Surely we can have some fours and sixes getting that score! I want to see Root get his double century!
The 4 England bowlers were outstanding. Bowling an excellent line and length and never giving India a breather. Probably the best team bowling performance in a couple of years. India however were absolutely dire with the bat. They were never going to get a huge score playing against that attack on this ground but the one thing anyone knows is you don't drive the moving ball at Headingley... Especially when wickets are tumbling. We were a bit lucky to rattle through them quite so quickly but sometimes that's just the way it goes. India just looked like a side that thought this was going to be a walkover.. amazing really after the fight they showed at the end of the last test. Batting wise the openers were outstanding as India also bowled fairly well and you do need a little luck to pass milestones on this ground. Overall I'm optimistic about this side as with Hameed up top, Malan as a proper number 3, Overton as an extra all rounder, and Moeen as the spin option we look very well balanced. It was also great to see 3 less established seamers bowling so brilliantly in tandem with Jimmy. I'm not a fan of Root's captaincy or the way the Test side has progressed under Silverwood but as a Yorkshireman I'd love nothing more than them both to make me look a fool. Here's hoping this is the beginning of something special as opposed to a flash in the pan.
I just wondered how much they were charging. Last time I looked, or heard it on the radio, the prices were getting on for £100 for a single day's play which I think is far too much.
I’m in the western terrace tomorrow at £50 a ticket. Also have the same seats, but for Saturday at £15. Obviously it looks like they’ll be non or very little cricket Saturday now.
It's very rare a BBC article makes me chuckle but the opening to this is brilliant https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/58334559
They all could have led to loss of a wicket. Players get out to good deliveries all the time, I’m always more disappointed when a player gets himself out needlessly, or gives the chance to be out. Hopefully India’s bowling level doesn’t elevate and these two can get back in a get a big score. Keep our heads and we should be level after this test.
Hameed was in control of 89% of balls faced yesterday, which is high compared to a normal innings. Burns was 84% for reference.
Yes, but I think a test innings without a chance being offered is a pretty rare thing. Even Root’a ton in the first test involved his usual spell of erratic play shortly after reaching 50. Personally, I wouldn’t use 4 false shots, and maybe one half chance, out of 160 balls as reason to have a dig at the player. No doubt there’ll be bigger tests for him to come as teams figure out plans for him. Possibly starting today. And I’d probably still favour Crawley over him if I were picking a team to play in Australia. But for home tests, I’m struggling to think of two better openers than him that can play instead, and think ultimately he’ll do pretty well.
I’m not having a dig, just giving a view that on another day he could have gone for a single figure score because of the shot selection he made and lack of footwork early on. He’s certainly more sub continent style in his technique, his wrists coming into play and playing expansively away from his body. Every player has faults, that’s cricket, I just think another day he’s out for a low score, and not because of great bowling. If he can get those feet moving quicker when he first arrives, be a bit let loose and wafty, and that will serve him well. Looked more solid as time progressed, but he still brought the slips in play when I didn’t think he needed too. Hopefully he can mitigate his flaws, like the best players do and give a bit of stability to the top order. i don’t think I’ll see much play today... the joy of decorating! But should see fridays play, so fingers crossed we can get a very healthy lead and put pressure on. The middle order should work better with less pressure on and are more suited to attacking when ahead.
I thought he looked pretty solid, and while he doesn't move his feet a great deal, he gets his weight moving in the right direction. He will no doubt have to mitigate his flaws, because test match bowlers will find them pretty ruthlessly, as they do with all batsmen. That's where the coaching staff come in. Not sure they're doing a great job at helping the players with that at the moment.
Have you got good seats? Love that buzz of the crowd on a test match morning. After lunch it will be a fair bit louder.
Forecast says a bit of sun might creep through today but not much warmer. Was there for a test v west indies in may 2007 single figure temperature all day.
