Thursday, August 18, 2011

England v India: The Fourth Test, Day 1

Right, today I'm going to attempt something that I've never done before. I'm going to attempt to live blog the day's play (only the wickets and shots I think are notable). So welcome back to duck cricket from my living room carpet. 
Strauss wins the toss and elects to bat first. After an injury scare to Anderson, England end up being unchanged from the squad that won convincingly at Edgbaston. India though lose the man with the fantastic facial expressions of Kumar to an injury. RP Singh is the man to come in and replace him.
RP Singh takes the first over and he begins by firing one down the leg side. There's a bit of a delay between his next ball as people forget that you're not meant to move during the duration of the over. 
Strauss puts aside his frustration with the corporate types and gets off the mark with a glance to fine leg for 2. 
It opens England's and Strauss' account.
Cook hits the first four of the day with a controlled edge...
Down to, you guessed it, third man.
Strauss and Cook continue to take advantage of some lacklustre Indian bowling. Here, Strauss hits one straight back past Sreesanth...
And it goes to the boundary for four.
England go into lunch relatively untroubled at 75-0. The only thing threatening about the morning session was the piece of plastic that came off Strauss' helmet after a Sharma bouncer he misjudged. Strauss is 38 not out and Cook is on 34.
Unfortunately, across the duration of the lunch break, the heavens open and the rain that blighted the Sri Lanka Test series is back. It's lovely weather for snorkelling and ducks (kindly donated by @SoniaJane)
Bressy Lad engrosses himself in the programme and reads about Gooch's 333 in 1990. Cook looks on wistfully, as he considers what might've been on Saturday at Edgbaston. 
After a video emerges of Ishant Sharma and Gambhir getting a bit too close at Edgbaston,  they decide to take advantage of the rain delay and the facilities at The Oval... (At the request of @AltCricket)
Meanwhile, in the England dressing room, Strauss watches on from catching up with all the business news as the England team decide to play hide and seek (for @muffinnuffin).
Swann is the designated seeker, so he decides to join Strauss as he counts to 100 and the England team all head off to hide.
Unfortunately, rather like Tenduckar at the moment, he gets stuck on 99 and forgets about the hiding squad members as he and Strauss engage in a debate on whose bald spot is more noticeable, Strauss' or Trott's. The England team are not amused and emerge from their hiding places. 
Strauss decides to leave Swann to it and returns to the paper. 
It's still raining. You can expect more of this if it carries on.

And play is abandoned for the day, England close on 75-0. I'll try this again tomorrow.

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