Following a rain disruption, England won by 36 runs (DLS). The skipper, Ben McKinney once again got runs (48 off 67) but top scorer was Noah Thain with an undefeated 63 off 82. An excellent win that leaves us top of the group.
As of yesterday, it seems that the ECB have failed to sort out in time the visa for one of our players, Shoaib Bashir who was left behind in Abu Dhabi when the rest of the squad flew out. Shoaib is of Pakistani heritage but was born in Surrey and is a British passport holder. However, this is not the first time players with Pakistani backgrounds have had visa delays from the Indian government. Usman Khawaja suffered a similar delay before Australia’s tour to India last year and the Pakistan World Cup squad faced visa delays in November before being granted entry into India.
By all accounts it also appears that Ben Stokes is a doubt for Thursday as he hasn't fully recovered from his knee surgery. A decision regarding his participation will be made as late as possible. What this does seem to confirm though is that he won't be fit enough to bowl - so, in theory, his participation might mean that Foakes won't play after all as I don't see how we create the right balance with just four frontline bowlers, plus Root, especially in India. We have to play two spinners but, in that heat, can we afford to perm, for example, any two from an ageing Anderson, a fragile Robinson (on at least three occasions he's not be able to bowl due to back spasms) and a Wood who at his best can only be utilised in very short spells? Playing an extra bowler would mean someone like Rehan Ahmed batting at 7 followed by four non batsmen or us playing Lawrence as a "bits and pieces" fill in.
Well this has become a complete and utter joke. Shoaib is now having to return home. Despite applying for his visa on 11 December – and every other application for England’s touring party having been approved in good time – Bashir has returned home and faces further paperwork. He was born in Surrey and holds a British Passport. It's not difficult to work out why India have refused to grant him a Visa - they did exactly the same thing initially to Usman Khawaja though there is a subtle difference in Khawaja's case - he was born in Pakistan - but that shouldn't have been an issue either.
In the old days, teams would refuse to play if a player was refused entry in these circumstances. Suspect there is too much money at stake for this to happen.
As of yesterday, it seems that the ECB have failed to sort out in time the visa for one of our players, Shoaib Bashir who was left behind in Abu Dhabi when the rest of the squad flew out. Shoaib is of Pakistani heritage but was born in Surrey and is a British passport holder. However, this is not the first time players with Pakistani backgrounds have had visa delays from the Indian government. Usman Khawaja suffered a similar delay before Australia’s tour to India last year and the Pakistan World Cup squad faced visa delays in November before being granted entry into India.
By all accounts it also appears that Ben Stokes is a doubt for Thursday as he hasn't fully recovered from his knee surgery. A decision regarding his participation will be made as late as possible. What this does seem to confirm though is that he won't be fit enough to bowl - so, in theory, his participation might mean that Foakes won't play after all as I don't see how we create the right balance with just four frontline bowlers, plus Root, especially in India. We have to play two spinners but, in that heat, can we afford to perm, for example, any two from an ageing Anderson, a fragile Robinson (on at least three occasions he's not be able to bowl due to back spasms) and a Wood who at his best can only be utilised in very short spells? Playing an extra bowler would mean someone like Rehan Ahmed batting at 7 followed by four non batsmen or us playing Lawrence as a "bits and pieces" fill in.
Well this has become a complete and utter joke. Shoaib is now having to return home. Despite applying for his visa on 11 December – and every other application for England’s touring party having been approved in good time – Bashir has returned home and faces further paperwork. He was born in Surrey and holds a British Passport. It's not difficult to work out why India have refused to grant him a Visa - they did exactly the same thing initially to Usman Khawaja though there is a subtle difference in Khawaja's case - he was born in Pakistan - but that shouldn't have been an issue either.
In the old days, teams would refuse to play if a player was refused entry in these circumstances. Suspect there is too much money at stake for this to happen.
The Indian Visa agency is run by a bunch of absolute tossers of the first order……a scandalous set up, try getting a thing as simple as a tourist visa, you’ll need the fucking holiday just to get over the procedure! 🤨
Well Stokes is fit to play but whether he can bowl remains to be seen. If he can't then our only seam option is someone who can probably only bowl in 4/5 over spells.
1. Zak Crawley
2. Ben Duckett
3. Ollie Pope
4. Joe Root
5. Jonny Bairstow
6. Ben Stokes (C)
7. Ben Foakes 8. Rehan Ahmed
9. Tom Hartley
10. Mark Wood
11. Jack Leach
Well Stokes is fit to play but whether he can bowl remains to be seen. If he can't then our only seam option is someone who can probably only bowl in 4/5 over spells.
1. Zak Crawley
2. Ben Duckett
3. Ollie Pope
4. Joe Root
5. Jonny Bairstow
6. Ben Stokes (C)
7. Ben Foakes 8. Rehan Ahmed
9. Tom Hartley
10. Mark Wood
11. Jack Leach
Stokes not bowling and with Brook out and 4 keepers in the side the only part timer is Root another spinner. Does Crawley bowl anything? Odds on us asking Root to bowl seam up when we get in a pickle?
Well Stokes is fit to play but whether he can bowl remains to be seen. If he can't then our only seam option is someone who can probably only bowl in 4/5 over spells.
1. Zak Crawley
2. Ben Duckett
3. Ollie Pope
4. Joe Root
5. Jonny Bairstow
6. Ben Stokes (C)
7. Ben Foakes 8. Rehan Ahmed
9. Tom Hartley
10. Mark Wood
11. Jack Leach
Stokes not bowling and with Brook out and 4 keepers in the side the only part timer is Root another spinner. Does Crawley bowl anything? Odds on us asking Root to bowl seam up when we get in a pickle?
Crawley bowls offies I believe which is a complete waste of his physique! I'm hearing on the grapevine that India have decided to switch to the uncut strip and opted to play five seamers.
Well Stokes is fit to play but whether he can bowl remains to be seen. If he can't then our only seam option is someone who can probably only bowl in 4/5 over spells.
1. Zak Crawley
2. Ben Duckett
3. Ollie Pope
4. Joe Root
5. Jonny Bairstow
6. Ben Stokes (C)
7. Ben Foakes 8. Rehan Ahmed
9. Tom Hartley
10. Mark Wood
11. Jack Leach
Stokes not bowling and with Brook out and 4 keepers in the side the only part timer is Root another spinner. Does Crawley bowl anything? Odds on us asking Root to bowl seam up when we get in a pickle?
Crawley bowls offies I believe which is a complete waste of his physique! I'm hearing on the grapevine that India have decided to switch to the uncut strip and opted to play five seamers.
Well Stokes is fit to play but whether he can bowl remains to be seen. If he can't then our only seam option is someone who can probably only bowl in 4/5 over spells.
1. Zak Crawley
2. Ben Duckett
3. Ollie Pope
4. Joe Root
5. Jonny Bairstow
6. Ben Stokes (C)
7. Ben Foakes 8. Rehan Ahmed
9. Tom Hartley
10. Mark Wood
11. Jack Leach
Stokes not bowling and with Brook out and 4 keepers in the side the only part timer is Root another spinner. Does Crawley bowl anything? Odds on us asking Root to bowl seam up when we get in a pickle?
Crawley bowls offies I believe which is a complete waste of his physique! I'm hearing on the grapevine that India have decided to switch to the uncut strip and opted to play five seamers.
I'm hoping they've been drilling into him the Axar Patel saucers. Would be a great watch.
Well Stokes is fit to play but whether he can bowl remains to be seen. If he can't then our only seam option is someone who can probably only bowl in 4/5 over spells.
1. Zak Crawley
2. Ben Duckett
3. Ollie Pope
4. Joe Root
5. Jonny Bairstow
6. Ben Stokes (C)
7. Ben Foakes 8. Rehan Ahmed
9. Tom Hartley
10. Mark Wood
11. Jack Leach
Stokes can't be fit to bowl surely. What's the problem with our other seam options then?
Well Stokes is fit to play but whether he can bowl remains to be seen. If he can't then our only seam option is someone who can probably only bowl in 4/5 over spells.
1. Zak Crawley
2. Ben Duckett
3. Ollie Pope
4. Joe Root
5. Jonny Bairstow
6. Ben Stokes (C)
7. Ben Foakes 8. Rehan Ahmed
9. Tom Hartley
10. Mark Wood
11. Jack Leach
Stokes can't be fit to bowl surely. What's the problem with our other seam options then?
I don't think that there is a problem. We just seem fixated on the fact that it will be a waste of having more than one, so much so that I could see us opening with two spinners and only Wood's express pace in short bursts as and when. Now whether having two rookie spinners instead of one plus another experienced seamer remains to be seen. India, on the other hand, can afford to have Ashwin and Jadeja, with their 500 plus wickets between them at 21 apiece since 2012, plus two front line seamers.
Comments
In the old days, teams would refuse to play if a player was refused entry in these circumstances. Suspect there is too much money at stake for this to happen.
Hope I’m wrong but I can see it coming. 🫤
Their visa system is an absolute nightmare.
1. Zak Crawley
2. Ben Duckett
3. Ollie Pope
4. Joe Root
5. Jonny Bairstow
6. Ben Stokes (C)
7. Ben Foakes
8. Rehan Ahmed
9. Tom Hartley
10. Mark Wood
11. Jack Leach
Absolutely bonkers.
But I still intend to go back.
At stumps on first day
England Lions 152 all out off 52.4
India A 150-0 off 32.0
What's the problem with our other seam options then?
So maybe up for 7ish for the afternoon and evening sessions.