creeeeeeeekeeeeeet

[BWFC_Insane]

England embarrassing here.

213-3 to all out for 280 something.

Drop catches galore when they could have had India out and had a 150 plus lead. Easy catches too.

Now 86-6.

Shockingly bad. Needs a complete re-think this test side.

[TANGODANCER]

England embarrassing here.

213-3 to all out for 280 something.

Drop catches galore when they could have had India out and had a 150 plus lead. Easy catches too.

Now 86-6.Shockingly bad. Needs a complete re-think this test side.

Being sensible, it was England v Kohli in the first two innings as none of the rest of India made over 30. Yes, the missedcatches were bad, as not having an appeal left for an "out", but we're not going to have everything our own way all the time. India are a good side. We need a bit of resistance in our tail end and some good bowling. All isn't lost yet.

[Prufrock]

Margins innit. Take that Kohli dolly and this is done. We didn't and now it looks tough. Don't forget though they're arguably the best team in the world, with the best spin-bowler who averages under 20 against lefties (we have...7?), in hot dry conditions.

[BWFC_Insane]

England embarrassing here.

213-3 to all out for 280 something.

Drop catches galore when they could have had India out and had a 150 plus lead. Easy catches too.

Now 86-6.Shockingly bad. Needs a complete re-think this test side.

Being sensible, it was England v Kohli in the first two innings as none of the rest of India made over 30. Yes, the missedcatches were bad, as not having an appeal left for an "out", but we're not going to have everything our own way all the time. India are a good side. We need a bit of resistance in our tail end and some good bowling. All isn't lost yet.

Resistance in our tail end? We're 96 for 7. We need a top order that doesn't fail consistently. Our middle order is built around having runs on the board and taking games away from teams. Not batting at 40-4.

[TANGODANCER]

England embarrassing here.

213-3 to all out for 280 something.

Drop catches galore when they could have had India out and had a 150 plus lead. Easy catches too.

Now 86-6.Shockingly bad. Needs a complete re-think this test side.

Being sensible, it was England v Kohli in the first two innings as none of the rest of India made over 30. Yes, the missedcatches were bad, as not having an appeal left for an "out", but we're not going to have everything our own way all the time. India are a good side. We need a bit of resistance in our tail end and some good bowling. All isn't lost yet.

Resistance in our tail end? We're 96 for 7. We need a top order that doesn't fail consistently. Our middle order is built around having runs on the board and taking games away from teams. Not batting at 40-4.

Gee, you do like a good moan mate. Almost like you're happier when we're losing at football, golf, cricket etc,etc, not to mention our home heroes at the University of Bolton in Horwich Stadium. It's also almost like you forget there are other teams playing who want to win as much as we do. Cheer up, we ain't dead yet

[Prufrock]

Young man showing them the way forward. Almighty six to bring up his first test 50 batting at 8 in his second test!! Go on lad.

India set what would be a record 194 chase. Reckon it's 50/50. Need Kohli gone by close.

[Enoch]

Don't forget though they're arguably the best team in the world, with the best spin-bowler who averages under 20 against lefties (we have...7?), in hot dry conditions.

I'm a leftie, he's never got me out!

[BWFC_Insane]

Young man showing them the way forward. Almighty six to bring up his first test 50 batting at 8 in his second test!! Go on lad.

India set what would be a record 194 chase. Reckon it's 50/50. Need Kohli gone by close.

Record chase in England.

Can't see anything other than an India win to be honest.

Sam Curran puts our top order to shame. Shows what positive intent, and clear plans gets you.

Mind picking Jennings is a nonsense. That lad does not have the technique to open in a test side. Period.

[Prufrock]

*checks Edgbaston on map*

Yep!

Happy for a #8 to bat like that. Few of the rest need to lay off the positive intent for a bit.

[Enoch]

Sam Curran puts our top order to shame.

You might have said Sam Curran puts their top order to shame ....

England's top six minus Root - 216 runs

India's top six minus Kohli - 112 runs

.... hopeless them Indians.

[TANGODANCER]

India have been very much about Kohli and Sharma. Now Kohli is the prime target. Either get him of collapse the rest around him and we could win it. Then again......who knows....

[Prufrock]

V tasty. Think Bruce was there today. Wonder what he's picked for tomorrow.

[Enoch]

Think Bruce was there today. Wonder what he's picked for tomorrow.

Hopefully, something of a certain age.

[Enoch]

.... hopeless them Indians.

[TANGODANCER]

My confidence wasn't misplaced. Superb win and performance from England. I've followed the comentaries right through and watched the highlights on Cannel 5 each evening. I'll be there tonight.

[Bruce Rioja]

Was down at Edgbaston for the third day on Friday and really couldn't have picked a better day's test cricket. Phenomenal stuff.

However - Edgbaston wasn't full, quite far from it in fact. Now think about that. England vs India playing in Birmingham didn't fill Edgbaston for the third day? That's a bloody poor show. There are, of course, those who'll immediately point to a demise in the popularity of test cricket, but I'm not sure I'm having that. For the measure btw, I was at O/T for the T20 game against Yorks a few Fridays ago and what an incredible evening that was, but ultimately the two formats are entirely different games and should always be treated as such.
Our tickets on Friday (we were sat at 20 to / 10 past for want of a description) were £66.00 + BF (so £70) each. £15 to park the car plus the price of a bite to eat there takes me to £100. Add however much on for my mates a few beers and all in all it's a 4ucking dear do.
Towards the end of play they advertised tickets for the Saturday as starting at £29 each. Really? Regardless as to which way the result went there could never have been more than two hours to play on Saturday.
Now, don't get me wrong, I'm more than happy to have paid what I did, especially in light of how play went on Friday, but there are plenty who simply aren't in a position to.
If the ECB really do want to fill grounds for test matches then I think they really do need to look at pricing.
As I say, if on the third day of the first test you can't fill a ground in Birmingham when England are playing India then you're getting something very wrong indeed.

[BWFC_Insane]

Was down at Edgbaston for the third day on Friday and really couldn't have picked a better day's test cricket. Phenomenal stuff.

However - Edgbaston wasn't full, quite far from it in fact. Now think about that. England vs India playing in Birmingham didn't fill Edgbaston for the third day? That's a bloody poor show. There are, of course, those who'll immediately point to a demise in the popularity of test cricket, but I'm not sure I'm having that. For the measure btw, I was at O/T for the T20 game against Yorks a few Fridays ago and what an incredible evening that was, but ultimately the two formats are entirely different games and should always be treated as such.
Our tickets on Friday (we were sat at 20 to / 10 past for want of a description) were £66.00 + BF (so £70) each. £15 to park the car plus the price of a bite to eat there takes me to £100. Add however much on for my mates a few beers and all in all it's a 4ucking dear do.
Towards the end of play they advertised tickets for the Saturday as starting at £29 each. Really? Regardless as to which way the result went there could never have been more than two hours to play on Saturday.
Now, don't get me wrong, I'm more than happy to have paid what I did, especially in light of how play went on Friday, but there are plenty who simply aren't in a position to.
If the ECB really do want to fill grounds for test matches then I think they really do need to look at pricing.
As I say, if on the third day of the first test you can't fill a ground in Birmingham when England are playing India then you're getting something very wrong indeed.

Agree with this. Cost of tickets needs to be looked at. Didn't realise they were quite so expensive until I read your post.

Add to this it is August - so school holidays so lots who might watch will be in Southern Europe somewhere. Plus the test started on a Wednesday which I always think is a bad do. If you're working and want to watch a few days its 3 days off work. Plus there is a chance its all over or practically all over by the weekend.

I think test cricket needs changing up though to re-attract the crowds. The base game is untouchable for me. But its the organisation. So start earlier in the day. Give yourself more time to get the overs in should rain threaten. Allow 100 overs a day - this way you let the paying public see more cricket IF the going is good. Stupid to see a day washed out and only 85 overs the day before on a lovely sunny day. Increase the fine for slow overrates. 5 runs per over underbowled. That'll sort em. Have 4 day tests at 100 overs a day but keep a 5th (reserve day) if so many overs haven't been bowled. Most tests finish inside 4 days now. The 5th day for me should be there only if overs have been missed. Otherwise the 5 dayers will likely be the high scoring borefests that turn people off.

Perhaps that is all a bit radical and I'd not do it all at once. But believe you me, I have worked with kids who love cricket and hardly any care about test cricket beyond the Ashes. Even then most will watch an hour and get bored. They all play 20:20 or variations of it. And are glued to 20:20 cricket be it England, the IPL or domestic competition. The attrition of a test match has lost them in the majority of cases.

[BWFC_Insane]

Here we have a classic example of why test cricket struggles...day 1 a depressing wash out.

Day 2....sun out, but still we'll start at 11am. Half the day wasted. Could have started 9.30 or even 9 to cram extra overs in.

But no. We'll still doggedly start at 11am.

GTFO

[Bruce Rioja]

Here we have a classic example of why test cricket struggles...day 1 a depressing wash out.

Day 2....sun out, but still we'll start at 11am. Half the day wasted. Could have started 9.30 or even 9 to cram extra overs in.

But no. We'll still doggedly start at 11am.

GTFO

Absolutely spot on.

[Enoch]

A day at a test is a leisurely affair. Where's the fun in rising at the crack of dawn?