Set in its Central India location, Nagpur is in a dry part of India, and the cricket pitch is in a dry part of Nagpur. MS Dhoni makes little effort to pretend that the pitch is intended for anything other than his three spinners. There is just one change in the England side, with Jonny Bairstow re-introduced to replace Samit Patel, who has an upset stomach. The Indian side, however, bears two changes, with Yuvraj Singh and Zaheer Khan making way for Puyish Chawla and Parvinder Awana respectively. Rather than bother with the formality of going out into the middle, Alistair Cook and MS Dhoni stay in the pavilion and just agree that if they had actually tossed a coin, India would have won the toss and decided to bat.
They might equally have agreed that Gautam Ghambir would have been trapped lbw, prodding half-forward to James Anderson's third delivery, particularly if they had read Next Week's Scoreboard. But - as has been pointed out both in productions such as Doctor Who and Back to the Future, and also by a former colleague of NWS's author - the possibility of an individual able to control and yet also know his fate could cause a rupture in the space/time continuum. This itself could have disrupted the Final Test in manners unknown, and perhaps that is why Cook and Dhoni, with their love for test match cricket, decided to avoid this blog.
Anyway, India bat pretty well after Ghambir's not unpredictable dismissal, on a dry looking pitch. Virender Sehwag is stumped for 94, trying to hit Monty Panesar into the River Nagpur, but Sachin Tendulkar survives a confident lbw decision to make an accomplished 76 not out, before stumps are drawn with the score on 245 for 2. But the pitch is already turning for Panesar and Swann: how long can the little resplendido keep the former Northants spinners at bay?
In the most absorbing day's cricket since 12 September 2005, there is a titanic battle between modern greats Sachin Tendulkar and Monty Panesar. In a day when Panesar and Swann bowl unchanged for a session and a half, Tendulkar battles to 158, before becoming Panesar's final wicket, but at the other end, the Indians try to keep the Englsih spinners out - but to no avail. Eventually, the Indians are all out for 422. Panesar can only smile, as he walks off the pitch and sees a massive banner saying "Well done, Monty, you really bowled splendidly." That is true generosity of spirit from the Indian supporters.
Perhaps exhausted from fielding around the bat, the England batsmen do not play well. Awana is nervous, but after Cook nicks a wide one to Pujara at slip, he regains his confidence and starts to bowl increasingly quickly. Jonathan Trott and Kevin Pietersen follow quickly afterwards, and Nick Compton can only look on sadly from the other end. Ian Bell is able to keep out Awana, and the erratic Chawla; and indeed after tea, the two England right-handers open up, striking Chawla for 44 runs in just two overs. Unfortunately, Bell is out stumped off Chawla, trying to do one better than Sehwag and hit the iffy leg-spinner into the River Nagpur. Sir Ian Botham explains that this is Bell's natural game, but there is little sympathy as nightwatchman Anderson's off-stump is uprooted by Awana in the final ball of the day's play.
The third day starts well for England, with Bairstow batting assertively against R Ashwin. He knocks up a quick 45, before attampting to reverse sweep Pragyan Ojha. As the ball strikes his pad, each and every one of the Indian close fielders appeal for lbw, but Umpire Aleem Dar does an excellent job to detect an edge before the ball strikes the pad, and declines the appeal. Detecting a problem, Compton comes down the pitch and challenges Bairstow to cross the Rubicon - to go from being a promising one day wicketkeeper-batsman, to being a test match batsman. Bairstow is the last man out for 146, off 220 balls, as England are eventually dismissed for 455. There is just time for Sehwag to get out stumped, trying once more to hit Panesar into the River Nagpur, before close of play.
The fourth day is, unfortunately, lost to rain.
It is clear that the match will result in a draw, barring a batting catastrophe by either side. Unfortunately, that is the fate which meets India. Or was it a great bowling performance from Steven Finn on a dead pitch which caused it? And is India's batting collapse too late for England to claim victory anyway?
Monday 10 December 2012
Monday 3 December 2012
Why India is the best place in the world
Alistair (or is it Alastair? I always forget) Cook calls correctly, and asks MS Dhoni if he will bowl. Cook licks his lips as he says this. By the end of the day, he has has chipped, nurdled and generally defended his way to 158 not out. At the other end, Joe Root - batting at six in preference to Samit Patel - is looking accomplished on 85 not out. The pitch is slow, but is already taking spin, and England have the runs on the board - 358-4.
The second day is a hot one. Root only adds three before he falls for 88 to Ishant Sharma, but Cook presses on, grinding his way onwards with Matt Prior playing well at the other end. By mid-afternoon, with the pitch deteriorating rapidly, James Anderson finally edges R Ashwin to slip, and England are bowled out for 555.
As one might expect, England open up their bowling with their spinners. With a perceived hoodoo over the Indian batsmen, Monty Panesar and Graeme Swann leap in - but without any effect. Virender Sehwag and Gautam Ghambir show what incredible batsmen they are, as they craft the score up to 55 after 5 overs. Anderson and Steven Finn take the ball, but whilst Finn is able to strike Sehwag with a lifting bouncer, neither England bowler is able to make a breakthrough. With five minutes to go before tea, England need a change bowler in order that Finn may get another over. Thrown the ball, Root floats the ball between bat and pad, bowling Sehwag through the gate, as he dances down the pitch and tries to hit the Yorkshireman into the River Hooghly. 66-1 at tea. That is England's last success of the day, however: India close on 151-1 (Ghambir 89*, Pujara 21*).
The third day is a mixed one for England: they bowl poorly, and drop a great many catches, but MS Dhoni follows up on his episode with the dry pitches by declaring the Indian innings closed with just 2 wickets down, 100 runs behind, in the mid-afternoon. He explains later that he wanted to have the maximum time to force a result. Duncan Fletcher defends his man, explaining that Dhoni is occasionally stupid and is not to be blamed for that. Anyway, England score a further 176 runs during what remains of the day, for the loss of just (a very tired looking) Cook. Nick Compton, in particular, shows that the goatee beard he shares with Kevin Pietersen is a signature of a shared talent.
The fourth day is, unfortunately, lost to rain.
The fifth day sees England bat for an hour, with Ian Bell chipping a number of easy boundaries; eventually England declare, setting India 362 to win off 75 overs. Panesar and Swann bowl well, but once again Ghambir and Sehwag are too good for them. As Sehwag quickly passes his century, it looks as if the chase is on. But drawing inspiration, Cook once again runs to Root. He tosses up a looping off-break, and for the second time in the match, Sehwag tries to hit him into the River Hooghly; and for a second time it all goes wrong. The ball skies, and whilst closest fielder Panesar loses the ball in the sun and has to run for cover, Prior is safely on hand to pouch the catch.
In that moment, Panesar and Swann understand the great beauty that it is India. In India, they do not just have pitches that spin, they have pitches that spin in different ways, depending on how quickly you bowl. After watching YouTube footage of Philippe Edmonds during the lunch break, Panesar in particular is able to adapt to the uncomfortably slow surface. After lunch, the England spinners are very splendid indeed. India are all out, just after the tea, as the red sun makes its way down over the Eden Gardens scoreboard. Eden Gardens indeed; probably the best country in the world, this.
The second day is a hot one. Root only adds three before he falls for 88 to Ishant Sharma, but Cook presses on, grinding his way onwards with Matt Prior playing well at the other end. By mid-afternoon, with the pitch deteriorating rapidly, James Anderson finally edges R Ashwin to slip, and England are bowled out for 555.
As one might expect, England open up their bowling with their spinners. With a perceived hoodoo over the Indian batsmen, Monty Panesar and Graeme Swann leap in - but without any effect. Virender Sehwag and Gautam Ghambir show what incredible batsmen they are, as they craft the score up to 55 after 5 overs. Anderson and Steven Finn take the ball, but whilst Finn is able to strike Sehwag with a lifting bouncer, neither England bowler is able to make a breakthrough. With five minutes to go before tea, England need a change bowler in order that Finn may get another over. Thrown the ball, Root floats the ball between bat and pad, bowling Sehwag through the gate, as he dances down the pitch and tries to hit the Yorkshireman into the River Hooghly. 66-1 at tea. That is England's last success of the day, however: India close on 151-1 (Ghambir 89*, Pujara 21*).
The third day is a mixed one for England: they bowl poorly, and drop a great many catches, but MS Dhoni follows up on his episode with the dry pitches by declaring the Indian innings closed with just 2 wickets down, 100 runs behind, in the mid-afternoon. He explains later that he wanted to have the maximum time to force a result. Duncan Fletcher defends his man, explaining that Dhoni is occasionally stupid and is not to be blamed for that. Anyway, England score a further 176 runs during what remains of the day, for the loss of just (a very tired looking) Cook. Nick Compton, in particular, shows that the goatee beard he shares with Kevin Pietersen is a signature of a shared talent.
The fourth day is, unfortunately, lost to rain.
The fifth day sees England bat for an hour, with Ian Bell chipping a number of easy boundaries; eventually England declare, setting India 362 to win off 75 overs. Panesar and Swann bowl well, but once again Ghambir and Sehwag are too good for them. As Sehwag quickly passes his century, it looks as if the chase is on. But drawing inspiration, Cook once again runs to Root. He tosses up a looping off-break, and for the second time in the match, Sehwag tries to hit him into the River Hooghly; and for a second time it all goes wrong. The ball skies, and whilst closest fielder Panesar loses the ball in the sun and has to run for cover, Prior is safely on hand to pouch the catch.
In that moment, Panesar and Swann understand the great beauty that it is India. In India, they do not just have pitches that spin, they have pitches that spin in different ways, depending on how quickly you bowl. After watching YouTube footage of Philippe Edmonds during the lunch break, Panesar in particular is able to adapt to the uncomfortably slow surface. After lunch, the England spinners are very splendid indeed. India are all out, just after the tea, as the red sun makes its way down over the Eden Gardens scoreboard. Eden Gardens indeed; probably the best country in the world, this.
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