5th Test: England v India at The Oval Sept 7-11 2018

[TheParraboy]

100 up for Root now.

as you mentioned, Pujara dropped an absolute sitter when Root was on 94 or 96 at 1st slip

The keeper did dive across him, so his line of sight was affected just as the ball came to his hands
A more experienced keeper stays out of it, and Root bundles out for another half century

 

[AlwaysGreen]

India were 3/2 at one stage.

England should win 4 - 1 unless a miracle happens.

 

[ANTiLAG]

yup his 5th test form is temporary alright

2018 - prior to his retirement announcement

9 tests
16 innings
298 runs
18.63 average

2017/2018 ashes in Australia, did nothing in the "live" tests

will be 34 in a couple of months

So last year he averages 47 with 2 hundreds, and this year 28.66 and its time to retire? That's still better than Stoneman or Jennings have managed this year. What has Jennings averaged? 19! The question isn't whether Cook is still the best in the world. The question should be - is he still good enough to meaningfully contribute to England and hold his place. And the answer is yes.

This isn't some situation where the selector nepotism favouring the old pro is keeping new and fresh talent out of the team. If that were the case, I'd appreciate the reasonableness of the retirement more. There is and has been an opener's spot up for grabs since Strauss retired.

I just hope that the England selectors for England's and Cook's sake now try to talk him out of it. Give him SL if they must - and send him to WI, or simply play the Ashes next year. Cook was so down on confidence that he thought he had nothing left. He was wrong. All it was - was a good bowling attack in Australia, NZ and a Dukes ball in England swinging around corners where all openers have struggled. No opener besides Cook has scored over 50 in England this year in 7 tests. Cook has done it 3 times and has averaged 37 this summer. Yeah maybe - he's not as good as he was, or are the bowling attacks more improved? Either way, for mine, he's not time to retire bad either.

For the numbers below - Cook averaged 41. It is up until Jenning's recall after Stoneman was dropped this year after England v Pakistan in England.

 

[hineyrulz]

Anti cricket yawn.

 

[TheParraboy]

Id play on Cook for dead rubber tests only and Rashid for live tests

 

[Bazal]

Anti cricket yawn.

Pop him on ignore mate. Makes the cricket forum make some kind of sense again

 

[Bazal]

yup agree

good on him, knew when to go. Always liked his as a player and a person

Will be remembered as a great English opener

Much better to retire when you're still playing reasonably than to go out a shell of the player you were. He probably could go on and bat OK but if he's lost the desire and he's not enjoying it anymore then what's the point?

 

[Buzzard Breath]

Great knock Cook. A good way to go out.

 

[Twizzle]

Much better to retire when you're still playing reasonably than to go out a shell of the player you were. He probably could go on and bat OK but if he's lost the desire and he's not enjoying it anymore then what's the point?

Matty Hayden rings a bell, played for about 2 years too long

 

[hineyrulz]

Matty Hayden rings a bell, played for about 2 years too long

Ricky Ponting as well.

 

[ANTiLAG]

India 5 down. Stokes peppering bouncers.

Still no sign of Rashid.

Moeenlitharin got Rahane out.

 

[Bazal]

Ben Stokes bouncing KL Rahul has paid off....for Rahul. Slapping him all over the place, goes to a very good hundred with a slap down the ground for four.

No such thing as a dead rubber, A knock like this for a young(ish) Indian player will give him the confidence to know he can perform in England next time around.

 

[Eelectrica]

India figure if they're going down they'll go down fighting. Could be fun if they stick around.

 

[Captain BF]

India currently need another 159 with 5 wickets still in hand and in the last session. Rahul has 142 and Pant is 108.

England still probably in front.

 

[Captain BF]

Rahul just dismissed. 200+ run partnership. India still need 139.

Rashid hit the top of off after pitching the ball about a foot outside leg. He's ripping it a mile now.

 

[JJ]

Good win for the Poms, Anderson goes past McGrath in wickets taken, and Cook plays a great last test 4-1 is pretty clear, imagine if they had a top order lol

 

[hineyrulz]

Pretty convincing series win, yes JJ imagine if they did have a top order? Lol.

Let’s hope it stays that way for next season and Broad and Anderson lose that sticky tape keeping them together.

 

[ANTiLAG]

Virat Kohli and Sam Curran both got player of the series.

I'm okay with that. Virat was outstanding in a losing team, and Sam Curran's contributions defined England winning the series no end.

Curran may be the first man of the series to be dropped mid way through the series. I am sure many have joined a series late, but I doubt many have been have dropped halfway through.

 

[TheParraboy]

Rahul just dismissed. 200+ run partnership. India still need 139.

Rashid hit the top of off after pitching the ball about a foot outside leg. He's ripping it a mile now.

he got both the century makers out, saved the poms asses as was heading for an embarrassing draw

selection justified

 

[hineyrulz]

he got both the century makers out, saved the poms asses as was heading for an embarrassing draw

selection justified

Nice looping leggie tosses up PB