leicsmac

The reactionaries already gearing up in the Beeb comments section then.

Superb bowling from Akash Deep. Either by some miracle these two stay in until 5pm tonight or this one is done.

If this match does end up being a draw, the aura that this England team will have played a part in it, making India bat much longer than they might perhaps otherwise have to ensure any target wasn't chaseable.

Exactly. And an unfortunate corollary of this is that with the flooding of so many issues through digital information flow which results in the consequences shown here, big stuff that really is an issue for everyone gets lost in the flood. Thing is, (and it's frustrating how often I'm having to say this recently), there's no good solution to this particular problem that I can think of. There are plenty of bad ones, but no good ones.

And that, unfortunately, is a key part of the discussion used against those who don't have the spoons to engage. On the general topic, I'm going to share it again.

Well, the prevailing feeling may well be correct, goodness knows the odds are that way. But it isn't an inevitability until the last wicket falls tomorrow, so I would not seek to treat it as such.

I guess we'll find out.

I beg to differ because there are so many possibles, but we'll only know tomorrow.

Why are people talking like this one is already done? There's still one more day to go and seven wickets to take.

This Djoko match is like watching that bit of Robocop where Murphy gets his limbs blown off one at a time. Dismemberment.

Smith and Brook have both showed that kind of capacity. They'll need to show it again tomorrow.

He's down to play Sinner in the semi final, who I think will have the skill and the patience to break him, but it will take a serious effort to do so with him on this form. Absolutely agreed. Therefore IMO folks shouldn't look to reduce a complex issue to simple soundbites.

The "equal pay" argument is always going to be subjective because the idea of "what" the sportspeople should be remunerated for is likewise subjective. Degree of physical/mental exertion? Amount of revenue brought to the sportspeople? Other factors? A combination thereof? I certainly wouldn't want to say that just because women play three sets and so apparently (subjectively) put less effort into a contest, that they don't deserve the same pay as the men.

Current evidence suggests that's true, but we'll only know by this time tomorrow (latest).

Teams have managed to survive a full day with seven wickets before. Perhaps a bit of rain will help there, too. Should be an interesting finale.

The Indian seam attack has been so much more controlled than the English one. Who would have thought that even ten years ago?

Against an England attack that have had two of the greatest seamers of all time just retire and with half a dozen of their currently playing better-choice seamers out crocked. Carse and Tongue are not high level Test standard, but they're the best available near the bottom of the barrel right now. Goodness knows what the ECB is doing to them to have that many out at the same time, but that's a different discussion.

I'd actually have Bethell open. Would there be much difference between that and being a 3 for him?

The idea that England can chase 500+ is rather silly, yes, but I do seem to remember rather a few more silly posts around halfway through the first Test underrating this England team and their style - and look how that turned out. NB. This is good India team in terms of their seam attack, but I've seen nothing to suggest their batting is anything better than sides that have toured England in the past. Of course, such things are subjective.

Bethell for Crawley, Rehan for Bashir next Test, please.

Yeah, and England are missing about a half dozen of their best seamers. I think they have it in their locker to defend, I guess we'll find out either way soon enough.

If/when England draw this, Gill is going to look rather like a mug.

His Test average is 42 (37 before this series started) over a five year career so far. I think "reasonably talented but by no means great" applies.

It's a testament to how ineffective this England bowling attack is that it's making the average of a reasonably talented but by no means great batsman like Gill look like Bradman.

I think around 520 with about 20 overs left in the day.