[Cricket] Test Series- England in India- January & February 2024

[Eeyore]

All starts on Thursday in the early hours.

My first ever memory of TMS was the India tour of 81/82. If you weren't around for it perhaps you were fortunate. But hearing CMJ, Johners et al was the start of a love affair. I missed John Arlott by a year. If you were around for him then you are a lucky lucky bastard.

So, whilst we look at the mess we (they) call cricket these days, a series like this is an oasis in a desert of epileptic colour and gimmickry.

At the moment, I fear for England's prospects. Last series, after an incredible win in Madras, England were pummeled into meek submission. The Ahmedabad Test producing 338 runs for the loss of THIRTY wickets. Guess how many the spinners took ? The most extreme guess will only be two over...

Rumours England may go into the first Test with just one quick bowler.

My feeling is that this series could end up being equally as one sided as the last. But at least it's cricket.

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

This seems like the perfect time to remind everybody of this

 

[Guinness Boy]

All starts on Thursday in the early hours.

My first ever memory of TMS was the India tour of 81/82. If you weren't around for it perhaps you were fortunate. But hearing CMJ, Johners et al was the start of a love affair. I missed John Arlott by a year. If you were around for him then you are a lucky lucky bastard.

So, whilst we look at the mess we (they) call cricket these days, a series like this is an oasis in a desert of epileptic colour and gimmickry.

At the moment, I fear for England's prospects. Last series, after an incredible win in Madras, England were pummeled into meek submission. The Ahmedabad Test producing 338 runs for the loss of THIRTY wickets. Guess how many the spinners took ? The most extreme guess will only be two over...

Rumours England may go into the first Test with just one quick bowler.

My feeling is that this series could end up being equally as one sided as the last. But at least it's cricket.

Well they won’t go into it with Bashir playing because our team is now being picked by Indian immigration. I shouldn’t complain. We basically taught them all this shit.

Looking forward to this, but not as much as two of my mates who have probably just landed in Hyderabad. To say I’m jealous is an understatement.

 

[Change at Barnham]

I'm in Hyderabad at the moment where it's 3.15am having just watched our U-21s beat Swansea 1-0 on YouTube.
Time to get my head down.

 

[Eeyore]

I'm in Hyderabad at the moment where it's 3.15am having just watched our U-21s beat Swansea 1-0 on YouTube.
Time to get my head down.

We expect LOTS of pics.

Now got to bed.

 

[A1X]

We’re going to get battered, but at least we can add the moral victory to our moral Ashes victory last year

Bashir returns to UK to resolve visa issues

Spinner Shoaib Bashir returns to the UK in order to sort the visa delay which is preventing him from joining the England squad in India.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Yes Chef]

I'm in Hyderabad at the moment where it's 3.15am having just watched our U-21s beat Swansea 1-0 on YouTube.
Time to get my head down.

Nice one! Have a great time

 

[Javeaseagull]

When South Africa wouldn’t allow one of players to tour we called it off. No chance of that happening nowadays I suppose. Too much money running on it, of course, but not even a mention pisses me off.

 

[PeterT]

I'm in Hyderabad at the moment where it's 3.15am having just watched our U-21s beat Swansea 1-0 on YouTube.
Time to get my head down.

Lucky you. Have a great time.

Isn’t Hyderabad ‘dry’ (don’t mean the weather!)?

 

[Eeyore]

Piece of trivia. Which umpire, who stood in two World Cup Finals, also scored a goal against Manchester United in a shock FA Cup win ?

 

[um bongo molongo]

Lucky you. Have a great time.

Isn’t Hyderabad ‘dry’ (don’t mean the weather!)?

Don’t think Hyderabad is. Ahmedabad is. I got pretty much the drunkest I’ve ever been in Ahmedabad at the house of a guy who opened up a hidden bar and triumphantly said ‘my friend is the chief of police’

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Piece of trivia. Which umpire, who stood in two World Cup Finals, also scored a goal against Manchester United in a shock FA Cup win ?

Shakoor Rana, in his short spell at Blyth Spartans?

 

[Ooh it’s a corner]

Shakoor Rana, in his short spell at Blyth Spartans?

Goal was disallowed - Gatting was on VAR

 

[Seagull58]

Shakoor Rana: a **** in ****'s clothing

 

[Eeyore]

Shakoor Rana, in his short spell at Blyth Spartans?

That has to be my post of month

 

[Is it PotG?]

Uncapped Lancashire left-armer Tom Hartley, 24, will make his England debut in the first Test in India, which begins on Thursday in Hyderabad.

Hartley, who has taken 40 wickets in 20 first-class matches, is one of three specialist spinners named in the XI.

Rehan Ahmed, 19, and Jack Leach are both involved, with Mark Wood the only fast bowler.

 

[A1X]

That’ll be fun when Mark Wood breaks down after four overs

 

[Stumpy Tim]

That’ll be fun when Mark Wood breaks down after four overs

That's a ballsy selection that's for sure. Surely you would want a bowler who doesn't have an awful injury record as the only quicker option

 

[hans kraay fan club]

That's a ballsy selection that's for sure. Surely you would want a bowler who doesn't have an awful injury record as the only quicker option

Seems an insane decision, tbh.

Not only the risk that he breaks down in this Test, but the risk to his longer term fitness, from over-bowling him. That or they risk Stokes' knee by trying to squeeze a few overs out of him.

The team is incredibly unbalanced in that regard - partly because the 'part time skills' of the batters they've chosen do not include any seam bowling (save for the injured Stokes). A Collingwood, or even a Trott (or Harry Brook) would have helped a little.

By my reckoning they have chosen:

FOUR (specialist or occasional) wicket-keepers, in Foakes, Bairstow, Pope and Duckett
SIX (specialist or occasional) spinners, in Leach, Ahmed, Hartley, Root, Crawley (R Off), Duckett (R Leg)
ONE fit seamer, in Mark Wood.

Bizarre

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

I thought Stokes had knee surgery straight after the world Cup.

Maybe still not yet fit to bowl, but on the mend?