Cricket: England gain hold

Michael Clarke would be a very lonely man as all leaders of any loosing campaign could be. He has his plate full with things he got to do to salvage something out of the Ashes 2013 venture. There are simply too many reasons to restrict the causes that has made Australia look very ordinary over last few seasons. Cook on the other hand and go on to the field do whatever he likes and result seem to fall in his lap, straight away very easily. 

England are playing ruthless cricket for the moment. I thought a series will be a well fought one but what I see leaves me a bit bemused. Australia had set such benchmarks, leaving teams only to compete second, fitness of players, awesome batting line up where everyone had capability and record of turning the match on its head, scoring runs, taking catches, triggering collapses. The bowling was envy of all, a wizard of leg spin, three excellent front line bowlers, marginal decisions or the rub of the green was often with the baggy green corner.

 All this has been repeated ad-nauseum. It is history. If Australian cricket continues in its current state,they will be getting framed in an image. An image of being Once a great team. Its something how West Indies were in last fifteen years, they just fell from the roof tops.

Poms first.

Poms enjoying the Ashes, batsman are queuing up to score and bowlers even part timers are queuing up to bowl and claim prized scalps. They have taken a 2-0 lead and look good to hold on to the Ashes. Australia have come back from a deficit of two games to win the ashes just once but for that too happen someone has to play a Bradmansque series or perhaps Bradman would have more clues. 

England can claim lot of comfort from the fact the big three of Cook, Peitersen and Trott haven't really fired with the bat. But I guess for the moment its Bell, and the lower order thats firing on both sides. A striking feature that the best bats haven't dented this Ashes so far. Bell in the first test, Root in the second the fact that both these innings came while England were in a spot of bother would have made the England camp a very happy one. 

Anderson and Swann meanwhile have made a run away start. Broad is a handful on English conditions. Anderson claimed a bag full of wickets at Trent bridge, Swann took 9 in the match to skittle Aus out for 128. He scored some good runs with Broad at the end when Aus tried cleaning up the tail. The hung on and scored at a brisk rate to balloon English total to 360 instead of a subtle 325. 

Fans loving it when Australia keeps loosing it. 

The cricket fans who very often hard done by Aussies coming from behind and winning impossible matches or stringing consistency which was beyond imagination. I mean we grew up knowing Australia would win, they were hard to even compete. But no such complains any more. Cricket fans in places other than Australia are having such a jolly good time. It such a relief that they got battered by England in England, than England beat them in Australia than Saffers did it twice while visiting Australia. Yes India got blanked out Four Nil. Dhoni would have enjoyed a chuckle when Australia toured India and India turned the tables. Spinners doing the damage. Even Bhuvnesh Kumar new to test matches enjoyed bowling to Aussie batsman on placid Indian pitches. 

Its the snobbery and the sledging or the mental disintegration as suggested by Steve Waugh, now I am sure they wont have much to say about their current form and performance. There use to be a lot of lip and lot of swagger. 

Aussies use to be the big bullies. When they were winning series after series the tongues kept wagging and the juggernaut kept rolling. England didn't win a sniff for better part of twenty years till 2005. When Flintoff lead the bull charge. India did win at home against the Aussies at home. But now it seems all quiet on the field front. Pattinson did it last series against Graeme Smith with Aus hosted Safs. It was all in a bad taste, you play and play fair and you win gracefully Aus at times didn't do it right, there have been so many infamous incidents, often including Indian players. I guess when the Aussies started getting paid same coin and with same intensity, they didn't like their own medicine very much. There were numerous occasion in which players from all over get very partisan treatment from the Aussie fans and media and often that fueled the lip players would get on the pitch even more. Aussies at home were unbeatable. I would wonder why, know I am beginning to wonder what it would have been to form unrelenting gaze under which key players from opposition were kept under the grind the time they stepped on Aussie shores. 

All that now seems to thing of the past. Yes as a marquee contest of the Cricketing world Ashes perhaps rules the roost, Indian and Pa fans may contest that, but its crickets oldest rivalry a fact which cannot be contested. Aussies seems to have fallen rather quickly from their all conquering ways. Its now time for us fans to pile on the dismay for the Aussies as Cricket Australia sees humbler days. Its not only that Australia have fallen, other teams have equally done well. Saffers have done well away from home, England have done well too, Pakistan is only playing away from home. Dhoni would look to build on, starting in limited overs format abroad, advantage at home and perhaps if his bowlers come of age than a run away from home in tests.

Tough road ahead.

The rot in performances, I mean the enormity and the rapidity with Aussies have fallen perhaps reflect the board,an odd blip in a series may be understandable but capitulation of this magnitude, tell us more about how cricket Aus have abandoned the grass roots, premier Big Bash, a T20 is played in prime cricketing season, in front of sparse crowds. In last handful of seasons no Aussie batsman has stamped his authority Aussie batting looks fragile, bowling looks decent but its hard to finish the marathon with a limp.

Aussies should have corrected their course before the end of previous Ashes, they didn't They were too large to fail, I don't know how players of over 35 years will take the Aussie cricket forward. Aus will be better fared if they threw the newbies in the bout and plan a road to recovery. For the time being, team selection, batting order, intensity, performances, camaraderie within in the team are few minor issues Cricket Australia and people who are well wishers of Australian cricket team would like to consider. 

England lead Australia by 2-0, three more tests to go.

 

Cricket: Dhoni wins Champions trophy

There is always this saying that keeps going around, which says captain is as good as the team. Napoleon said once something to the effect that he doesn't fear an army of hundred of lions led by a sheep but fears an army hundreds of sheep led by a tiger. Dhoni got his team, he won. There are light years between Dhoni and others captains in the latest contest that saw India winning Champions trophy. Yes team matters, there have been these brilliant performances, starting but not limiting to Jadeja and Dhawan, who won the golden ball and golden bat respectively. The fielding was superlative through out the tiurnament. It made a just above decent (pace) bowling look brilliant. The top order clicked and middle order had little chances and on their way to winning the trophy, got exposed in the final a little bit, but they won all the matches, at times they looked to be losing ground but came back to win eventually.

Champions of champions

India beat previous winners, South Africa and West Indies, Sri Lanka. The first match against South Africa, which started well for the Indians. Steyn didn't play as he was ruled out on fitness grounds, Morkel broke down middle of the game, rest of the bowling didnt posed enough challenge. Sharma cut loose early and Dhwana caught up to match stroke for stroke. Sharma characteristically holed out, Dhawan went on to score his second century in as many international innings. 

There were more twirls to the mustache which were to follow. Indians faulted a late charge by Jadeja and Indians ended up scoring 334. In the end it proved just enough to secure a win.

South African charge saw, Bhuvanesh claiming Ingram as the first wicket, Yadav then claimed Amla with one that took the inside edge, Amla was a man in hurry and a big wicket to restrict SAf chase early. Devilliers promoted Peterson up the order probably showed his cards to soon. Peterson and Devilliers kept building a strong base. Jadeja through a brilliant fielding spectacle claimed Peterson run-out, the trap was set for the choke. Jadeja then claimed Dumiy LBW and the bubble was just about to meet the needle, from 155 for 2 they were reduced to 188 for 6. The danger men were all in the pavillion.  Then Indian just made sure SAf were in the hut and just deflated SAf chances. McClaren did play well, if only one of the SAf batsmen had stayed long enough on the crease.

West Indies were next.

West Indies started well. Gayle obviously like T20s, started well, but then got out as he was looking to build on. West Indies look half baked if Gayle doesn't fires. So it was wickets, run wickets, wickets, run wickets and Runs. Charles played well, but once spinners came of, he played to many shots instead of holding on. Darren Bravo was almost on his way to score an infamous 36 not out, but his misery too ended soon. Jadeja just ran through the middle order taking fie wickets, with subtle changes of turn and bounce and spin and West Indies batsman had little clue. Jadeja has come a long way, in the last T20 world cup in West Indies he was nowhere as good as a bowler, and to come from there and win the golden ball is something.

Sammy however restored faith in tottering innings I think Sammy should be batting three down and should shoulder the responsibility of building an innings from 25 to 40 over. He scored last 50 of West Indies runs on his own. He caned Ishant Sharma, epitome of Indian bowlers inabilit to bowl at the death. A very interesting chased one would have though, Indian reply was one worth looking forward too.

Talented Mr Sharma and Messrs Dhawan started the Indian chase. Sharma with some daft touches, square drives and pulls, started to make West Indies attack very very ordinary Sharma is an innovative modern day player, but he is at his innovative best when it comes to getting out. He managed to get a tickle on the inside edge flicking the bal leg side,one of the more embarrassing ways to get out if there is one. Nanine claimed both the wickets that feel meanwhile rampaging Dhawan kept building on and scored is second ton of the series. Karthick meanwhile helped himself to a half century as West Indies dropped catches and chance of posing a challenge to Indian reply. The Juggernaut had just started to roll.

A farce called Pakistan cricket team.

Pakistan are the most dangerous when they are down and out. They have been down and out for quiet some time. Yes there are these occasional flashes of bizarre freakness but thats about it. Pakistan seem to have a very ordinary team, wickets fall like nine pins. If you bat first and score a decent score of 240 to 260 you pretty much in drivers seat. But Indian were ticking all the boxes on paper, Pakistan seemed unable to put up a decent team on the paper. They limped to an embarrassing 165 in nearly 40 overs. It was such an eyesore of an innings. It wasn't a Pakistan we knew; it was such a shame that there was such a hype for this match and when it ended there wasn't even a whimper about it. Pakistan have to go back and search for wood to find a decent drawing board before thinking of going back to the drawing board. Indian had a cake walk over Pakistan, didn't even look like a worthy of a practice game of clubs,which one feels are more competitive. Pakistan were out bowled and blown in the field. Kohlis run-out of Junaid just stood for the metaphor of the match and Indian's Dominance. 

Rain didn't exactly help matters, but that doesn't rob way the fact that Pak played like a true minnow.

Another walk in the park, OK jog.

Lankans came off from a tough match where they beat England chasing down 293, which at one stage looked more than enough score to defend. But against Lankans, Indians won a crucial toss and invited Lankans to bat. Indian bowlers made the most of the bowling conditions and ball swirled and swung on the string. Reduced to 41 for 3 and Dilshan injured. Jayawardene and Matthews tried building a partnership. Jadeja once again put his hat in the ring by having Jayawardene bowled. 

Mahela is a big fish, he plays with a silken touch and perhaps one of the better batsman who can play spin bowling. It was a big wicket. Other fell trying to up the ante and Indian restricted Lank an score to 181. A jog in the park was ensured.

Talented Mr Sharma and Dhawan opened the innings, Sharma fell as expected when least expected should have looked to finish the match with a quiet 60 but went for glory and tried an ugly hoick only to get bowled top of off stumped. Embarrassing way to get out. Kohli started cautiously and just build on it. Dhawan was doing the hitting and kept going, before he was smartly stumped. India were in cruise control before more dibble and dabbles, whip and slashes and we were into the finals.

Finals England.

The match was on 23 Sunday, anyone remotely a cricket fan saw the entire Indian campaign at least 5 to 6 times as rains tried it best to get a wash out and England India to be joint winners. The match was 5 minutes away from wash out but rains retreated and a 100 over match was reduced to 20 over a side match.

Indians started cautiously. The rain started and stopped at times Indian batsman were hitting it to covers and stealing singes, at times they were running to the pavilion as the covers came on. 66 for 5 and in deep soup, Sharma bowled again. Dhoni and Raina scored a single between them, Karthick fell to a swipe, Dhawan did his bit but Kohli and Jadeja added quick runs to just push the Indian score at more than run a ball. Just enough cosnidering the condtions and England had to do the chasing.

English had the match to loose. Yadav started the rot, got one to bounce more and Ashwin caught Cook at first slip. Trott was looking comfortable against pace but Indian spinners had sorted out how to bowl on English conditions. Ashwin, was looking to make it rip. He went round the wicket straight away. Trott having dabble previous over to spin , looked very cautious. Went down the wicket, Dhoni stumped him in a flash, Root, holed out on sweep and England were looking very very insipid.

Bell got stumped which was clearly not out and may have just turned the match or nearly turned it in Indians favor Bopara, living under a sword did his bit with eh ball, claiming three wickets earlier, started to build with danger man Morgan. Ishant was back to his merry ways, of gifting one boundary ball per over. Morgan and Bopara looked dangerous Ishant got clubbed for a six and then bowled two wides, Indians looked in a precarious position and need a stroke of luck or a mistimed stroke from the batsman. Morgan has such a good eye, was lulled into a weird stroke lobbed an easy catch at mid wicket, Indian came back next ball, Bopara smashed a pull and Ashwin caught one and India merely had to hold on to the 20 over and victory was there for the taking. 

Butler got bowled from a beauty from Jadeja and Indians had their hands on the trophy. One more wicket, courtesy a run-out and fat lady was clearing her throat.

Ashwin had 14 to defend in the last over, with such conditions loaded in favor of Ashwin, he bowled a cool last over even after being stuck for a boundary.

India deserving winners.

Cricket: Turn around in Kochi

A match that played out like a perfect script. Indian top order struggle, Yuvraj plays a cameo, Raina-Kohli build, Dhoni-Raina combine to raise the platform, Dhoni then takes the charge and Jadeja rides the luck and takes the score to a formidable total. Then the rookie bowlers strike, England crumble, a few partnerships and then a signature of old yore of England and India march home with an emphatic victory.

Forget other things,take One Day at a time.

India seems to be struggling at the top. Rahane seems to be chosen for the long haul, but right now he looks like he has booked a camping trip with Rohit Sharma. Rahane needs to score runs in the bulk. It is the way it is. A few low rung scores will do him more harm than ever. As we know Rohit Sharma is talented but than Manoj Tiwary's quantum of bad luck is Rohit Sharma quantum of talent. Poor chaps Tiwary, doesn't seem to fit in the game. Gautam Gambhir Sir Ga-Ga has done everything to get dropped, lady luck is also frowning upon him but management and selectors want to make sure then don't drop him just for extended poor run with the bat. He is walking wicket and run making is not on his current to do lists. Ishant Sharma could well give him company. Lambu and Sir Ga Ga are a perfect foil each other. You could blindfold them both, ask Ishant to bowl and Sir Ga Ga to bat and bowl against each other all day, at the end of the day, Ishant may still not claim his wicket and sir Ga Ga may still raise his hand and asked to be dropped from at least, this exercise. Both seem to have lost it for the time being. I hope these guys strike gold sooner rather than later. India slams in excess of 280.

IPL is almost on the horizon, they will surely find form then long wit all the others, Sharmas, Pathans, Patels, etc.

Raina gets on with his game.

Raina may be a picture imperfect, but he makes runs when there is a need. It sets him apart from Kohli's and Rahane and others. Yuvraj can turn the game in matter of overs, but he still to get on to his full rage. There are glimpses though, especially some of the knocks in T20 against Pakistan I know he got unlucky in Kochi or else he alone would have taken us in excess of 300. But now for Raina. At juncture he finds himself is a precarious one, but over a period he has shown he can deliver. He has scored almost 4000 runs at an average approaching 36 with a strike rate 91. He has vulnerabilities. A worth off spinners would love to bowl at Raina. He is prone to short ball as well. But when given a chance he may wobble but he delivers. He played with ODI finishing school with likes of Dhoni and Yuvraj.

India high on MSD.

MSD averages 58 as a captain thats for ODIs spread over 6 years and 130 ODIs. He is a complete ODI batsman, belligerent and gutsy. His 113 against Pakistan almost set a tone for him this season. You can expect a lot of helicopters being set free. He is simply outstanding Cook acknowledged a fact. He is just lethal at the end of the innings. Dhoni just got stuck into England bowling in the second ODI.. he may look t play a boring and subdued inning, running hard singles but his ability to change gears and just start launching sixes at will and finish the innings sets his apart. He just lead the front from the front. Jadeja, then took it one step forward and just flayed Dernbachs last over and gave India a tough total to defend.

England – start, stop; crumble.

Bell shocker drive off Shami which ended up in Dhoni's gloves perhaps set the tone for English bowling, Bhuvneshwar Kumar grabbed his chances and claimed three wickets with lot of guile. Pietersen played characteristic flash in pan innings bowled by Bhuvnesh. Eoin Morgan cam and went and so did the English chances. The England middle order mere completing the formalities of making and appearance. England woes didn't end while they where leather hunting. Jadeja bowled a spell of 7 overs for 12, claiming couple of wickets. I think the batsman who got out to Jadeja must seriously look at their games against spin. I mean Samit Patel tonks Jadeja for sixes. England loose by 127 runs. Its very inspid so to say.

The Indian team is over balances in favour of batting. It is no secret. I think this over balance will be exposed when we play big tournaments where its up to the bowlers to set the tone. A good win but lot of worries on bowling department front.

Cricket: Road ahead after dismay

The bitter fruits we have today were borne from a tree that took root in the past. If Indian team wants to be a competitive team in conditions domestic and alien, then time is right for a person who has conviction and vision to come forward and with determination revive Indian teams Test fortunes. England played really well. It is a team in ascendancy for sure. They have a bowling attack for various conditions and batting line ups. A batting order that's firm. A set opener in captain Cook in prime form. An aggressive and mercurial batsman in Pietersen, a work horse in Trott and Bell.. A good keeper-batsman in Prior and a tail that wags and adds more than 80 runs or more for last four wickets. Its pretty much what a test team ought to be, which India isn't on current  capabilities form and fitness.

It's the swing and the spin, stupid.

You know words forming a sentence are open to interpretation e.g. “India is a graveyard of bowlers” now look at Indian bowlers. Zaheer, Ishant, Irfan, VRV Singh, RP Singh, Praveen Kumar, Balaji, Sreesanth, Munaf and many many more have burst on to the scene and disappeared when one blinked an eye. Then there are spinners, Kumble retired, Bhajji just went out of the boil, he looks docile and listless, a very sad scenario. Ashwin and Ojha are raw earning their ropes. I hope BCCI is doing some good work to unearth bowlers and restoring the not so fast bowlers to bowling ftness. The World cup 2011 indeed was victory a miracle considering not many of our bowlers find a place even in the second squad of Pak, Saf, Eng, Aus even WI. I know world cup was a different format. The point is our bowling department mere completes the team. I dont think batsman fret facing our bowlers. We have been in almost perennial dearth of a fast bowler/s, bowling at the peak of prowess, claiming wickets on all condition for more than 10 years. There are too many variables in there, simple there is not enough incentive to be a fast bowler or the system to find one. The stand and wallop pitches on domestic scene don't necessarily encourage any type of bowling.

As I said BCCI seems to be rich in cash flow, there is enough expertise on bowlers, I don't think too much is being done at least nothing is seen in the face of the recent results. The fact is, it is a collective lapse, cant really say batsman have done wonders and bowlers have bought back teams, on foreign tours of Eng and Aus bowlers buckled mid innings (often at the start) too many injuries, not enough match bowling, batsman and bowlers did little to inspire or please, capitulation was on the cards simply because pipeline of bowlers was bone dry and getting drier with every passing tour. Any sport is about balance, with an indifferent batting in alien conditions, batsman preferring to play their natural attacking shot making which either ended in slips or back on to stumps was a big embarrassment

Bowlers win test matches. The next crop of super stars have to be bowlers if Indian team has to be the top teams.

Its time to build again.

Its time, bitter pill was swallowed so that game can move ahead At this point in time it seems we need to swallow lot of pills and work towards getting on top of the tree in five years time. I don't know if Sachin alone is responsible to take a call on his retirement, can the board compel him of one more series, what are the stakes of the sponsors of Indian team and brand that Sachin endorses in his retirement. Should he have retred once Indi won the world cup?If looking forward should he retire at the end of next season, will he play in SAf late next year, many question. One is to make a pool of 25 to 30 players with two to three keepers, 4 to 5 spinners, 8 to ten seamers, 3 openers and other batsman. The senior players like Sehwag, Bhajji, Dhoni, Gambhir, Yuvraj, Zaheerj must be forced to chose any two of the three formats. I think Dhoni must give up gloves in T20 cricket. The captaincy must be split into limited and test cricket. There should be a cap on Indian players who opt to play test to appear in just 8 to 10 of 14 or whatever matches. There are subtle but definite steps that should be taken to safeguard test match cricket.

Old school of India cricket.

Indian batsman flunked the finger spinner test, they played like the English batsman, stuck on the crease, playing against the turn. We need to find the batsmen who step out and whack it out of the park and then sit back and cut, someone like Sidhu is you want a picture in mind. Old school test match batting seems to be extinct now, playing for time, session, pulling things back bit of old doggedness of boring but sustaining cricket. I think its time to get people of elder generations like Rayudu and Kaif into the test team, give them a decent run. I don't know who the next Indian spinner is on the horizon, one who keeps bowling length and hopefully his variation is not that delivery that pitches right once a spell. I mean one who attacks a spinners' length and batsman's stumps and can do that all day, in any conditions. Whats the incentive in India to be fast bowlers. The some of the time tested quality batsmanship witnessed in Aus vs SAf series along with top notch bowling on both side saw a conteswt keenly followed by cricket fans all over the world. It is that finesse and quality that was delight to watch. I feel there is that quality, Kohli-Dhoni partnership showed us in the last test. But we can be better. If the situation demands that spending time on the wickets keeping the team intact is primordial than natural game suited to flat feather beds must be curtailed when ball is doing tricks.

Indian board Must Do's

Get men responsible of producing a very competitive first class set up. Money is shouldn't be the issue, I think. They must flex there muscles, to have our domestic players to play couple of seasons, in Aus, Saf and England other places too if they can. They have money on the table and people acknowledge their clout. I pity they cant do that, Dravid and Zaheer gained immensely with their county stints. It helped Indian team to no ends. I am no authority of the pitches that first class set up is played about its not good enough to produce a stream of complete test batsmen and bowlers, may be there is some scope of things to be done there. IPL is a decent breeding ground to have a look at what our players have to follow, at least it is an avenue for Indian fans o see what talent is learning their trade on our circuit.

Its time to work of the slack and make a team for the next generation. If we don't find answers to some tough question India cricket may see a slide like many other teams have did in the recent past.

Cricket: Indians undone by spin

England have shown,test matches are won,when wickets are taken by bowlers and runs are scored by batsman. Ahmadabad seemed a timid match,like reading from a cliche' Bollywood the script. Dhoni asked for bounced and English spinners turned the table on Indian batsman, literally. Indian played with three spinners, none of them looked even closely as threatening as English spinners. The flurry of wickets on the first day set Indian on back foot. Cook and Pietersen, just rode the Indian bowling. I mean how tough it is for a spinner to purchase their wickets by constantly inviting the batsman to drive. Bhajji has almost lost it. Ashwin kept firing at middle and leg on Cook who kept dabbing most of the time, and turning it when the opportunity arrived. Indian batsmen lost on turn and bounce!

 

Often when playing at home,Indian problems get masked in the limelight of victory. I think we should welcome bouncy pitches, this result withstanding. I mean I don't know how easy is it for our batsmen, go wake up on a flight, disembark and bat on a bitch where ball is bouncing and climbing to chest high. I hope Indian bitches continue to turn and bounce. There is hope that emanates from this series of events.

 

Fingers, palms together closed fist and knock out punch.

 

Indian batsman of yore would use their feet, testament to this fact are bowling averages of Murali and Warne in India and other illustrious spinners before them. The new age Indian batsman, with heavier bats, bought up on flat-graveyard-for-bowlers pitch, tend to play from the crease. There was just one shot from Ashwin when the batsman got adventurous stepped out and smacked Swann for a six. The next delivery predictably was short pitch on middle and leg. The weariness to camp inside to the crease rather than getting to the pitch of ball and hitting over the top of all around the ground is the bane of Indian batsman today. If you play and prod against the spinner, your luck will run out sooner rather than latter. 

 

Beaten by the pace and bounce of Spin.

 

Indian batting team scores in an inverse relation to the bounce on the pitch. Swann and Monty bowled fast on a turning pitch aided with bounce Their missing ingredient however was an invitation to drive. It is another skill that the Indian spinner lacked. Bhajji has been the chief exponent on how not to get wickets and spin. There could be various reasons for Bhajji being off the boil for last couple of years or more. I would just like to highlight. That in the last world cup (payed in India) he just had few wickets and for better part of tournament, Indian leading spinner had same number of wickets as Prosper Utseya of Zimbabwe. Its been that sad for Turbanator. Bhajji stock delivery is one which sees to crash land, on leg (sometimes) out of leg stump(more often than not) offering a single if not a boundary. I don't know if any batsmen visiting India would not welcome Harbhajan bowling. Bhajji has lost it.

 

Cook Pietersen together bake the cake.

 

England had one meaningful partnership and guess that was enough. Cook and Pietersen just pulverized a toothless Indian attack.. Indian bowlers had no clue where to bowl. Cook held one end up. Pietersen played a very crucial knock. He hammered at will He plays a high risk game, when it does come off, England look very good. He took this game with the scruff of the neck and just flayed it all along. He never looked to get out. His body language was proactive and he was in control. He out paced Cook for most of the partnership. It was very good attacking batting. His marathon innings ensured India were chasing a wild goose. English spinners did the rest. England won by 10 wickets a very good effort.

 

Looking back was it...

 

Was it the best toss to lose for England? Some careless batting, by the middle order and then some club class bowling saw us chasing the game. Pujara did hold one end up but feeble batting attempt by Sehwag, Kohli, Yuvraj and out of form Tendulkar just put us in a gridlock and we lost it from there. There are lot of lessons on offer provided team learns them and hopefully come out in Kolkatta as a better.

The series is now 1-1 with Indian Team on the back foot, this is now England's series to loose.

Cricket: England looses the initiative.

England: 244-7
Collingwood: 60* Pathan: 57-3
Cook: 60

Rahul Dravid will believe it was a lucky toss to lose in the end. England started well with a solid opening partnership. Alistair Cook looks good. Harbhajan managed to check him from time to time, with the opener struggling to pick the spinners variations. He played a classic openers innings. The first to go was Strauss, it was a nothing shot off Santh an invitation to trouble. Laxman meanwhile held onto a sharp chance giving Sree Santh his first test wicket. Then Bell came in hit a couple of boundaries and was foxed by Harbhajan's off spinner, which went straight. Dravid held on the edge. He is top class when it comes to first slip catches. This one was no different. Pietersen also seemed to be motoring along before a rash shot caused to play Santh on to the stumps. Then there was a partnership. Collingwood defended, Flintoff attacked. It looks like Flintoff doesn’t actually looks forward to play spin. He was unlucky to be given out to Kumble for score of 43.
Collingwood meanwhile spent lots of time on the crease. I hope he kicks on tomorrow to make an impressive score. At the end of the day, Irfan Pathan proved that, he is also very useful with the old ball and notched up a couple of wickets. Collingwood should play at number three because Ian Bell doesn’t fit in there, as his footwork against spinners is often wanting. The opener really played well. He was bowled by a Pathan in swinger a touch of Wasim could be felt if you look at that dismissal.
Indian seems to be in driver’s position. However, the problem is polishing off the tail, which is often the case of India’s undoing. The seamers shared five wickets between them while the spin twins shared a wicket apiece. I think pace should be used to clean up the tail. India will truly be in control if they are to take a lead in this test series. However, as both teams are yet to complete an innings one must not presume much. I think England played a decent inning by keeping not letting spinners take too many wickets. I hope the case is not so in the second innings. I think the English batsmen have to spend more time on the pitch. They should try to aim to play test cricket in an old fashioned when then only can they make a match out of it.