropriate authority for resolution.
I think 300 looks a good total on this pitch, which is why most analysts give the day to India on balance. England have to be disappointed about them going from 146/7 to 290/9. Let’s hope there are no more last wicket heroics and then England can put together a decent team batting performance for the first time in I don’t know how long.
ETA: Regarding Anderson/Jadeja, I think the perception is that it has all been blown up out of proportion and could have just been settled with a handshake - instead, India have “run to teacher” in what looks like an attempt to get England’s best bowler out of the rest of the series. But then I’m biased, of course.
From the coverage I saw during the day, the story of the day’s play seems to be:
England win a good toss and correctly put India in to bat on a lively pitch.
Morning: England fail to bowl full and straight and don’t really capitalise on the opportunity in front of them. Lunch - 73/2.
Afternoon: England bowl full and straight, and take wickets. Tea - 140/6.
Evening: England bowl short and wide, don’t take wickets. India score comfortably. 290/9.
India were on the ropes in the afternoon and could/should have been knocked out by end of play. Rajane did well to make his century and keep his head while wickets fell, but the (English) commentators’ feeling is that England took their foot off the throat - not for the first time.
Straw-grasping time: It is, in some ways, better to see Cook get out for 10 early than to see him settle in and only make 30.
But not much. Somebody needs to stop this now, it’s getting sad. In order of preference, the best ways to stop it are:
Someone has pointed out on the BBC feed that one of the issues with option 3 is that Essex don’t have another fixture until 15th August. The other, more important one (which is also an issue with option 2) is that there is no obvious choice to replace him right now. There is an option 1a - Cook keeps the captaincy but drops down the order. I don’t think that would work, though - in fact, given the nature of England’s batting at the moment, it may only serve to increase the pressure on him.