That 1.8 (4/5) before the game on India winning this Test is looking quite large now but the 1.66 (4/6) in hindsight was massive. They were hardly going to prepare a road were they?
The issue is that we can't do anything to spread the field a bit. With so many in catching positions we are living a bit of a slow death as reflected by Lawrence's 9 off 49 balls but then you chance your arm and you're back in the pavilion. Time isn't an issue but runs are.
Yet again both openers are out cheaply and Root is in earlier than the number 4 should be.
Burns has now scored 53 runs in his last 7 innings and 33 of those came in one of them. I did say that we needed to give Burns this and the next Test to get a score but he has still not cured that fundamental flaw that keeps getting him out. If Burns fails again in the second innings and Lawrence does well in either should the latter be dropped for Crawley? Because Crawley needs to come back in the next Test doesn't he?
Trouble is Lawrence looks out of his depth too. Which brings me nicely back to someone new batting at 3. Suspect that will be Bairstow with Crawley opening though I would prefer Bairstow at 6 and someone a bit more classy batting at 3. Anyone any ideas who that could be?
The difference is that India had the best of the track but also that, despite dismissing them for a relatively low score, we didn't actually bowl that well on it. Moeen night have taken 4 wickets but he shouldn't be going for 128 runs off 29 overs on it.
Comments
23-3
England rootless.
150 looks unlikely.
150 will be a result
163-171 with sporting index
never bidding ....
39-4 off 18 overs
52-5
Yes you can blame me if and when the inevitable happens!