England v India, 5th Test, The Oval, 7-11 September, 2018

Moeen doing so well further highlights what a mad pick Rashid was. You don't pick a bowler on one day form if they haven't done anything of note in FC cricket for years.

vilkrang wrote:Moeen doing so well further highlights what a mad pick Rashid was. You don't pick a bowler on one day form if they haven't done anything of note in FC cricket for years.

We’ve got a (keeper-)batsman picked on one-day form, who hadn’t done much in FC cricket for a couple of years. He’s doing OK...

Moeen was coming off a poor winter and the young specialist spinners were all injured or with no form behind them. The Rashid pick was a necessary gamble at that point in time.

In fairness though beams, Moeen was in decent CC form early season, wasn't he?

So Chef is on track for a decent final pair of Test innings. Well done him.

Can Cook hold it together for another 11 runs?

And bets there with a 5

Well done Chef!!

He joins Reggie Duff, Bill Ponsford, Greg Chappell and Mohammad Azharuddin as players to make a ton in their 1st and last Test matches.

beamer wrote:

vilkrang wrote:Moeen doing so well further highlights what a mad pick Rashid was. You don't pick a bowler on one day form if they haven't done anything of note in FC cricket for years.

We’ve got a (keeper-)batsman picked on one-day form, who hadn’t done much in FC cricket for a couple of years. He’s doing OK...

I know, hence why I said bowler. Bowling in ODIs is a far different beast to bowling in FC cricket. There's a difference in batting too but it's no where near as pronounced as with bowling. Buttler was absolutely wrecking international bowlers in one day matches so whilst it was still a gamble I could at least see the sense in it. Said at the time that the Rashid decision was mad and it has proved to be so.

Anyway, what a fairy tale ending for Cook. I got a bit emotional watching that and as Atherton pointed out, there's only one opener in the list of top ten run scorers of all time.

Played, Chef.

skully wrote:Well done Chef!!

He joins Reggie Duff, Bill Ponsford, Greg Chappell and Mohammad Azharuddin as players to make a ton in their 1st and last Test matches.

...and Andy Ganteaume

embee wrote:

skully wrote:Well done Chef!!

He joins Reggie Duff, Bill Ponsford, Greg Chappell and Mohammad Azharuddin as players to make a ton in their 1st and last Test matches.

...and Andy Ganteaume

Azhar didn't know it was his last test.

embee wrote:

skully wrote:Well done Chef!!

He joins Reggie Duff, Bill Ponsford, Greg Chappell and Mohammad Azharuddin as players to make a ton in their 1st and last Test matches.

...and Andy Ganteaume

Greg Chappell also did it in his first test as captain when he made twin tons.

This really is fill your boots time for Root and Cook!

Time to put the foot down. Declaration 45 minutes after tea?

embee wrote:

skully wrote:Well done Chef!!

He joins Reggie Duff, Bill Ponsford, Greg Chappell and Mohammad Azharuddin as players to make a ton in their 1st and last Test matches.

...and Andy Ganteaume

And Rodney Redmond.

vilkrang wrote:Anyway, what a fairy tale ending for Cook. I got a bit emotional watching that and as Atherton pointed out, there's only one opener in the list of top ten run scorers of all time.

Played, Chef.

Yeah, finishing as he started (the last player to do that was Azharuddin whose career ended in rather more ignominious circumstances...) and a lot of his records are never likely to be broken.

Cook may not always have been England fans’ favourite player over the years (KP-gate, captaincy struggles etc.) or been a box office man like the aforementioned and Flintoff, Stokes etc. but his value over the years is immeasurable and he really deserved this send-off. Careers usually fizzle out quietly but he gave the home crowd a chance to show their appreciation and really gave them everything they hoped for.

Averaging over 45 was well deserved as well, Gooch remains as the highest scorer to end up below that mark!

beamer wrote:

vilkrang wrote:Anyway, what a fairy tale ending for Cook. I got a bit emotional watching that and as Atherton pointed out, there's only one opener in the list of top ten run scorers of all time.

Played, Chef.

Yeah, finishing as he started (the last player to do that was Azharuddin whose career ended in rather more ignominious circumstances...) and a lot of his records are never likely to be broken.

I think Root has a chance for most runs for England but if he doesn't manage it then there aren't any other likely candidates knocking about at the moment unfortunately!

The consecutive test match record might never be beaten though. Border was miles ahead of anyone else already. And to think if he didn't get that ton against Pakistan back in 2010 that could have been it.

embee wrote:

skully wrote:Well done Chef!!

He joins Reggie Duff, Bill Ponsford, Greg Chappell and Mohammad Azharuddin as players to make a ton in their 1st and last Test matches.

...and Andy Ganteaume

Ha!! Without word of a lie, after I posted the list last night I thought "I bet some wag (probably MB) adds Andy Ganteaume".

vilkrang wrote:

beamer wrote:

vilkrang wrote:Anyway, what a fairy tale ending for Cook. I got a bit emotional watching that and as Atherton pointed out, there's only one opener in the list of top ten run scorers of all time.

Played, Chef.

Yeah, finishing as he started (the last player to do that was Azharuddin whose career ended in rather more ignominious circumstances...) and a lot of his records are never likely to be broken.

I think Root has a chance for most runs for England but if he doesn't manage it then there aren't any other likely candidates knocking about at the moment unfortunately!

The consecutive test match record might never be beaten though. Border was miles ahead of anyone else already. And to think if he didn't get that ton against Pakistan back in 2010 that could have been it.

Not sure Root will get there, being an all-formats player with back issues from a young age. I think there’s a fair chance his Test career won’t go past his early 30s, or he will at least start to pick and choose series/tournaments, ABDV-style.

The chances are there will be fewer Tests going forward, and more competing attractions for players in the form of franchise slogfests around the world. When in demand for everything from APL to ZPL, will anyone play 160 Tests again?

Played Rahul, great to watch.

Pant has calmed down a bit, was enjoying watching him go mental.

It's obviously not going to last (new ball will grab one of these) but this has been a brilliant effort by these two.

4-1 or even 3-1 seems pretty harsh on India, this is by far the best I've ever seen India play in England.

I'd actually love to see them chase this down though, will be the best chase I've ever seen. Worst case scenario the umpires rob the crowd of an epic finish like in 2013 (still bitter about that).

Did I speak to soon regarding Rashid?

(No, overall he's been a disappointment).

vilkrang wrote:It's obviously not going to last (new ball will grab one of these) but this has been a brilliant effort by these two.

4-1 or even 3-1 seems pretty harsh on India, this is by far the best I've ever seen India play in England.

I'd actually love to see them chase this down though, will be the best chase I've ever seen. Worst case scenario the umpires rob the crowd of an epic finish like in 2013 (still bitter about that).

It's the best seam bowling attack they have brought over here.

The batting, apart from Kohli, did not deliver when it mattered.

Jadeja might have made a made a difference if picked earlier.

One of the best series we've seen over here for a while, the scoreline didn't reflect the fact we had three really competitive Tests, they all just about went England's way.

This match joins the first of the series in the list of genuine classics. If India had pulled that off or got close then it would have been right up there in the greatest Test ever stakes, but it was fittingly left to Jimmy to have the final say, after Fake Rahul and Pants had given us a scare that was not hinted at by their previous form in this series. The keeper at least ended up with more runs than byes conceded...

A lot for England to think about going forward, not just the opening positions. But I expect most of this side to start the Ashes.

Just how grouse is Test cricket?

Not always of the highest quality ... batting was often fragile, to put it kindly. Bowling was top drawer - and this is, I think, the best seam attack India have had. I think they will be a challenge for Australia, especially some of the more inexperienced Test players.

This final match will live long in the memory. India going from 2/3, to 121/5 before losing their 6th at 325. Up until then, the most unlikely of victories was still possible. Our most successful ever batsman and bowler both breaking records moving up to 5th and 4th respectively on the all-time lists.

It was one of those matches that, although the ground has a 25K capacity, if any Australian forummers come over next year - everyone you speak to will have been there today .

So a batsman's Test in a bowler's series.

Some impressive stuff from Rahul and Pant to follow up Chef and Root's efforts.

Congrats to England on what ended up a comprehensive series win. Also well done to Jimmeh on passing Pidge's milestone.

Oh, and that was some nut from Rashid to remove Rahul!!!