England v India, 2nd Test, Lord’s, 12-16 August, 2021

Jimmy keeping England in it.

3/270 odd at stumps. Good day for the Bannies.

The Bannies really are coming into their own as a complete team. They've been winning without meaningful contributions from VK and Ashwin can't even get a start.

Ashtray's absence is baffling.

Tough day for England.

Home Track Bully

Possibly but he's allegedly one of the world's premier allrounders.

He must've pissed in Ravi's laksa.

Hameed’s return lasts all of one ball, which he plays around and loses his middle stump.

Crawley could be set for a swift recall. And it might be John, never mind Zak…

Root overtakes Gooch as England’s second highest Test run-scorer. He once had a pretty decent game against India at Lord’s himself, and he was 37 at the time I believe, so Root should have plenty of years ahead of him at this level, injury and burnout permitting…

Its the 2 horse show from England - Jimmeh & Neph.

Well, Burns showed some typical fight and Robinson has proved a pretty able Broad deputy. But yeah, without the two you mention we’d pretty much be Zimbabwe.

Anyway, seventh time on the Lord’s honours board for Jimmy, four of them against India. First was his debut against the Frames a mere 18 years and three months ago. Can he manage a two-decade span?

Good to see Jonny digging in with Joe.

Rocking horse shit alert… a wicketless full England batting session!

Eng did very well (largely thanks to Joe) to snatch a 1st inn lead.

5th century of the year, four of which have been 150s (only MoYo has beaten that in a calendar year).

1,244 runs @ 69 in 2021. The next best for England this year is 364 for Burns. Shame Bairstow spoilt the record of him being the only batsman to make 50 in each England innings this series

Incidentally, England have used 22 players in Test cricket this year. Of those 22, only Root, Burns and Buttler average above 30 with the bat.

Ugly stat.

Shades of Aus - Smith, Labuschagne then the rest.

skully wrote:Ugly stat.

Shades of Aus - Smith, Labuschagne then the rest.

Yeah, and possibly an even bigger gap.

While these are calendar year stats, the career figures aren’t a great deal better, so it’s not just players on a poor run. While 40 is the benchmark for a good Test player, and some in the high 30s are very valuable to their team, we’re now talking about so-called batting specialists struggling to average 30. A randomly selected solid county pro batsman should be able to average around 30 in Tests. Bowling all-rounders are often getting towards that mark (I know, batting in the top order is a different kettle of fish to swinging the bat at number 8…)

To summarise, the ‘80s stick-a-pin-in-Wisden selection method wouldn’t do any worse, and it says a lot about the mentality and technique that the current county game, and perhaps the England coaching setup itself, is producing.

Cracking morning session for England.

Poms well placed but need a quick mop up.

Good Lord, was Pujara on Valium?? 181 runs in the day??

FFS & FMD.

Poonjabber scratched around for 206 balls for his 45.

Damned paint drying.

beamer wrote:5th century of the year, four of which have been 150s (only MoYo has beaten that in a calendar year).

1,244 runs @ 69 in 2021. The next best for England this year is 364 for Burns. Shame Bairstow spoilt the record of him being the only batsman to make 50 in each England innings this series

Looks like he'll break MoYo's calendar year record and he might could even give 2000 runs in a year a nudge.

JGK wrote:

beamer wrote:5th century of the year, four of which have been 150s (only MoYo has beaten that in a calendar year).

1,244 runs @ 69 in 2021. The next best for England this year is 364 for Burns. Shame Bairstow spoilt the record of him being the only batsman to make 50 in each England innings this series

Looks like he'll break MoYo's calendar year record and he might could even give 2000 runs in a year a nudge.

Well, if the Ashes goes ahead and he travels, he has potentially another 7 Tests after this one. So, 545 runs in a possible 15 innings including second dig at Lord’s, only needs to average around 36 for the rest of the year for the record if he bats every time.

England really should win this. Only takes 1 wicket in the first hour.