England v India

Fido said:
Another example of the unpredictability of sport.

England set a new world record for a last wicket stand in tests. And still going.

So when all seems lost. Hang in there!
Click to expand...

A Yorkshieman carrying the fight yet again I see :)

(Honourable mention to Jimmy Anderson too ... wrong side of Hill though!!)
 
Right now the BBC Sports web page is saying that Plunkett's two wickets has left the test in balance whilst also indicating that England have the upper hand. India are 145 runs ahead with 4 wickets down on an unpredictable pitch - I can only see one outcome (barring weather) and it does not involve an England win.
 
I've not seen much of it but from what I can gather India put on 150 for their last three wickets in both inning, Cook persisted with letting Broad bowl too short but when he did use Plunkett and Stokes we got wickets. I'm not sure when he last got a century or even a fifty but surely he has to to be relieved of the captaincy and concentrate on his batting, I just don't know who should take over. Even if we somehow win this it would just be papering over the cracks of us lacking leadership and nous.
 
I think the problem - if that's what it really is - stems from central contracts in that once you start down the road of selecting an elite it leaves little room for anyone to break through unexpectedly. This is magnified when it comes to captaincy. - Cook was the obvious choice to take over from Strauss - there does not seem to have been a contingency. It's not working at the moment but, then again, he's not the first player to see a dip in form on assuming the lead role. I can't see an alternative right now so England may have to sweat it out.
 
The problem with Cook isn't just his lack of form but he's a poor captain but no one stands out as an alternative. If we just sweat it out it could be a return to the performances of 90s, until some more young players come through by which time hopefully some of the new players will be ready to step up.
 
It was just me in the office today so I had TMS on and it was going well until one ball before lunch. Listening to Cook and Moores we're just going to stick to a losing formula and hope we start winning, still I have no idea who should be captain. As Ron said central contracts are causing a problem now but then they were brought in to try and develop some consistency and were being praised when we were winning matches.
 
I quite often type my own name as Ron - it's because B and N are next to each other. :icon_razz:

Looking at the current set of players there is really only Broad who could step up as captain at the moment - the crux of the team are too young and inexperienced. Of the other senior players - Bell, Prior and Anderson, only Bell has captaincy experience, and then only occasionally. That leaves the option of parachuting in a county captain - and that's what central contracts appears to work against. I'm not against them in principle.
 
The time for a change of captaincy will be the end of this series if things don't turn.

As to others. One at least is sorted:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/28413373
 
If there is anyone commentating and writing on sport who is more annoying than Geoffrey Boycott, I've yet to come across him or her. What a complete and utter wanker.
 
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