Fourth Test match thread

Mark_GT

Well-known member
Here goes then. It would be great to put one over on Kohli and finish on a high. Anyone feeling optimistic?
 
We simply had to win the toss and try to get a score of 250+. The wicket is doing plenty but not quite as much as the 3rd test at the same ground. If we are to post a competitive total then these pair will need to do most of the damage. It's a big ask but I hope this test is closer and therefore a better spectacle, it may be a while until test match cricket is on a free view channel again plus it would be nice to have something to watch on Saturday/Sunday morning.
 
Throwing wickets away again, their heads have gone as far as batting against spin. I see another sub-200 score this innings and a win by a big margin for India again.
 
But the pitch is turning a bit and bouncing a lot so it’s a result wicket - India in control at the mo as I predicted
 
We seriously need to be still batting tomorrow morning or there’s another hammering on it’s way. If we do get beat I’m not going to get carried away it’s a very tough place to go and would of probably accepted a 3-1 loss before the series began as a lot were predicting 4-0. On a side note Personally find the home comms pretty annoying, not exactly impartial in anyway are they.
 
I know we’re not allowed to call our best batsman but take away that 200+ Root scored in the first test even he’s struggled in the last 5 innings.

Stokes just gone now 121/5.🙄
 
We’ll be bowling soon (for a long time !)

Stokes never looked settled with most of his scoring shots coming off very high risk shots - still, he got 50 and half our total

LBW Bairstow always wastes a review p

perhaps 250 (we probably won’t get any where near that) might be a useful total
 
We’ll be bowling soon (for a long time !)

Stokes never looked settled with most of his scoring shots coming off very high risk shots - still, he got 50 and half our total

LBW Bairstow always wastes a review p

perhaps 250 (we probably won’t get any where near that) might be a useful total
Being 130/5 I’d be over the moon with 250, like you though just can’t see it.
 
Pope is working hard to fair - using his feet well and concentrating very hard

they need to keep milking singles - there seems to be an air of we must get quick runs and they don’t - 80 of the total have come in boundaries perhaps too many aerial better to just work it around as there are singles
 
Well we’ve survived to tea without losing anymore wickets and another partnership forming so that alone is a big positive 144/5.
 
250 has to be the target from here, whilst that may not be enough to be a winning score it should at least keep us in the Test. Taking the positives, if we lose at least it means Australia miss out on the Test World Cup Final.
 
250 has to be the target from here, whilst that may not be enough to be a winning score it should at least keep us in the Test. Taking the positives, if we lose at least it means Australia miss out on the Test World Cup Final.
Be lucky to get 220.
 
Our batsmen are showing the psychological damage that the last 2 games have done to them on what currently is a slightly better wicket than the previous two.

If, and it`s a big if, these two youngsters could get decent scores here it would be a huge step forward in their Test Match careers.
 
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It`s not so much a loss of concentration more a case of uncertainty and indecision when some balls turn and some don`t.And there goes Foakes once again uncertainly playing down the wrong line with a ball that went straight on with the arm..
 
Our heads have gone, whilst the pitch is offering plenty of turn and bounce our shot selection and patience has been woeful. To continually score less than 200 is an issue that is quite frankly embarrassing in the first innings of a Test Match. Leach, Bess and Root will have to perform miracle to keep us in this one, although I have visions of Rohit, Kholi and Pant pasting Bess's pies all over the ground.

Edit to add we have passed 200 and with Jimmy and Leach at the crease 300 is still on!! 🤣🤣
 
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The Foakes fan club have been pretty quiet these last few Tests. Not quite the obvious choice many felt he should be.
Don't think so, he is just another failing batsman in a team of failing batsmen
But he is probably the world's best wicket keeper as he shows every time he is behind the stumps so should be in the team whatever he does with the bat.
 
They know a bad ball will come along from our spinners especially Bess. Could be a while before we bat again and I expect well be in survival mode. Hope I'm wrong.
 
Don't think so, he is just another failing batsman in a team of failing batsmen
But he is probably the world's best wicket keeper as he shows every time he is behind the stumps so should be in the team whatever he does with the bat.
But that's the problem isn't it. An extra 100 runs (all theory of course) could be the difference. A stumping probably won't.

Not slating Foakes by the way; he's obviously the best keeper and a decent bat. But it's whether he was the shoe-in that many seemed to be saying. Goes back to the old adage 'You're always a better player when you're not in the team'.

The big issue in all this is the top 3. Whoever plays there, they just don't look remotely comfortable in any conditions and that will always bring pressure. It also then creates the situation where the selectors are choosing the better batsman over the better keeper and the better batsman over the better bowler as a way of trying to find more runs from the lower order. It's been our biggest issues for several years now and will be disguised by a home series where the lower order contribute well and paper over the top order cracks.
 
5 wickets to non turning spin balls. We're seeing trouble that isn't there. Poor batting.
 
Gough on the money about how we're going to have a stronger one day/t20 side than test side as it seems we've compromised the test team to make sure everyone available for the white ball hit and giggle stuff.
 
It has to be said yet another poor batting display from England, unless our bowlers perform a miracle another heavy defeat looming here methinks.
 
Gough on the money about how we're going to have a stronger one day/t20 side than test side as it seems we've compromised the test team to make sure everyone available for the white ball hit and giggle stuff.
Correct and it infuriates me. We should be giving ourselves our best chance and more importantly, respect I g the test format. Let's hope Stokes is on the money here.
 
But that's the problem isn't it. An extra 100 runs (all theory of course) could be the difference. A stumping probably won't.

Not slating Foakes by the way; he's obviously the best keeper and a decent bat. But it's whether he was the shoe-in that many seemed to be saying. Goes back to the old adage 'You're always a better player when you're not in the team'.

The big issue in all this is the top 3. Whoever plays there, they just don't look remotely comfortable in any conditions and that will always bring pressure. It also then creates the situation where the selectors are choosing the better batsman over the better keeper and the better batsman over the better bowler as a way of trying to find more runs from the lower order. It's been our biggest issues for several years now and will be disguised by a home series where the lower order contribute well and paper over the top order cracks.
But the issue with the batting isn't down to Foakes as you point out
Foakes' job is primarily to keep wicket and to provide a few lower order runs. If the players before him were performing he would probably score more runs, the issue is the failing top order, in particular the top 3.
I wouldn't be too scathing about the selection policy TBH. We are expecting the athletes to stay in the same hotel for weeks on end and play a few games of cricket in between waiting time away from family. These are unusual times and I think the rotation is generally a good idea, and it gives the selectors a chance to look at a few options.
 
Correct and it infuriates me. We should be giving ourselves our best chance and more importantly, respect I g the test format. Let's hope Stokes is on the money here.
He needs to bowl dry. He was rank in the last match.
 
Jimmy bowling as well as always, we will need him to take another couple of big wickets before we are back in this test.
 
I wouldn't be too scathing about the selection policy TBH. We are expecting the athletes to stay in the same hotel for weeks on end and play a few games of cricket in between waiting time away from family. These are unusual times and I think the rotation is generally a good idea, and it gives the selectors a chance to look at a few options.
Totally agree with this. Unless any of us have had to do it for months on end, we really have no idea how the players are feeling. And being well-paid to do it really isn't the point.
 
Apparently this is the first time Stokes has opened the bowling in tests? If so that shows that maybe we've again not thought it through. Some very odd team choices throughout so far in India.
 
Totally agree with this. Unless any of us have had to do it for months on end, we really have no idea how the players are feeling. And being well-paid to do it really isn't the point.
I can see that but the hokey cokey approach hasn't been a good idea. Witness Moeen and JB?
 
I can see that but the hokey cokey approach hasn't been a good idea. Witness Moeen and JB?
Moeen was sort of smeared, he was supposed to play but he had to isolate and then went home when it was scheduled. However the management managed to make it look like he was home-sick.
 
I can see that but the hokey cokey approach hasn't been a good idea. Witness Moeen and JB?

I don't really see that they have a choice in the modern game. Players want to play in all formats if they can and England want to compete in all formats. For players like Root, Stokes, Buttler, Bairstow, Archer, Wood and (maybe) Moeen, that's a lot of cricket in a normal situation. But at least you get to go home, see your family and take the mental break you need. Having to do all that in a foreign country, cooped up in a hotel with nowhere to go for months on end is not reasonable for anyone and can't have a positive impact on their cricket. In my view.
 
At least we have got something to bowl at. Get them out for 150 & game on. Then again they could score 300.
 
I must admit I wouldn't want to be stuck out there in a bubble waiting for endless pointless 20/20s etc. It must have been a weird old Winter for them. We'll need clearer thinking to even have a sniff in Australia. As far as I'm concerned the Aussies can win as many short form matches as they like as long as we have our absolute best, and best prepared side out there for the tests.
 
It's not the selection policy. It's the way that the one day/t20 is priority and that will have everyone available cos they've been sent home to miss test matches.

I'm all for managing workload but not for tests being the lowest priority.
 
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