NFR Cricket 3rd test

[ron]

The Indian Cricket Board are on the phone as we speak, ordering a couple of loads of horse manure to prepare the wicket for the fourth test.

Sour grapes? Probably. But the Indian side should be applauded for adapting to their (familiar) conditions far better than we did.

[Abbotsbury White]

Not a good day for test cricket. In normal circumstances, spectators will feel cheated that they didn't get play and need to apply for a refund for the days where there is no play. Broadcasters aren't going to like feeling short changed.

Not sure how many India need to win the series by to get into the test final v New Zealand.

Think England needed to win 3-1 or 4-0 so thats not going to happen, NZ V India in the summer @Lords.

[grandad]

In Tests in England we may leave a little grass on the pitch to bind the surface which can help our seamers but the pitch in India for this Test is only a little short of cheating. Joe Root getting 5-8 says it all.
However the selectors got it all wrong. Only one recognised spinner was a big mistake. Only 2 wickets taken by seamers from both sides.

[Southcoastffc]

In Tests in England we may leave a little grass on the pitch to bind the surface which can help our seamers but the pitch in India for this Test is only a little short of cheating. Joe Root getting 5-8 says it all.
However the selectors got it all wrong. Only one recognised spinner was a big mistake. Only 2 wickets taken by seamers from both sides.

So Joe Root benefitted from 'cheating'?   Interesting to hear Kevin Pietersen earlier talking calmly and without prejudice saying that 'batsmen on both teams batted poorly on a pitch which was not that bad'. 

[ScalleysDad]

In Tests in England we may leave a little grass on the pitch to bind the surface which can help our seamers but the pitch in India for this Test is only a little short of cheating. Joe Root getting 5-8 says it all.
However the selectors got it all wrong. Only one recognised spinner was a big mistake. Only 2 wickets taken by seamers from both sides.

I hope the debate on preparing a wicket to favour the strengths of the home side gets more of an airing. The Somerset points deduction still stinks although it is a wide ranging discussion on providing a contest with spin as an option, preparing a wicket that assisted Bess and Leach and Waller and having a wicket where batsman would be tested, often to the benefit of the national squad ..................... bu**er lost that debate then.

[filham]

Lowest ever test scores for almost a hundred years.
Going to be difficult to sell tickets for day 5 of the next test.

[alfie]

Lowest ever test scores for almost a hundred years.
Going to be difficult to sell tickets for day 5 of the next test.

What's day five?

[Somerset Fulham]

I think Michael Vaughan is an advocate of doing away with the toss and allowing the away side to choose when to bat.

The way pitches are in every test country in the world these days, it doesn't seem a bad idea to at least try to even the odds a little.

[filham]

Lowest ever test scores for almost a hundred years.
Going to be difficult to sell tickets for day 5 of the next test.

What's day five?
Tempted to respond with the one after day four but that wouldonly lead to a question about day four.

[filham]

I hope we have already arranged for a couple of extra spin bowlers to be shipped out in time for the next test.

[Plodder]

As India only need to avoid defeat in the final Test to qualify for the final of the World Test Championship against New Zealand, I have a feeling they will try to produce the flattest surface possible with no life in it. As well as making a draw and therefore qualification much more likely, this would have the additional benefit of taking some of the heat out of the discussion about the pitches so far.  If they win, they will feel even more vindicated.

[ScalleysDad]

As India only need to avoid defeat in the final Test to qualify for the final of the World Test Championship against New Zealand, I have a feeling they will try to produce the flattest surface possible with no life in it. As well as making a draw and therefore qualification much more likely, this would have the additional benefit of taking some of the heat out of the discussion about the pitches so far.  If they win, they will feel even more vindicated.

I thought New Zealand and India at Lords had already been set as the thrashing on Thursday meant England could not qualify. I have no sources or written evidence but I am sure Agnew mentioned it on the podcast.
It is almost inevitable the next track will be more of the same, why not a three one walloping will be good for morale, so it will be interesting if we go Root, Leach and Bess and not Archer, Broad, Anderson.

[Woolly Mammoth]

The pitch was not fit for test cricket.

[grandad]

I hope we have already arranged for a couple of extra spin bowlers to be shipped out in time for the next test.

At club cricket level I was a leggie & always opened with the second over. In that class of cricket top end batsmen rarely were still in when the spinners came on. Most seasons I topped the bowling averages. I am ready & waiting for the call.

[Brawn]

As India only need to avoid defeat in the final Test to qualify for the final of the World Test Championship against New Zealand, I have a feeling they will try to produce the flattest surface possible with no life in it. As well as making a draw and therefore qualification much more likely, this would have the additional benefit of taking some of the heat out of the discussion about the pitches so far.  If they win, they will feel even more vindicated.

I thought New Zealand and India at Lords had already been set as the thrashing on Thursday meant England could not qualify. I have no sources or written evidence but I am sure Agnew mentioned it on the podcast.
It is almost inevitable the next track will be more of the same, why not a three one walloping will be good for morale, so it will be interesting if we go Root, Leach and Bess and not Archer, Broad, Anderson.

Australia will qualify if England win. I feel that the best two sides over the period have been New Zealand and England, although England lost too many points to bad weather which is obviously outside of their control. If a draw was worth half points rather than a third maybe England would be in there as well.

I don't feel India deserve to be there, they got humiliated in New Zealand and only had to play Bangladesh and South Africa (who are in a mess at the moment) as well as England at home. Can't help but feel the ICC are doing everything to support India again, as they did during the World Cup by giving them a less taxing schedule and a week off at the start, as well as having the Indians produce the widely-panned coverage for the World Cup.

[Plodder]

As India only need to avoid defeat in the final Test to qualify for the final of the World Test Championship against New Zealand, I have a feeling they will try to produce the flattest surface possible with no life in it. As well as making a draw and therefore qualification much more likely, this would have the additional benefit of taking some of the heat out of the discussion about the pitches so far.  If they win, they will feel even more vindicated.

I thought New Zealand and India at Lords had already been set as the thrashing on Thursday meant England could not qualify. I have no sources or written evidence but I am sure Agnew mentioned it on the podcast.
It is almost inevitable the next track will be more of the same, why not a three one walloping will be good for morale, so it will be interesting if we go Root, Leach and Bess and not Archer, Broad, Anderson.

England can't qualify, but if India lose, they drop below Australia who (instead of India) would then play New Zealand in the final at Lords in June. India have to draw or win to make the final, which is why I think the pitch may well be a flat road. I think India would win easily on the proverbial "bunsen", but they may feel it is a less risky option to go for a flat batting track, which would also please the BCCI, broadcasters and fans by making the game longer, and enable them to argue against any repercussions from the ICC (although these are unlikely) for the pitches produced to date.  If they also win rather than draw a longer match, that would be the icing on the cake.

[Brawn]

The team I'd play for the 4th Test:

Burns, Sibley, Crawley, Root, Stokes, Pope, Foakes, Bess, Leach, Wood, Parkinson

Crawley is our best #3 and we should not be trying to put square pegs into round holes any more. Keep him at 3 and have Rory Burns at 1, or if you are in the anti-Burns camp then you go shooting in the dark for another opener. Leave Crawley where he is. I would be playing 3 spinners and would give a test debut to Parkinson.

[ScalleysDad]

As India only need to avoid defeat in the final Test to qualify for the final of the World Test Championship against New Zealand, I have a feeling they will try to produce the flattest surface possible with no life in it. As well as making a draw and therefore qualification much more likely, this would have the additional benefit of taking some of the heat out of the discussion about the pitches so far.  If they win, they will feel even more vindicated.

I thought New Zealand and India at Lords had already been set as the thrashing on Thursday meant England could not qualify. I have no sources or written evidence but I am sure Agnew mentioned it on the podcast.
It is almost inevitable the next track will be more of the same, why not a three one walloping will be good for morale, so it will be interesting if we go Root, Leach and Bess and not Archer, Broad, Anderson.

England can't qualify, but if India lose, they drop below Australia who (instead of India) would then play New Zealand in the final at Lords in June. India have to draw or win to make the final, which is why I think the pitch may well be a flat road. I think India would win easily on the proverbial "bunsen", but they may feel it is a less risky option to go for a flat batting track, which would also please the BCCI, broadcasters and fans by making the game longer, and enable them to argue against any repercussions from the ICC (although these are unlikely) for the pitches produced to date.  If they also win rather than draw a longer match, that would be the icing on the cake.

Ok. Thanks for that. New Zealand, India or Australia at Lords will be like a home tie for both finalists if fans are allowed in. Somerset have a four day game against New Zealand which might tempt me out.
It's amazing, strange or both that there has been enough time for all the finger pointing, inquests and post-mortems to have been held and be today's fish and chip wrappings when the game should actually still be on going into the final throes.

[Plodder]

It's amazing, strange or both that there has been enough time for all the finger pointing, inquests and post-mortems to have been held and be today's fish and chip wrappings when the game should actually still be on going into the final throes.

Yes, I feel as a cricket lover that I have been short changed by a Test completed in two or even three days.  I suspect a lot of Indian supporters feel the same, even if delighted by the win.