India vs England | 3rd Test | Kolkota| 05/12/12 | Day 1

[musaarthali]

Time for thrashing....

 

[W63L35]

Time for thrashing....

...... like the one pitch curator gave to Dhoni?

 

[GentleMan]

Kolkata Kolkata, don't worry Kolkata..amra tomari Kolkata!!

 

[kungfu90]

dhoni plucked all the grass from pitch in 5 minutes.

 

[waqar goraya]

I knew there was only one hour time difference between standard time of India and Pakistan...

 

[Gunther]

Innings defeat for India ll finn

 

[James]

3.30am start time (UK) is an atrocious prospect.
Does the sun go down early? Because a 9am local start looks pretty wacky on the surface. Indian posters help.

As for the match, to even avoid defeat would be amazing for England. I'd definitely take a level score going into the final Test, where we have often nicked a good result in a series.

 

[Marshland]

England need to bat first to spice things up now.

 

[Buffet]

Innings defeat for India ll finn

England has very good chance to win a test series here as long as they can grab their chances. India didn't play that well in even in 1st test, it was mostly bad batting from England in 1st inning.

 

[James]

England need to bat first to spice things up now.

I agree, I'd like them to finally win a toss so we can see how they do first up.

Vaughan was our last captain to be good with the coin.

 

[Saurav]

3.30am start time (UK) is an atrocious prospect.
Does the sun go down early? Because a 9am local start looks pretty wacky on the surface. Indian posters help.

As for the match, to even avoid defeat would be amazing for England. I'd definitely take a level score going into the final Test, where we have often nicked a good result in a series.

yes,thats precisely the reason

 

[James]

Makes sense then. Time and again I've watched a Test in the subcontinent lose 15 overs a day because of the early dusk and crawling over rates. So hopefully with the crisp morning start and spin-heavy XIs we will see a full Test match.

It just means that James's alarm will be set at insane degrees. Noooooo.

 

[Saurav]

Makes sense then. Time and again I've watched a Test in the subcontinent lose 15 overs a day because of the early dusk and crawling over rates. So hopefully with the crisp morning start and spin-heavy XIs we will see a full Test match.

It just means that James's alarm will be set at insane degrees. Noooooo.

good luck

 

[HASHAM2]

Bell and Trott both will score some runs in this match

 

[shan]

India just cant lose this series, Dhoni knows it. They have given enough excuses for 8-0 and at the same time written enough checks so curators can prepare spinning wickets.

 

[waqar goraya]

Eden Gardens atmosphere is amazing though....it would have been awesome farewell for some individuals.....

 

[Legend Killer]

3.30am start time (UK) is an atrocious prospect.
Does the sun go down early? Because a 9am local start looks pretty wacky on the surface. Indian posters help.

As for the match, to even avoid defeat would be amazing for England. I'd definitely take a level score going into the final Test, where we have often nicked a good result in a series.

You are underestimating your team, they have the physiological advantage after the win in the last match and TBH i won't be shocked at all if England end up taking this game as well. Pitch/weather conditions matter but most of the time in test cricket the better team ends up winning and England are a better test team than India.

 

[James]

England have done half of their task to be honest, they've had a terrible year in the main format and yet under a new captain have restored some pride and won a Test in India. It's very rare that the visiting team in India even wins a Test, let alone a series.

If India somehow manage to lose the series on top of this then it would be a serious bonus, and also quite possibly the funniest cricket thing to happen in a while.

 

[James]

You are underestimating your team

I really hope so! Cook has brought some of the old confidence back.

I posted during the ODI series in UAE that the players seem to respond better to him than they were then doing to Strauss, who had declined way too much as a batsman to ever really lead effectively.

 

[leatherface58]

Indians tend to pummel teams at Eden Gardens. They got a thrashing at Nagpur by saffers and responded with a thrashing of their own at Eden. Bhajji tends to run through teams at Eden. Still Bhajji can't seem to get his trash out these days. Good luck to both teams

 

[rockers2012]

Is it the same ground where crowd also thrashes their own reputation by burning down seats?

Just kidding.

I think no cricket ground in the world can beat Eden Gardens when it comes to atmosphere!

 

[PakPrince]

I think this might get ugly for England.
There is a lot of hope and expectation around and the English team will disappoint!
This is probably the first time in my life that England are going into a test in India with a serious expectation to do well

 

[GentleMan]

it is also the same crowd which sent so many apology letters to ranatunga that he got overwhelmed.

 

[mithun_minhas]

If the pitch is anywhere close to the Mumbai pitch, Indian team is in trouble.

This Indian team is not good players of spin on tracks with bounce. We saw that.

That being said, is set for a big knock. He has failed in 2 Tests. Hard to see him fail again in Eden Gardens. Also Tendu might get some runs too.

I am more afraid of Finn than England spinners. Finn is going to get Gambit and Sehwag me thinks.

Lets see how India responds. If they have any spine or shame, they will try to trounce England in this Test match.

 

[PakPrince]

Lets see how India responds. If they have any spine or shame, they will try to trounce England in this Test match.

strong and unnecessary word

 

[mithun_minhas]

strong and unnecessary word

For all the talk that some players did they have to have some shame for folding like a cheap lawn chair at the first sign of adversity. Not one has put up fight when the conditions got tough.

Gambhir - We will give rank turners to England
Raina - We want to give some pain back to England

Its time to show who is the boss on spinning tracks. If India cannot win on home tracks too, what separates them from teams like Bangladesh (No offense meant).

 

[GentleMan]

cricket is won by talent (cricketing and mental) and some luck..not by shame or spine..

 

[Marshland]

Wrt the discussion on the grounds, Eden Gardens is one of my less favourite Indian stadiums, along with Delhi's. Both are just giant blocks of concrete with little aesthetic value. Bangalore, Karnataka can be added to that list as well.

The good looking grounds on the other hand are Chennai, Mumbai, Mohali, Nagpur and perhaps Hyderabad.

Kanpur is the other test ground I think, and it isn't too pretty either.

 

[James]

^But spine is wrapped up in the idea of mental strength. Sport is often mental.

 

[mithun_minhas]

cricket is won by talent (cricketing and mental) and some luck..not by shame or spine..

What you called "Mental" is showing grit when things get tough in the middle.

Coming to the "Shame" part, our players made some bold statements when we got thrashed in England and Aus.

Time to back them up or shut up permanently.

 

[akhan44]

For all the talk that some players did they have to have some shame for folding like a cheap lawn chair at the first sign of adversity. Not one has put up fight when the conditions got tough.

Gambhir - We will give rank turners to England
Raina - We want to give some pain back to England

Its time to show who is the boss on spinning tracks. If India cannot win on home tracks too, what separates them from teams like Bangladesh (No offense meant).

Worldcup separate india from rest of the world.

 

[mithun_minhas]

Indian middle order has to score heavily now. They played more like Indian Tail so far.

If Kohli, Tendu and UV can contribute at least 50 runs each, India can win this match easily. They have the talent to do it.

 

[W63L35]

Is it the same ground where crowd also thrashes their own reputation by burning down seats?

...or throwing stones at the players when they find out that they about to lose to their arch rival....and test match has to finished by kicking every one of them out of the stadium!

 

[majiz]

Seems to me that England are going to win this series now, I feel that the momentum is with them and that India have been found out. I'd put money on it.

 

[Buffet]

...or throwing stones at the players when they find out that they about to lose to their arch rival....and test match has to finished by kicking every one of them out of the stadium!

I personally think it's horrible that crowd trouble leads to empty stadium but I prefer match to go on rather than getting cancelled or awarded like below examples,

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/64347.html ( Pakistan lost 3 quick wickets against India and crowd issue ensured no play during IK era)

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/64787.html ( India was in good situation against WI but crowd issue lead to no full play as recently as 2002. I think match should have been awarded to WI to teach a lesson to trouble makers.)

I think SC crowd can be pathetic at times but game should be played completely even if people have to be vacated.

 

[Gunther]

It will be interesting to see who out of Bair and Samit makes way for Bell. Samit has been useless with the bat but I got a feeling that the pitch will be quite flat and having a fifth bowler would be a real luxury for the strike bowlers.

 

[Random Aussie]

Great to see a Test at this great venue.

I am torn, I wanted to support India but seeing as they want to play pitch doctors, I guess I'm supporting....nah still supporting India. Lets thrash the Poms and their imports!

 

[Random Aussie]

Sachin wearing an awful tie in the OP

 

[Gunther]

Great to see a Test at this great venue.

I am torn, I wanted to support India but seeing as they want to play pitch doctors, I guess I'm supporting....nah still supporting India. Lets thrash the Poms and their imports!

A lot of English cricket fans rooted for the Aussies in your series against the Proteas

 

[Buffet]

A lot of English cricket fans rooted for the Aussies in your series against the Proteas

Seriously?

 

[Gunther]

Seriously?

Yeah Aussies beating SA and England winning in India would have meant Cookie getting to do

 

[James]

To be honest, being rated as number 2 is pretty okay for us if it continues. SA are so blatantly ahead of everyone else on this form and with these players that you can't do a lot about that really.

 

[Gunther]

James, England in 2009-10 looked pretty much like a modern day incarnation of Don's invincibles . Bresnan setting MCG, SCG on fire lol. I would be waiting for how SA fare when they come back after a break before claiming they are undisputed numero uno.

 

[Buffet]

James, England in 2009-10 looked pretty much like a modern day incarnation of Don's invincibles . Bresnan setting MCG, SCG on fire lol. I would be waiting for how SA fare when they come back after a break before claiming they are undisputed numero uno.

More importantly, let them win few test series at home.

 

[leatherface58]

Sachin = Short Hagrid in terms of taste in ties.

 

[BlackThunder]

England have a real shot of going up 1 in this series, this Indian team unfortunately seems more focused on the pitch condition than the actual game. Dhoni is just NOT a test player or a captain and if we lose this game he should resign as our test captain immediately.

p.s at Sachins tie, that is brutal.

 

[James]

A Jon Snow tie

 

[Random Aussie]

How long until the beating of the English begins?

 

[Anfield]

The design on Sachin's tie looks like a female's uterus.

 

[KingKhanWC]

If Cook can win the toss then England will firmly believe things are turning around for them. India will probably go with a flat deck to appease the likes of Sachin and Sehwag. England batting first well could rack up a big first innings score to put enough pressure on India for 2-0. England put enough runs on the board they will win the test easily.

 

[Buffet]

If Cook can win the toss then England will firmly believe things are turning around for them. India will probably go with a flat deck to appease the likes of Sachin and Sehwag. England batting first well could rack up a big first innings score to put enough pressure on India for 2-0. England put enough runs on the board they will win the test easily.

Series is at 1-1 right now.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Series is at 1-1 right now.

I know pal, it was a typo. 2-1

If Tendulkar fails again calls will expand for his retirement.

 

[Buffet]

I know pal, it was a typo. 2-1

If Tendulkar fails again calls will expand for his retirement.

He has lost his reflexes with age. He should have retired but if he gets a decent score then I think he will retire after Aus tour. Selectors did poor job of not phasing Indians batsmen with some intervals. Whole middle order will be new within one two series. India will struggle for next 2-3 years.

Anyway, this is best time for England to win a test series in India.

 

[Free Hit]

go england

 

[W63L35]

Ishant Sharma may come in for Harbi.
Finn may come in for Broad.
Bell will come in for either Patil or Baristow.


Last few scores at Eden Gardens by India....

Team	Score	Overs	RPO	Lead	Inns	Result		Opposition	Ground	Start Date	
India	171	58.1	2.93	-274	2	won		v Australia	Kolkata	11 Mar 2001	
India	[B]657/7d[/B]	178.0	3.69	383	3	won		v Australia	Kolkata	11 Mar 2001	
India	358	101.2	3.53	358	1	draw		v West Indies	Kolkata	30 Oct 2002	
India	471/8	159.0	2.96	332	3	draw		v West Indies	Kolkata	30 Oct 2002	
India	411	150.1	2.73	106	2	won		v South Africa	Kolkata	28 Nov 2004	
India	120/2	39.4	3.02	4	4	won		v South Africa	Kolkata	28 Nov 2004	
India	407	111.1	3.66	407	1	won		v Pakistan	Kolkata	16 Mar 2005	
India	407/9d	104.0	3.91	421	3	won		v Pakistan	Kolkata	16 Mar 2005	
India	[B]616/5d[/B]	152.5	4.03	616	1	draw		v Pakistan	Kolkata	30 Nov 2007	
India	184/4d	42.4	4.31	344	3	draw		v Pakistan	Kolkata	30 Nov 2007	
India	[B]643/6d[/B]	153.0	4.20	347	2	won		v South Africa	Kolkata	14 Feb 2010	
India	[B]631/7d[/B]	151.2	4.16	631	1	won		v West Indies	Kolkata	14 Nov 2011

 

[GentleMan]

know on incident of when aussie cricketers were hit by stones in karachi..and the recent stone throwing at west indies bus.. but india being more than 5 times the population of pakistan and bangladesh..there are bound to be more incidents like this..

 

[W63L35]

know on incident of when aussie cricketers were hit by stones in karachi..and

Any link.... reference?

the recent stone throwing at west indies bus..

Throwing stone on a buss..... could be at the most one or two people...... when you set a stadium on fire.... it takes the whole community.....

but india being more than 5 times the population of pakistan and bangladesh..there are bound to be more incidents like this..

I was also talking about magnitude of the incidents.... Indian fans are the world champions and ... Kolkatians are the domestic champions!

 

[GentleMan]

Any link.... reference?

dont remember the source, but can google.. it was greg chappel's team.. also read in Benazir's auto-bio that there was crowd trouble..but that was not for cricket reasons but political reasons..but i need to check that again..i am sure if i search more in cricket literature i can find more incidents of crowd trouble..

Throwing stone on a buss..... could be at the most one or two people...... when you set a stadium on fire.... it takes the whole community.....

dont know about the numbers..but the point is Pakistani and Bangladeshi fans also have such elements.. if you are saying that they are not as many, then let us do a violent fan per capita calculation

I was also talking about magnitude of the incidents.... Indian fans are the world champions and ... Kolkatians are the domestic champions!

that is low..you are accusing Kolkatans? after seeing a gentleman like me you think that those kolkatans represent us? kolkatans are really sweet people.. they mostly target their own team..they even supported south africa because ganguly wasnt selected, and in 1996 sent lots of apology letters to ranatunga.. one incident was when tendulkar was accidentally obstructed by akhtar..but they were sachinistas not kolkatans.. kolkatans are mostly well behaved like me.

otherwise my point stands that all SC fans have such hooligans..if you want to show who has more then let us do a per capita calculation

 

[W63L35]

Betfair odds.....

[SIZE="5"][B]India   2.32 
Eng     4.30 
Draw    2.74 [/B][/SIZE]

Betfair odds are quoted as a "return on a unit invested" value.
4.30 means if you invest $1 you would get $4.30 back


So... England trashes India in the previous test... and yet India is favorite.

 

[GentleMan]

ok, i went to google to ask this question, and the first answer was this:

Trouble erupted at Lord's on Saturday during the post match presentation as Pakistani cricket fans targeted the Australian players with missiles.
The incident is the latest crowd trouble to plague cricket's one-day series.
Australian all-rounder Michael Bevan was hit by a beer can thrown on to the balcony during the post-match presentation ceremony after today's NatWest Series final.
Australia had completed a nine-wicket victory over Pakistan and the losers had been presented with their medals when the latest crowd trouble incident of the series took place.
Police moved among the crowd beneath the balcony trying to find whoever was responsible.
It was then announced that the rest of the presentation ceremony would be held indoors.
Pakistani fans have been responsible for trouble at three previous matches.
The first came on June 7 at Edgbaston when Pakistan beat England in a floodlit encounter. The second occurred at Headingley last Sunday when Pakistan triumphed over England again.
On that occasion, steward Stephen Speight was injured as Pakistan fans stormed on to the square seeking to claim stumps and bails for souvenirs.
Then at Trent Bridge on Tuesday, Aussie paceman Brett Lee was nearly hit by a plastic bottle thrown from the crowd and Waugh led his players off the pitch in protest.
Former England cricket captain David Gower, speaking on Sky Sports 1, said: "A missile of some description was thrown and Michael Bevan was then seen rubbing his cheek.
"It is a shameful end to this NatWest series. It is unbelievable, ridiculous. These people have let their country down. This is getting out of hand."
He went on: "MCC can be proud of what they have managed to achieve so far. They let the crowd on to the field at the end with an element of control. They (the fans) let them down.
"There are people who have come for a quiet day out and this happens. The players, the stewards and the crowd all have a right to be protected.
"It seems that even the presentation ceremony is a problem now. It is the first time we have ever seen scenes like this at Lord's."

 

[GentleMan]

Another one:

Crowd trouble marred Pakistan's 77-run victory over Zimbabwe in the third and final one-day international in Peshawar yesterday. Police used batons to control some of the 35,000-strong crowd who threw stones, bottles, fruit and other projectiles, causing seven stoppages that totalled 81 minutes.

Darren Gough attacked : http://www.pakpassion.net/ppforum/showthread.php?p=5241644

Match abandoned in 1983 as stones thrown at Australian cricketers in Karachi

http://www.pakpassion.net/ppforum/showthread.php?t=164587

this was the ones i was talking about... so there is no one on a high horse..hamaam mein sab nangay

 

[W63L35]

ok, i went to google to ask this question, and the first answer was this:

know on incident of when aussie cricketers were hit by stones in karachi..

I didn't know Karachi and Lord's are the same ground.....or is it that Lords is in Lahore .. or is it Islamabad.

...and did you personally checked their passports that the fans in Lord's and Birmingham were Pakistani?

 

[W63L35]

Another one:



Darren Gough attacked : http://www.pakpassion.net/ppforum/showthread.php?p=5241644

Match abandoned in 1983 as stones thrown at Australian cricketers: http://www.pakpassion.net/ppforum/showthread.php?t=164587

this was the ones i was talking about... so there is no one on a high horse..hamaam mein sab nangay

I am yet to see you provide me a refernce of fans setting stadium on fire like Kolkatians did! Just admit it ... you are the title holder!

Look at the expressions on the face of the guy on the left...

Guy with the "six" sign!

 

[GentleMan]

I didn't know Karachi and Lord's are the same ground.....or is it that Lords is in Lahore .. or is it Islamabad.

...and did you personally checked their passports that the fans in Lord's and Birmingham were Pakistani?

those are two separate incidents, i gave link for karachi incident as well...and the report blamed pakistani fans, and i take their word, unless you think that was indian conspiracy to malign the pakistanis.

 

[GentleMan]

I am yet to see you provide me a refernce of fans setting stadium on fire like Kolkatians did! Just admit it ... you are the title holder!

some people like to stone, some people like to burn...so each adopted their own method.. and the question was not if who has burned more..the question was "Why are you dragging Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi fans into this? How many incidents you can quote where BD or SL fans burned stadiums or misbehaved?".. but lame way to defend your fans.. if i had to defend i would say how many people were hurt by setting fire to paper.. and how many people were hurt by stoning? but i am not defending my fans here..and here you are defending the misbehaviour of pakistani fans..

 

[Bhaijaan]

W63L45, would be a lot better if you would raise this issue in a separate thread in my opinion. This is a match thread and no such incident has occurred yet hence there is no point in discussing this here. Thanks

 

[GentleMan]

setting the stadium on fire.. but the pics look like a bonfire used in picnic..hardly a stadium on fire.. and what about the links i gave about pakistani crowd throwing stones at players? naah..they didnt "burn the stadium" so that was fine..

 

[Anfield]

would we see the Old Calcutta or the New Kolkatta? Old Calcutta= great atmosphere, jam packed stadium. New Kokatta = empty seats no atmosphere.

 

[GentleMan]

a full capacity eden garden crowd is unmatched in cricket experience...the first match i watched there was india vs south africa.. klusener was the fastest and our vekatesh prasad was the slowest..could easily make out by watching them.. wish i was in calcutta now, would have hold a placard on camera for my friend WL what we Kolkatans are nice people..

leaving for home now, no internet there..and no cyber cafe in my city..so will be back after 12 hours

 

[Bhaijaan]

Pakistan played here 5 years ago and it was empty back then as well. Don't think it would be different this time as well, our people dont really enjoy test matches much. The atmosphere should still be great i guess even if there were only 20k people in the stadium but nothing like the old and chaotic Eden Garden. Those days are long gone.

 

[W63L35]

W63L45, would be a lot better if you would raise this issue in a separate thread in my opinion. This is a match thread and no such incident has occurred yet hence there is no point in discussing this here. Thanks

No problem...

Separate started;
http://www.pakpassion.net/ppforum/showthread.php?t=166965

But I was merely replying to the post # 21 & 35.

 

[IgnitedMind]

Obsession of a few people and their rants just spoils the mood of threads...sometimes even the forum experiance.....just my opinion!!

 

[W63L35]

Obsession of a few people and their rants just spoils the mood of threads...sometimes even the forum experiance.....just my opinion!!

I agree......

http://www.pakpassion.net/ppforum/showpost.php?p=5338948&postcount=35

 

[W63L35]

would we see the Old Calcutta or the New Kolkatta? Old Calcutta= great atmosphere, jam packed stadium. New Kokatta = empty seats no atmosphere.

Well... there will be no Shah Rukh Khan, no cheerleader in skimpy clothes.... so take a guess! All we have to say is: Thank you BCCI .... Thank you IPL!

 

[Ruri]

Time for the Toss. Apparently flat pitch that goes slow and low.

 

[IgnitedMind]

^^^

Just for the sake...I want mention the readers that we are ignoring the good turn outs in the new zealand series...a few days in ahmedabad and mumbai!!

you see unfortunately...we do not have rich beer drinking old men who read news papers and drink beers watching a 5 day test match...to fill up the stadiums .....

 

[Ruri]

Aaaand India gets to bat first again.


This is frustrating. We never win the toss.

 

[Anfield]

Boycott, "You've got to fix your roads. It takes forever to reach anywhere." ) what a comment. I thought he was talking about the pitches but he's talking about actual roads. lol

 

[Anfield]

^^^

Just for the sake...I want mention the readers that we are ignoring the good turn outs in the new zealand series...a few days in ahmedabad and mumbai!!

you see unfortunately...we do not have rich beer drinking old men who read news papers and drink beers watching a 5 day test match...to fill up the stadiums .....

Calcutta used to produce great atmosphere but I guess this venue has fallen as well just like other cricket stadiums in the world. IPL is also a reason IMO.

 

[Anfield]

Aaaand India gets to bat first again.


This is frustrating. We never win the toss.

your cheff is not good at appetizers.