215-2 is about as good as India could have expected to be at the end of Day 3. Still need to add 300 more to make this interesting. If it is cloudy tomorrow morning, it could be all over by lunchtime.
The only thing wrong with this prediction is the weather forecast. Finally got enough time to relax and plan to watch the test today, only to see India’s batters get mowed down one by one in the first hour. Oh well, off to the gym!
India were in a decent position overnight - basically, they won all the sessions yesterday and were beginning to look like they might make England bat again (and you’ve always got a chance from there). But it’s been a bit of a procession this morning, with some good bowling, and Pant playing the wrong game, and England are re-asserting a dominance they never really lost.
It’s the expectation that kills you, but ENG are bowling well. Am sure they will continue to attack the stumps rather than the body of the IND tail and wrap this up in an innings.
After rolling them for 78 it would have taken a fantastic effort of ineptness to concede dominance🤓
The Moeen turns turns one nearly square to bowl Shami neck&crop and you wonder how you could have got him into the attack an hour ago.
TV shot of the IND batting brains trust talking to Siraj #11 … “now if you try really, really hard and bat for 1 1/2 days we might get a draw.”
There aren’t any Pommie cricket supporters on the Dope glorying in a resounding win?
Stuffed 'em.
Is a hard victory to celebrate. Firstly, because it draws us level rather than pulling ahead. And second, because that second innings batting by India was actually pretty good, until it wasn’t.
Positives for England, though. Two returning batsmen have done pretty well, and that leant a stability to the batting top order that has been missing for years. Our bowling depth is fantastic. Root is still the best batter I’ve seen for England.
Two games to go! All results very possible.
I’d particularly like to hear from @Cumbrian , who hasn’t been around much lately
Whenever Ishant comes on to bowl I find myself humming, ‘Ishant Sharma’s gonna get you’.
Does this happen to anybody else?
Is this to the tune of ‘Rhythm is gonna get you’? Because that doesn’t scan!
Instant Karma
That… makes more sense.
Eventful first day at the Oval, where India managed to recover a little to get to 191 (from 127/7), but got England to 53/3.
Burns and Haseem gone early again, Root in at 6/2, and gone again right at the end of play. Should be a good day tomorrow, could go either way!
At times like this I’m very conscious of the tension between “wanting England to win” and “wanting a gripping game of cricket”.
The last Test was fun, but if they were all like that it would get a bit boring. So I was feeling oddly disappointed with India’s early collapse, and oddly reassured as the tail drove the score up. Honestly not sure how I feel about 53/3.
I feel better about 54-4!
Yeah, I think my feelings have clarified at this point!
Oh I now see that it was just the nightwatchman. Nightwatcher?
Nightwatchman still, I think. Haven’t heard the term they use in the women’s game.
It was just a nightwatchman, but a) Overton can bat a bit and so we’ve potentially left some runs off the score and b) a big psychological difference even if you know its your better batters to come
I’ve thought along these lines before, in previous eras of England Test dominance (especially at home). And, all told, I’ve learned to enjoy the occasional absolute thumping of the opposition, because such golden days are not common.
At risk of putting the mockers on, England putting a partnership together. I would really, really like to see Pope put in a match-defining innings here, because god knows it doesn’t look like anyone else is going to.
And even as I type that, Bairstow is given out and is going to review. Could be a bit legside…
Not even Umpires Call. 151/6
@ drinks England trail by 6 with 6 down.
Will need a bit of a spark from the IND bowlers. They’re grumbling about the ball which is a poor sign and suggests ENG might get the next 20 overs to make hay.
Obviously ENG will take every run but can they get another 100?