India England Test series

First game tomorrow morning at about 4.00 am.
We’re a spinner down but I think he was likely to be a back up player ( Bashir that is ).

We’ve opted to go with 3 spinners and only one seamer in the first test although Stokes may or may not be fit to bowl.
Brooks is back at home for personal reasons perhaps for the full tour.

Everything suggests we haven’t much chance particularly when you look at India’s home test record, but I’m looking forward to seeing our bowling attack with 3 spinners and Root as well.
Bairstow will start behind the stumps but surely we’ll see Foakes stepping in at some stage.
He is clearly the better wicket keeper which could be quite relevant with our spin attack.
Good luck to Wood cos he’s on his own and historically is quite injury prone.

 

Foakes has been named as keeper in all the articles I've read.

 

Foakes keeping, Bairstow back to being a specialist batter at 5. Though he'll probably end up back behind the stumps as a cop out selection when Brook is available again.

The Hartley selection is baffling. He's not exactly a prolific spinner of the ball and doesn't get many wickets. Not sure he'll trouble the Indian batters more than Anderson would've done.

 

That’s great news .. I’m happy to be totally wrong. I should check mi facts first.
Sorry

 

I know nought about him except he’s a tall leftie and thought his main format was to be white ball

 

Yep, definitely more of a white ball player, but Lancs (and England) seem to have been pushing the idea that he could be an all rounder, which I'm not convinced about either.

Sort of bowler that pushes it through a lot quicker, that you would have bowl the first over of a t20 innings.

 

Me and the Mrs are heading over there at the end February going to the 5th test in Dharamshala with a 7 day tour of Delhi, Agra, Jaipur and a tiger safari. Miss Carlisle away though

 

Wow that’s going to be a fantastic trip mate, I’m proper jealous. Enjoy.

Hope the series is still live by the time you get there!

 

I think they are hoping he is going to be an English Axar Patel. We’ve seen in the past it’s often the straight oner that gets the wicket not the big turner, so let’s hope he can do the job.

 

Nice one

 

Jealous!

 

Could be worth getting up at 4 am to see Pujara get a 250 ball fifty

 

I think it's scandalous BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and 5 didn't put their hand in their pockets. TV deal for this series left a bad taste for me.

 

How would they pay for it? They are all skint. I have Sky Sports not TNT and I don't blame Sky for not bidding. Most of the series will be played when people are either sleeping or working. It's why TNT end up with scraps like Australia and New Zealand home internationals. Whilst Sky have breakfast and tea time T20 coverage in Australia and South Africa.

 

Thank you Rupert Murdoch.

 

Well… we won the toss and bat!
First plus for us

 

60 for 3 , it's going well!

 

Plenty boundaries

 

It's a test , not a t20!

 

Ha
It’s been an entertaining session so far.
That replay for the catch was fuzzy and didn’t show whether it was out or not…..they want to get a decent camera