[Steeroid]

I dont care what you think of Kumble's century. We're close to sewing up the first innings, and then we need another 10 wickets to win the test.

Pray for it. Support your team. Keep the arguements for later.

[rks]

As I mentioned, the Indian bowling attack looked vastly superior to that of England, as also confirmed by Ian Chappell at tea. To be fair to the Englishmen, Tremlett came into this match after getting injections for some injury and Sidebottom also had a side strain at some stage. As noted by Chappell, pretty stupid of the English selectors to pick a man who needed injections in order to get (half-) fit for bowling.

Indian bowlers will have some good rest tonight, so I hope Dravid imposes the follow-on. These days many captains do not impose follow-on, for fear of the main bowlers getting over-worked. This is a result of the excessive amount of cricket that is being played, causing frequent injuries/break-downs to the bowlers, especially the faster ones.

[mclaren1885]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

I dont care what you think of Kumble's century. We're close to sewing up the first innings, and then we need another 10 wickets to win the test.

Pray for it. Support your team. Keep the arguements for later.

AMEN! 202020202020202020202020.

[khaadu75]

Originally Posted by rks

. To be fair to the Englishmen, Tremlett came into this match after getting injections for some injury and Sidebottom also had a side strain at some stage. As noted by Chappell, pretty stupid of the English selectors to pick a man who needed injections in order to get (half-) fit for bowling.

.

Ur UNBELIEVABLE ... ....... U forgotten that Imran Khan also played the WC final with the help of a few injections -- and he bowled very well !!! Lets just give our team credit ..... so shut the debate about us scoring so much coz we played against a injured bowling attack !!

Learn to accept the positives .... if you want to criticize the negatives -- that too by sitting on ur couch !!!!

[rohan_fonseca]

Whenever a team represents a country, its is the best possible team selected. Cricket involves skill, strenght, stamina, concentration and fitness. The non-avalaibility of the Ashes bowlers was due to the lack of their fitness. If Sidebottom or Tremlett were playing injured, it was also due to lack of fitness as well as inadequacy of available reserves.That makes India a better team on the day!

[rks]

Originally Posted by khaadu75

Ur UNBELIEVABLE -- U forgotten that Imran Khan also played the WC final with the help of a few injections -- and he bowled very well !!! Lets just give our team credit ..... so shut the debate about us scoring so much coz we played against a injured bowling attack !!

Learn to accept the positives .... if you want to criticize the negatives -- that too by sitting on ur couch !!!!

It seems facts are unpalatable to you. I pointed out what Ian Chappell and other commentators pointed out. To quote one of the commentators: "Tremlett is not firiing on all 6 cylinders because he came into the match carrying an injury". Upon which Ian Chappell criticized the selectors for picking Tremlett. Further Sidebottom was also injured at some stage and underwent a medical check-up for a side strain. I have already given the Indian team credit. It seems you want to nit-pick over trivial matters and I am not interested in that. So let us indeed "shut the debate".

Edit: Regardng Imran Khan playing in the WC final. In your eagerness to nail me, you forgot one important point. It is one matter to go into a one-day game carrying an injury, it is another matter altogether to go into a Test match likewise. In the Test match, one needs to bowl as many as 20 overs per day as opposed to to total of 10 overs in a one-day game. Secondly, in a Test match the bowler really needs to bend his back if he wants to intimidate the batsmen with short stuff. Whereas in a one-day game the bowler only needs to restrict the run-rate, he is not that worried about getting wickets. Lastly, in the WC final, Imran probably played as much as a batsman as a bowler, so even if he couldn't bowl his full quota he would have been invaluable as a batsman. Try again.

[normally_crazy]

Originally Posted by khaadu75

can we guys never sit back and appreciate stuff ???

Everyone appreciated that Kumble got a 100 , Khaadu. Infact I am happy that this tireless and hardworking cricketer got a century. If anyone in that Indian innings deserved it - Kumble it was.

Originally Posted by rks

If so he needs to be promoted ahead of our "Big 4", who it seems, can do with a few lessons from Kumble and Co. After all, this was a second-string English attack further weakened by injuries to Tremlett and Sidebottom.

rks - I agree even if Kumble can't come in and hammer the bowling - he can still be promoted above our famous 4. And yes that England's problem if their 2nd stringers can't bowl in home conditions. Also I agree with you that the English captain and his bowlers attacked Sachin by bowling short to him but not to Kumble !! I wonder what Vaughan was thinking.

Originally Posted by mclaren1885

So how do you think Saqlain got a century? Or Wasim Akram got that double ton?

McL - Akram got his 200 against Zimbabwe na ? And I dont remember against which team Saqlain got his century - tell me.

Our second string attack (since I consider Irfan & Bhajji to be the front line bolwers say) bowled better than England's second string attack. England's pace bowlers didn't know how best to make use of their HOME CONDITIONS.

Mclaren - you serious about the highlighted part ? But yes our bowlers bowled much better than the English (2nd or 3rd string whatever).

I can't imagine the damage Irfan could have done with those late swinging deliveries on these conditions or what effect Bhajji could have had with his Doosra's on the Englishmen. We would have won more convincingly had they been there. But alas!

X 100 - Arre what damage ? Pathan pace is slower than Kumble's now. Earlier yes I agree he was in great form but now - naah. And please the lesser we speak about Bhajji - India's most hyped bowler - the better it is. He has lost everything - keeps bowling 4 doosras in one over - I think he wants to take over the leg spinner's spot from Kumble beacuse Powar is the off-spinner now.

[mclaren1885]

Originally Posted by normally_crazy

Earlier yes I agree he was in great form but now - naah. And please the lesser we speak about Bhajji - India's most hyped bowler - the better it is. He has lost everything

Look at his last two test figures. Two 5 wicket hauls and he gets dropped for the next test? If you think that your famous 4 deserve a break (for under performing) and the youngsters deserve a chance be a man and accept that what was done to Bhajji was unfair too. He deserved to play, specially looking at his last two tests bowling figures. Come on NC, is that all you can do? Sit on your couch and point fingers at others? Biased? You surely seem to be. Since you sure want the FF4 to be dropped but not willing to accept the fact that Bhajji deserved a chance to play considering his form.

Its pointless to debate either with you or rks. Because all you guys can do is sit back on your couch's and be an arm chair critic. That's all. You want to debate this, lets take it to PM's and not spoil the decorum here for the lack of maturity from a few to enjoy "A GAME". And we call ourselves fans with the spirit? Sheesh.

John, sorry for having to make you read the long para's once again. Though I assure you this will be my last.

Its a pity that this thread is turning out to be "I can manage the Indian team better than the current selection committee and think tank" thread rather than enjoying a game (which you guys are making it to be some kind of a war INDIA MUST WIN EVERYTIME THEY ENTER). Sheesh x 10000000000..

[pmbabu]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

I dont care what you think of Kumble's century. We're close to sewing up the first innings, and then we need another 10 wickets to win the test.

Pray for it. Support your team. Keep the arguements for later.

EXACTLY!! Look what our guys have done. Batted second and lost 3 wickets so early. Oh man, are we the teachers to the world in trying to lose from any position?

[rks]

As expected, Dravid does not impose the follow-on. Jaffer gets a bad LBW decision, Dravid gets "the benefit of the doubt" to another LBW appeal which should have been upheld. Umpire Ian Howell has had a nightmare of a match.

Pretty timid batting by India except for Ganguly, against a weakened English attack (without Sidebottom). Hope England put up a fight and make an attempt to chase the target of 500 in about 110 overs. They have nothing to lose, doesn't matter if they lose the series 1-0 or 2-0. I am reminded of an occasion when New Zealand, chasing 550+ set by England, got to 455 with Nathan Astle scoring the fastest double century in the history of Test cricket. Kevin Pietersen is capable of something similar, although Kumble could be a handful on the final day.

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by rks

Sidebottom also had a side strain at some stage.

Yeah , naturally, that is why he has a side bottom & not a straight one. he surely must go back to the counties now. LOL

Stupid, negative captaincy by rahul dravid or he was afraid of the bookies. it's got to be one of the two. what do you guys think ?

[rahul_intlad]

Apart from the west indies,england is one injury prone side very rarely do they have a complete series without someone or the other getting injured.

There might actually be bets on who would be out of action after each england series.

[diabloo]

Great to see India on top. We are seeing fruits of seeds sown by Greg Chappel. But there is something missing. Sehwag should be included in the team. This will add sting to the Indian batting. Who can forget the BOOMing DRIVEs of Sehwag? Cricket administrators need to think about this. After grooming a player for many year how can they leave him out? What they need to do is to help him out. Dravid did him more harm by giving him games when he was out of form.

[diabloo]

Did anybody see Tendular's dismissal in 2nd innings? It was total mess. It doesn't suit the stature of Tendulkar to see his 2 stumps uprooted like a tailender in his last innings in England.

[MC Mayank]

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

Stupid, negative captaincy by rahul dravid or he was afraid of the bookies. it's got to be one of the two. what do you guys think ?

I think he is the captain, he knows the conditions best, he knows his bowlers best, he couldn't have predicted the seaming conditions of the afternoon, he surely must have taken the decision in unison with other senior members. I also think that the senior cricketers and commentators and what nots need to shut up and appreciate the fact that we are on a brink of a series win.