[Baggies]

6 wickets gone for 44 runs. Soft batting line up with no real contenders coming through. Feels like there are only a couple of sides in world cricket who can play tests at a decent level now. India are one of them.

[Baggies]

43 ducks for English players this year, 18 different players. Shows A, the amount of different players who have had a go and B, the amount of different players who haven't impressed.

[gerry m]

4 for 6 in 41 balls since lunch, typical England collapse

Its the hope that kills you!

Ah the good old collapse. Nobody does it better than England unfortunately.

[BlackCountryPride68]

Same old tale of woe. That said, you have to give Bumrah credit for what was a superb spell.

[phbaggies]

Same old tale of woe. That said, you have to give Bumrah credit for what was a superb spell.

100% it was a brilliant spell, but you almost expect the England collapse and it rarely fails to materialise unfortunately. All on Root now (again, how many times as that been said!?)

[lewisant]

Probably won’t even make it to tea now. What a huge disappointment

[hardtobeat]

In this day and age for 4 or 5 of your frontline batsman to get out bowled on a wicket as benign as this is a breakdown in basic technique  which in this group of players is second only to mental weakness as a cause of repeated failings . In truth with one or two notable exceptions this at test level is a poor team

[TheJacko2000]

Woeful. Nothing else to say. 141 for 2, 147 for 6.

[Bilston Dan]

In this day and age for 4 or 5 of your frontline batsman to get out bowled on a wicket as benign as this is a breakdown in basic technique  which in this group of players is second only to mental weakness as a cause of repeated failings . In truth with one or two notable exceptions this at test level is a poor team

I think it shows how little emphasis is put on the longer form of the game in England. The 4 day county game is such a poor standard that it produces players who aren't good enough to play test cricket. Shorter format is much more forgiving on technique and skill but longer game really exposes ones weaknesses.

My girlfriend  (she is Indian) said straight away yesterday when India where 400 and odd for 8 that India would win. Stupidly I said we'd draw...should have known better with our batting!

We really have gone backwards in regards to batting. Apart from Root I have very little confidence in the rest of them.

[LiamTheBaggie]

I couldn’t even call it a low point as we’ve been here before. 

That was a staggeringly bad two hours of cricket following lunch, in a test match where we should have came out with a draw at the minimum.

[Adder]

I think it shows how little emphasis is put on the longer form of the game in England. The 4 day county game is such a poor standard that it produces players who aren't good enough to play test cricket. Shorter format is much more forgiving on technique and skill but longer game really exposes ones weaknesses.

My girlfriend  (she is Indian) said straight away yesterday when India where 400 and odd for 8 that India would win. Stupidly I said we'd draw...should have known better with our batting!

We really have gone backwards in regards to batting. Apart from Root I have very little confidence in the rest of them.

I think a big issue is that the likes of Buttler and Bairstow (and others) actually modify their technique to maximise their hitting power in the shorter format. It's then difficult to produce the technique you need to survive in test cricket when they are playing so much short form cricket.
The 4 day pitches need to improve also. Even at this time of year after a pretty dry few weeks there are some low scores around at the moment and it's the pace bowlers that are doing the damage. I'm not aware of any spinners doing serious damage at the moment.

[WBASPE77]

I feel the end is nigh for both Root and Silverwood. They got outclassed by Kohli today. Like him or not he is a great captain. Something that Root isn't.

Why do we keep going back to Ali and Bairstow. Why does Buttler get such a long run in the team when he scores such few runs?

Root works our bowlers into the ground. Look at Archer. How many extra overs did Anderson and Robinson bowl Yesterday.

[LiamTheBaggie]

Root and Silverwood are going nowhere - they’ve just rebuilt the ECB around them both. They’re not going to rip it up now.

I’m not sure Silverwood is the issue either - we have an average to poor batting line up who are mentally fragile after a few years of batting collapses and defeats. The next man has exactly the same issues because the current crop - and those beneath them - are not good enough.

[LiamTheBaggie]

5th test match cancelled as India claim to be unable to field a team due to Covid scares.

Following last nights testing there was not a positive case amongst any of the playing staff.

I am surprised that this is such an issue now they're 2-1 up, as when Shastri and others tested positive for Covid last week, they were more than happy to continue in search of their win.

Of course, the IPL returns next week which I am sure has played no part in their decision.

[TheJacko2000]

5th test match cancelled as India claim to be unable to field a team due to Covid scares.

Following last nights testing there was not a positive case amongst any of the playing staff.

I am surprised that this is such an issue now they're 2-1 up, as when Shastri and others tested positive for Covid last week, they were more than happy to continue in search of their win.

Of course, the IPL returns next week which I am sure has played no part in their decision.

They should all be made to isolate for 10 days before we let them near an airport.

[phbaggies]

Just goes to show, they want the money (IPL) more than a series win, to me test cricket has been the third priority for a while now behind the quicker formats

[LiamTheBaggie]

Just goes to show, they want the money (IPL) more than a series win, to me test cricket has been the third priority for a while now behind the quicker formats

They've got the series win now this test has been cancelled.

Kohli now has wins in England and Australia on his record.

Its why they continued to play on during the 4th test match after Ravi Shastri tested positive.

If COVID was such an issue to them, they would not have continued the 4th test.

Now they're infront, Kohli has it on his record & the IPL starts next week.. COVID my backside..

[TheJacko2000]

They've got the series win now this test has been cancelled.

Kohli now has wins in England and Australia on his record.

Its why they continued to play on during the 4th test match after Ravi Shastri tested positive.

If COVID was such an issue to them, they would not have continued the 4th test.

Now they're infront, Kohli has it on his record & the IPL starts next week.. COVID my backside..

The ECB will be seeking a forfeiture and a series draw based on all the noises coming out of this mess.

[hardtobeat]

The ECB will be seeking a forfeiture and a series draw based on all the noises coming out of this mess.

Already read somewhere this is what’s happened

[LiamTheBaggie]

The ECB will be seeking a forfeiture and a series draw based on all the noises coming out of this mess.

That's initially what the ECB included within their official statement until they amended it to a more diplomatic version 

India have offered to replay the test next summer when they come for the ODI series.

[phbaggies]

The ECB will be seeking a forfeiture and a series draw based on all the noises coming out of this mess.

But the BCCI is a lot more powerful £ wise so would the ECB risk upsetting them?

[TheJacko2000]

Lancs appear to have 'done a Glamorgan'  and prepared an absolute minefield at Aigburth. Well on the way to the game ending early on day 3. Hants 24 for 4 lead by 27 runs in 2nd innings. Meanwhile Warks need to bowl Somerset out twice to stay in the running. Lammonby just dismissed for a half century.

[Adder]

Lancs appear to have 'done a Glamorgan'  and prepared an absolute minefield at Aigburth. Well on the way to the game ending early on day 3. Hants 24 for 4 lead by 27 runs in 2nd innings. Meanwhile Warks need to bowl Somerset out twice to stay in the running. Lammonby just dismissed for a half century.

Glamorgan enjoying the Oval wicket after recent debacles 

[leeiswba]

Essex v Northants finished 35 minutes into day 2!! Becoming a bit of a shambles some of these matches.

Warwickshire letting fans in for free next two days if any of you B*ars are interested

[LiamTheBaggie]

Looks a draw for me at Edgbaston - this is a great batting deck. We needed all the bonus points to help us and prepared a beauty of a pitch. Hard toil for the bowlers.

Thoroughly enjoyed today at Edgbaston - weather was beautiful. After the **** show of last year it’s so refreshing to see us play good cricket. I’ll be there the next couple of days.

That an hour an half against Hampshire two weeks ago is going to cost us dearly. That game was in the palm of our hands and we squandered it.