This time tomorrow India will be 280-1
Most of my Indian business associates (we outsource IT and Accounting to Indian firms) seem to think that COVID is no big deal. Testing seems to be extremely spotty even among educated, middle class folks that I am dealing with. They also seem to believe that there are various factors (from the vaguely plausible to the absolutely ludicrous) due to which most of the population is immune.
But would rather talk about the cricket.
As just pointed out on the radio, England’s plan seems to be for their seamers to have the new ball under lights. Maybe Root should just declare now?
Fair enough, especially because it doesn’t look like there is going to be a lot of it! 
. This is a rare test in India that I can watch at normal hours in the US, so I made sure to make no plans on Saturday so that I can watch an exciting Day 4 all morning. Doesn’t look promising.
One of the most brutal domination by spinners I’ve seen in a while. Says a lot that England struggled to even get enough bat on ball for singles against those two bowlers but as soon as the fast bowler was given a chance immediately a boundary was scored.
Hmm, yes - doesn’t bode well for our attack, does it?
Hello darkness my old friend…
So I’m at home, the cricket is on the telly and yet due to home schooling set ups I’m not in teh room with the TV. How did I mess that up?
Anyhow, sounds like England are letting the inevitable mental niggles about home umpires getting to them, disputing a not out shout from the TV umpire for a grassed catch by Stokes. going by the commentary, it seems that it did come out the hands after contact, but England are not happy about it (apparently decision made very quickly).
Even if there is something to that, getting paranoid about the umpiring is not going to help them bowl or field better so they need to get it behind them and move on. Which is easy for me to say.
Having visited India I should have guessed that a day/night match in India would have power supply issues to the floodlighting!
Nods sagely Of course, you have to see how the other side does before you can judge an innings.
Well, England were 70-odd for 2 at one point [/clutching at straws].
Leach gets Kohli to chop on right at the end there to keep a glimmer of hope for England in this game. Wonder if they can somehow sabotage the heavy roller.
England are out of this if India score more than 200. Anything less and they still have a (slim) chance.
I can’t work out how to embed pictures into a post - when I do it tells me I can’t. You’ll have to take it on my word then that I sent a message to my mates on WhatsApp 20 mins before the start of play saying, in short, England are fucked.
They were fucked once the sides were revealed - England having picked one to exploit conditions that are only in effect a third of the time (and what if you’re batting at those times?). In point of fact, this is a problem that is deep seated and the game was probably done at the point the pitch prep was finished or maybe even 3 or 4 years ago with respect to player development. Haven’t shown much facility as a side against spin, haven’t developed good spinners to take advantage of the conditions.
England have to precipitate an enormous collapse to stand any chance of winning the game (the draw, given the time left, is off the table) but realistically, this game is over.
Pictures need to be uploaded elsewhere and linked from here.
Anyway, England did well enough against Indian spinners in the first game, and against Sri Lanka. It is, frankly, disappointing to see them fail so miserably against the ball that doesn’t spin.
Cheers. Useful to know.
Sri Lanka’s spinners are not in the same league as these guys. The pitch in Game 1 spun less than for Game 2. The failings are the same when faced against thoughtful bowling.
Here, for instance, is some good analysis.
https://twitter.com/benjonescricket/status/1364653183537135620?s=21
They have a method and can’t adapt it when faced with guys who bowl differently than what they expect. That’s pretty poor imo.
Check’s Ahmedabad’s climate, sees average rainfall in February of 0.8mm. “Hmmm, not much chance of a draw here.”
On another note, NZ’s win over Aussie in the first T20 was glorious.
Devon Conway looks pretty handy. Be interesting to see what he could do somewhere like a CPL or PSL or similar. Can’t quite believe he’s 29. A little late to be getting a big start, but good for him, and Gayle is still playing, so there’s still time for something of a career.
Just another hijack into the wonderous world of non-international cricket.
As mentioned previously, I score for cricket in the Sydney Grade and Shires competitions.
At this time of year, coincidently in the lead-up to finals, Sydney has it’s most unsettled weather. So last week was consistently wet and one where the groundsmen struggled to get much preparation time into the wickets and so it was generally tracks to please the leather flingers all round.
My gig was #2 vs #3 on the Shires 1sts ladder with a chance of pinching the minor premiership.
1s leading wicket taker bowls left arm orthodox but mixes them up with the occasional chinamen or one at sharpish pace or even moon balls. Very effective.
He took 5 wickets for 4 runs off 12 overs as we bundled them out for a low total and had 1st inning points banked and a good lead by stumps.
Came back to the sheds justifiably pleased with himself, though BJ doesn’t lack much in self assurance, and was devastated to find he hadn’t taken the best figures for the club. One of the 4th graders (who achieved an outrageous outright win in a day despite scoring only 84) had taken 6 for 3 and then 4 for 14 giving him 10-17 of 10 overs for the day.
Following the 2nd T20 where NZ seem to have the bit firmly between their teeth @ 2 for 163 off 15 (Guptil 97 off 50 and Williamson 51* off 33) … til I realised it’s being played at Dunedin Uni Oval with it’s 60m boundary.
Still they’ve got 'em in the book and we ain’t.
… and indeed gettin’ 'em is proving problematic.
Aust 6-116 off 13.
No recognised bat to come and a few non-recognised bats already out.