England Cricket Thread 2011

[taylorsworkrate]

Wickets falling now.  Pitch looks completely different to the flat one the commentators have banged on about all day long.

[PaulWinch again]

Yeah we need to make sure we don't throwaway a chance of a big lead.

[taylorsworkrate]

I think theres been enough in the pitch all day long.  Its obviously easier to bat with the sun out, but by no means an ideal batting wicket.

It may have appeared so because Bell, Pietersen and Morgan played so well.  It may also have appeared so because India have bowled nowhere near well enough up until the second new ball.  They take a wicket and all of a sudden they are putting the ball in the right areas and the ball and pitch are doing the work for them.

We should already have enough runs, and still a fair amount of batting to come.

[Villan For Life]

We should comfortably get a lead well in excess of 300. If Prior sticks around he could take this away from them in half an hour. Such an attacking player.

[taylorsworkrate]

Very interesting the stats about the respective lower orders.

England have got effectively 3 very good no 8's batting at 8, 9 and 10, and a no 11 who can hang around for a decent amount of time.

India have got Harbajhan, who can score runs and 3 genuine no 11's

[taylorsworkrate]

Prior playing another gem of an innings.

[PaulWinch again]

Agreed belting innings.

[taylorsworkrate]

over 400 in the day.

great fun.

[Villan For Life]

over 400 in the day.

great fun.

Is it the first time that we've done that since the Ashes test at Edgbaston in 2005?

[taylorsworkrate]

over 400 in the day.

great fun.

Yeah believe so.  Can't think of any other times England have done it in last 50 years or so.

Is it the first time that we've done that since the Ashes test at Edgbaston in 2005?

[taylorsworkrate]

Great stuff England.

Aggressively wrenched the game our way.

[Villan For Life]

Fantastic day of test cricket

[PaulWinch again]

Yep brilliant.

[Villan For Life]

Are we in for an overnight declaration or do we bat on tomorrow?

Strauss is a cautious captain and so i think we'll bat on and aim for a lead of 500 which is only 126 runs away. We should hopefully get to that figure just after lunch tomorrow (if Prior and Bresnan stick around) and we'd still have 5 sessions to bowl them out.

[PaulWinch again]

No chance of declaration. There's no reason to give India a sniff, and plenty of time left in game.