England in India Winter 2016 | Page 2 | Vital Football

England in India Winter 2016

Looked good at 200+ for 2. Good effort from Jennings after being missed on nought. Then a proper English wobble. 288/5 needs to be converted into 400 or preferably nearer 500. Stokes and Buttler a vital partnership.
 
We scraped up the 400, and have never lost on the sub-continent when we have reached that. But with India on 146/1 and Vijay and Pujara grinding away It looks like they will at least get close to our score. Moeen and Rashid looked ineffective.
Quick wickets needed from somewhere tomorrow morning.
 
Yes we put a first innings 400 on the board which sky pundits tell us is good for Bombay. England apparently have never lost when putting up 400 up and batting first. We shall see as today our spinners looked amateur compared to the likes of Ashwin. We need wickets and early on or it could be a long hot day of toil for us tomorrow.
 
And I might as well add that India can if they chose, at 2-0 up after 3 matches have a draw. It's a must win for us to keep the series alive.
 
I'll say it. This series is lost. India 51 ahead and 3 wickets left. 3 missed chances today, and Kohli makes the most of it by getting to 147. Another 80 or 90 runs and we might be looking at an innings defeat, the motivation is going and pride might not be enough.
England haven't played too badly, four seamers for one game is at least one too many in India, but the itinerary has been too strenuous, the spinners not quite good enough and India are good, very good, especially at home.
 
Looks like we are going to get a leathering in this test. I thought 400 was respectable but with India topping 600 it isn't. Our spin attack inadequate so unless we bat really well we will have no success in India.
 
Stevie_imp - 11/12/2016 12:43

Looks like we are going to get a leathering in this test. I thought 400 was respectable but with India topping 600 it isn't. Our spin attack inadequate so unless we bat really well we will have no success in India.

You've said it all. At least the selectors now know where we below standard.
 
Well that was embarrassing. Innings defeat and series lost going into final match without a win. Interesting that Cook is talking about resigning as captain and openly suggesting Root as his replacement. All the while Bayliss remains tight lipped.
 
Tropical cyclone Vardah hit Chennai this afternoon. Provided it goes ahead on Friday India will play England again in the final test. 1/2 India, 3/1 the Draw, 5/1 England, only the terminally optimistic will back England.
 
Impecunious - 12/12/2016 19:16

Tropical cyclone Vardah hit Chennai this afternoon. Provided it goes ahead on Friday India will play England again in the final test. 1/2 India, 3/1 the Draw, 5/1 England, only the terminally optimistic will back England.

Lol how much are you going to put on at 5/1 ?
 
Now we've degenerated into questioning the caption I fear for the worst in the final test on Friday.
 
All starts again in a few hours. Anderson out with soreness and a spinner Dawson in. Makes sense. Can we nick a win and save some blushes? Doubt it but who knows.
 
Well disastrous start with Cook and Jennings going cheaply leaving England 21-2. Root, Bairstow stopped the rot and a really great century from Moen Ali who is 120 no. England 284-4. Need well over 400 to be competitive probably 500 with our inadequate bowling attack. All to play for tomorrow.
 
Well 477 all out sounds respectable from England. However we've been here before. Stokes and Butler both out cheaply meant we relied on the last 4 bowlers scoring over 170 between them. Had Cook, Jennings, Butler and Stokes performed with the bat then 600+ looks possible on this pitch.

Who knows but I doubt India will be forgiving in their reply.
 
As expected India's batsmen perform and were 391-4 at stumps. Rahul out on 199. Should have seen his face. I expect India to pass our 477 total probably just after lunch tomorrow.