Runs,runs,runs (Other...)

Member Name:

Product:	Other...
Date:	15/12/01 (8 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good show, Dull game

Disadvantages: Dull commentators

Sky sports kick of their Indian coverage around 6pm to catch the early bird workers and cricket fanatics. Charles Coalville is not the best sight to wake you up in the morning, or is Bob Willis.
A middle aged Ian Botham strides out to do the Geof Boycott prodding of the wicket pre toss. How we need him prodding a few sixes into the crowd at number seven instead of the college boys initiating fatal collapses.

Captain Hussein finally won his 2nd toss in twenty-three looking as surprised as everyone. The second big shock of the day was Graham Thorpe going home to see the misses.
He’s a notorious family man who likes to be with his kids opening presents on the big day. And his misses also knows New Zealand’s coming up where he was a naughty boy with a younger bit last time down under.

I suspect a deal was done pre tour for the senior pros to dodge the tour, or at least get home early for the festivities. The old pros used to do it to, it’s a long tradition.
Christopher Martin Jenkins has it written in his contract that he cant tour any where with his newspaper of Radio Four where he can get the s***s.

The stadium was not a regular on the sub continent and looked it to. The sparsely populated seats in the pastel multicolored stands looked like a faded flag from one too many washes.
A monkey skipping along the perimeter fence bought the first cry’s of derision, and England hadn’t even started batted yet!.
Charles Coalville, who looks too much like an Open University lecturer announced that the ape had an exceedingly long tail like the England batting.

England again opened well with Trescothick and Butcher putting on a ton. Hussein got a terrible decision after Butchers dismissal leaving England still well placed.
Trescothick is looking every inch the business and also got a bad one on 99.But im sure he won’t walk if he knicks one on the same score next time. But like last time
we, slipped away from 122-0 to 177-5.
Freddy (full toss) Flintoff got his belly and not the bat behind the ball as he yet again failed.
But Foster who has been dire behind the stumps so far dug in well with White as the two briskly repaired their abysmal batting averages this year.

England finally pressed home their advantage and ran up a very healthy four hundred. Craig White guided the surprisingly productive Foster to a wealthy forty with Dawson and Hoggard also sticking around.
India had an hour to close on a teetering 71-2 which gives England every chance of a useful first innings lead or more.

If England can knock them over for less than three hundred then i reckon a hundred plus edge could leave them struggling on a last day pitch. Kumble showed line and length would prosper with 7-111.
His style of spin bowling I s based more on accuracy than turn.
England’s tweakers certainly don’t spin it much, but can they secure that accuracy to level the series.

Sky have way too many adverts and they are all the bloody same. Its amazing how many loan companies there are about there and how many of them think that cricket enthusiast want to buy conservatories.
Bye the tenth time you have that 0800 number on the brain you want to punch those washed out actors in the face that pollute these commercials.

Alex Stewart is the London studio anchorman where he is a safe distant from the New Delhi bookmakers and the police who would rather like a chat. Mark Waugh when he was touring there was seriously hassled to the point where lawyers were called and threat of going home circulated in Aussie hotels.
This is the main reason why Stewart would rather be in his best suit at 6-30 am, rather than leading from behind the dusty stump’s where he surely longs to be.

England are finally on top of a test match in India.The last time was when Graham Fowler and Mike Gatting ran up 445-1 a vaguely
remember. Ashley Giles fighting back the pain bagged excellent career best 5-75 giving our boys very nice position indeed going into day four.
Tendulkar held the nations attention with a breath-taking century until he was out and the Indian Parliament was invaded.
Sachins footwork and shot selection was quite extraordinary as he ridiculed coach Fletchers ploy of bunging nine fielders on the offside bowling to that off. He creamed five majestic fours from just outside of the off stump to the leg boundary, bloody genius and quite rightly clapped for a full minute and a half.

291 leaves India 116 behind with England all set to add to that lead if all goes well. They need to make haste against their early seam attack before the spinners get stuck in on a decaying top. If we can get 225 tomorrow and have a go at them in the evening if we get fifty more then the last day could be a thriller and maybe the equalizer.

The drinks trolley man seems to be lonelier than Bin Laden as he wheels out his ancient gear. The players immediately shuffle over to their prospective twelfth men for refreshments. You can’t take a risk out there with the water and food as half the English team have already found out.
Vaughn missed the whole day with the Bangalore boogie whilst Dawson was in and out the bog with Delhi Belly after lunch.

The final day was a bore all round with the commentators just winning the drawl stakes. Botham plugged his Christmas books with Willis nodding off.India didn’t fare much better on the pitch as England’s increasingly feeble attack managed only three wickets in 80 overs.
Dawson nipped out the king for his only wicket in the match and I retreated to by tea with no decent finish in prospect.

Sky’s coverage is not as energetic or revolutionary as Channel Four but they are the only ones covering it live so its take it or leave it. Only for intrepid cricket fans.
With one to go and the bo
ys one down its going to need a massive effort in Bangalore to go home with a creditbale draw.But guess whos home town it is!.

Summary: