India v England, First Test Thread

[msp83]

India won the toss and are batting.
No surprises with the teams.
India
Gautam Gambhir
Virender Sehwag
Cheteshwar Pujara
Sachin Tendulkar
Virat Kohli
Yuvraj Singh
MS Dhoni
R Ashwin
Zaheer Khan
Pragyan Ojha
Umesh Yadav.
No Monty for England and Compton is having his debut.
Nick Compton
Alastair Cook
Jonathan Trott
Kevin Pietersen
Ian Bell
Samit Patel
Matt Prior
Tim Bresnan
Stuart Broad
Graeme Swann
James Anderson.
The pitch seems dry and should take turn.

[Duty281]

Bad toss for England to lose. Still it gives a great chance for England to make an early impact.

[Mad for Chelsea]

Broad looking quite sharp with the ball early on. England have created a couple of anxious moments, but this looks a fantastic toss for India to win. No swing whatsoever, but a couple have moved ever so slightly off the seam.

[msp83]

Could be an important toss by the look of things, There is nothing much for the fast bowler here, remains to be seen whether there will be some reverse available later, otherwise its really tough for the seamers on this track, no swing, and as expected, no real seam movement either.

[Luke]

Morning all. True mad, can't help England should of picked Panesar, don't think picking the amount of seamers will help. Sehwag is worryingly scoring quite quickly.

[msp83]

Just a wide slip and gully, England going on the defense a touch too soon?

[msp83]

Now Bresnan into the attack. Anderson went at 6 an over in his first spel.

[msp83]

First ball from Bresnan was an absolutely harmless bouncer, but a decent over nevertheless to start with, just the 1 run of it.

[Mad for Chelsea]

Just a wide slip and gully, England going on the defense a touch too soon?

I think it's more a case of the lack of carry meaning edges won't get to the slips anyway.

[msp83]

For viewers in India, Star cricket has done a favor, Rahul Dravid is on commentary. He will certainly evolve as a commentator in the future, but for now, nice to feel' the man is involved.

[Mad for Chelsea]

unfortunately they're also lumped with Harsha Bogle

Sky have Nass and Beefy at the mo.

[Luke]

Broad going for quite a few, would possibly give Patel or Swann a go.

[msp83]

Missing Nass and Atherton. Is Gower involved for Sky?

[Mad for Chelsea]

hasn't been so far, don't know if he will be.

nothing happening out there for the bowlers, India cruising.

[msp83]

unfortunately they're also lumped with Harsha Bogle

Sky have Nass and Beefy at the mo.

MFC, I think in comparison to the like of L Siva, Brad Hogg, Danny M and quite a few others, Harsha is pure bliss!!!.

[Gerry SA]

One question are Nasser, Beefy and co in India or in England?

Secondly Timmy Bresnan is barely bowling at 80mph. Whatever reserve swings he gets will be to slow to really hurt the batsmen.

[msp83]

50 up for India.

[Luke]

The great Henry Blofield is on test match special at the moment with Vick Marks, think Dravid is also on, along with Aggers & Boycott.

[msp83]

Think Sky commentary is from England and not from the ground.

[msp83]

Is there a work around available so that I can follow TMS from India? Is CMJ back?

[Mad for Chelsea]

it's been a chastening hour for England, India going along at 5 an over without looking like looking a wicket since the first couple of overs. Even more worryingly, England haven't even bowled badly, but this is such a true pitch that the Indian batsmen can just play their shots.

[Gerry SA]

Think Sky commentary is from England and not from the ground.

Thanks MSP

[msp83]

13 overs in the first hour, Cook has to work on that overrate a bit.

[Duty281]

61/0 at drinks, tough start for Cook's captaincy. The wicket is dead, time to get Swanny on. England need a wicket sooner rather than later.

[Luke]

I couldn't tell you msp, I know it's on digital radio 5 live sports extra, and radio 4 long wave. But Also should be available on there websites, but other than that not really sure.
No CMJ's not been on for quite a few series, Aggers is the main guy, also usually have a commentator from the local country as well, not sure who it is from India, Dravid just taken over with Aggers.

[Luke]

I couldn't tell you msp, I know it's on digital radio 5 live sports extra, and radio 4 long wave. But Also should be available on there websites, but other than that not really sure.
No CMJ's not been on for quite a few series, Aggers is the main guy, also usually have a commentator from the local country as well, not sure who it is from India, Dravid just taken over with Aggers.

[ShankyCricket]

Looking fairly ominous.

[Mad for Chelsea]

13 overs in the first hour, Cook has to work on that overrate a bit.

not entirely Cook's fault: Gambhir makes Trott look fast when it comes to getting ready...

[Luke]

So who do people think should take over from Bresnan when this spells over?

[Mad for Chelsea]

Gower's on Sky now BTW...

[msp83]

Would be interesting to see how Sehwag would go about dealing with Swann. He believes spinners are born to be thrashed around, but today he has batted so far with more sense than he showed for the last couple of years.

[msp83]

I couldn't tell you msp, I know it's on digital radio 5 live sports extra, and radio 4 long wave. But Also should be available on there websites, but other than that not really sure.
No CMJ's not been on for quite a few series, Aggers is the main guy, also usually have a commentator from the local country as well, not sure who it is from India, Dravid just taken over with Aggers.

The online commentary is available for only UK users, otherwise you have to have some work around it.
Prakash Wakankar is the Indian commentator with TMS, that's what I read. He's pretty good, knows what he's talking about.

[msp83]

Gower's on Sky now BTW...

His commentary may not be the best at times, but I love his voice!, has that artistic quality about it, just like the case with his batting.

[msp83]

Sehwag has been falling in the 30s and 40s far too many times in the last couple of years. But this time he has at last gone pass 50.

[Luke]

I couldn't tell you msp, I know it's on digital radio 5 live sports extra, and radio 4 long wave. But Also should be available on there websites, but other than that not really sure.
No CMJ's not been on for quite a few series, Aggers is the main guy, also usually have a commentator from the local country as well, not sure who it is from India, Dravid just taken over with Aggers.

The Indian commentator is Prakash (sorry didn't get second name). Sehwag should get a deserved 50, The pitch and Bowlers really not helping this match as a contest.

[Mad for Chelsea]

well I'm not sure where all the talk of spinner's pitch is coming from, this isn't turning one iota either. It's worrying that India are going along at five an over despite England bowling OK...

[Luke]

I couldn't tell you msp, I know it's on digital radio 5 live sports extra, and radio 4 long wave. But Also should be available on there websites, but other than that not really sure.
No CMJ's not been on for quite a few series, Aggers is the main guy, also usually have a commentator from the local country as well, not sure who it is from India, Dravid just taken over with Aggers.

The Indian commentator is Prakash (sorry didn't get second name). Sehwag should get a deserved 50, The pitch and Bowlers really not helping this match as a contest.

[Mad for Chelsea]

Sehwag into full ODI mode, on this pitch he might as well, there's just nothing in it...

[Gerry SA]

Sorry to say but ever since Timmy Bresnan damaged his elbow he's lost something from his bowling. He's bowling around 5-6mph down. Looks very average.

I would've liked to see Meaker play. The kid has serious pace.

[msp83]

Hundred partnership between Sehwag and Gambhir. Coming after a long time almost after 2 years and 34 innings.

[msp83]

Well, MFC, I think this is an important toss for Dhoni to have won. The pitch may not be tturning from session 1 day one, but it should turn at some point later in the game.

[Mad for Chelsea]

Broad back on, bowled pretty well this morning. Can he find some reverse swing?

[msp83]

Might be a touch early for the ball to reverse.

[Mad for Chelsea]

well it's not doing anything there...

England could do with some quiet overs here, just to wrestle back some control, that means keeping Sehwag off strike as much as possible, which is happening at the mo.

[Mad for Chelsea]

poor from Samit Patel: on his heels in the covers there and that lets Gambhir get off strike with a soft single.

[Mad for Chelsea]

poor from Broad: bowls four balls in pretty much the perfect spot to Sehwag before throwing out a "hit me" ball which is duly dispatched...

[Luke]

The only thing that will get Indian batsmen out at the moment is themselves, Gambhir keeps offering poor shots, not sure what we can do,possibly just keep changing the bowlers.

[Mad for Chelsea]

be patient, slow the scoring down, wait for Sehwag to do something silly like there, hope next one goes to hand.

maybe give Patel an over before lunch?

[Mad for Chelsea]

and here is Patel. maybe not a bad idea: see if Sehwag can stay calm

[Mad for Chelsea]

well it won't work with balls like that first one...

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