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England’s Joe Root sees light but Ishant Sharma runs riot in dark farce England’s Joe Root sees light but Ishant Sharma runs riot in dark farce
(about 2 hours later)
Until the last ball before lunch there was a grand and gritty game of cricket going on out there. After the interval it became a dark farce as England’s batsmen – and, in theory, they have a lot of batsmen in their side – were mesmerised by Ishant Sharma and his short ball.Until the last ball before lunch there was a grand and gritty game of cricket going on out there. After the interval it became a dark farce as England’s batsmen – and, in theory, they have a lot of batsmen in their side – were mesmerised by Ishant Sharma and his short ball.
Previously parallels between Sharma and Cleopatra have been hard to establish (except perhaps when considering their hairstyles). Yet the Egyptian queen, who transfixed Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, could scarcely have been any more potent than Sharma in encouraging indiscretions.Previously parallels between Sharma and Cleopatra have been hard to establish (except perhaps when considering their hairstyles). Yet the Egyptian queen, who transfixed Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, could scarcely have been any more potent than Sharma in encouraging indiscretions.
Just as the English supporters dared to hope again, Sharma seduced and reduced England’s middle order as if he had secretly poured some magic tranquilliser into their lunchtime drinks. Befuddled batsmen surrendered one after another to this irresistible force. It was extraordinary, ugly and a total humiliation for the home side. Just as the English supporters dared to hope again Sharma seduced and reduced England’s middle order as if he had secretly poured some magic tranquilliser into their lunchtime drinks. Befuddled batsmen surrendered one after another to this irresistible force. It was extraordinary, ugly and a total humiliation for the home side.
After lunch India did not have to work for their first overseas victory for more than three years. They just plucked catches out of the air at every corner of Lord’s as if scrumping apples from a deserted orchard. Even Duncan Fletcher was smiling by the end. After lunch India did not have to work for their first overseas victory in more than three years. They just plucked catches out of the air at every corner of Lord’s as if scrumping apples from a deserted orchard. Even Duncan Fletcher was smiling by the end.
Do not let an English team ever, ever talk about sub continental teams arriving in this country and “not liking it up ‘em”. Sharma is a fine bowler, who seized his opportunity on Monday albeit with a little encouragement from his captain. MS Dhoni afterwards was at pains to point out how difficult it was for him to persuade his fast bowler to adopt the short-pitched form of attack. Next time against England Dhoni may not have to be quite so persuasive, so stunned was Sharma by the regularity with which English batsmen succumbed to his bouncers. Do not let an English team ever talk about subcontinental teams arriving in this country and “not liking it up ’em”. Sharma is a fine bowler, who seized his opportunity on Monday albeit with a little encouragement from his captain. MS Dhoni afterwards was at pains to point out how difficult it was for him to persuade his fast bowler to adopt the short-pitched form of attack. Next time against England Dhoni may not have to be quite so persuasive, so stunned was Sharma by the regularity with which English batsmen succumbed to his bouncers.
Sharma is not that fast; nor was this pitch, albeit an excellent one for Test cricket and easily the best of the summer so far. Yet England had no answers. He bowled with the method which has been regularly used by Liam Plunkett this summer. However Plunkett, for all his virtues, has lacked the same seductive powers. Mind you he has not had the benefit of bowling at English batsmen. Sharma is not that fast; nor was this pitch, albeit an excellent one for Test cricket and easily the best of the summer so far. Yet England had no answers. He bowled with the method which has been regularly used by Liam Plunkett this summer. However Plunkett, for all his virtues, has lacked the same seductive powers. Mind you, he has not had the benefit of bowling at English batsmen.
Such a capitulation takes some explaining. It is surely more a consequence of addled minds than technical deficiencies. Here was a case of batsmen unable to think on their feet. For a while they just swung at everything. It was, as Alastair Cook acknowledged, “a high-risk strategy, which didn’t come off”.Such a capitulation takes some explaining. It is surely more a consequence of addled minds than technical deficiencies. Here was a case of batsmen unable to think on their feet. For a while they just swung at everything. It was, as Alastair Cook acknowledged, “a high-risk strategy, which didn’t come off”.
Calling it a strategy may have been something of a euphemism. As the innings subsided the batsmen no longer played the ball: they just stuck to a vague determination to thrash away at anything heading in their direction.Calling it a strategy may have been something of a euphemism. As the innings subsided the batsmen no longer played the ball: they just stuck to a vague determination to thrash away at anything heading in their direction.
In the morning Joe Root and Moeen Ali tantalised. They offered hope that proved illusory. Amid the rubble Root, in particular, has been batting with increasing authority.In the morning Joe Root and Moeen Ali tantalised. They offered hope that proved illusory. Amid the rubble Root, in particular, has been batting with increasing authority.
Here he was watchful, yet eager to grab chances to score. There were several crisp cover drives against Sharma when the India paceman misguidedly sought to bowl a more orthodox length for the bulk of the morning session. Even when Sharma changed his length Root seemed to have an answer. He took on the short ball but with an element of control.Here he was watchful, yet eager to grab chances to score. There were several crisp cover drives against Sharma when the India paceman misguidedly sought to bowl a more orthodox length for the bulk of the morning session. Even when Sharma changed his length Root seemed to have an answer. He took on the short ball but with an element of control.
It looked as if he had studied the batting of Angelo Mathews at Headingley. There the Sri Lanka captain almost evolved a new stroke: the defensive hook. He played the ball down – softly; this was more convenient for him than fending or ducking. For a while Root emulated Mathews; his “defensive” hooks going for singles. It looked as if he had studied the batting of Angelo Mathews at Headingley. There the Sri Lanka captain almost evolved a new stroke: the defensive hook. He played the ball down – softly; this was more convenient for him than fending or ducking. For a while Root emulated Mathews, his “defensive” hooks going for singles.
Then it was as if Root was infected by the epidemic. So crestfallen was he by his last shot, which ended up in the hands of Stuart Binny on the leg-side boundary that Stuart Broad, suddenly all avuncular, put his arm around the young man’s shoulder before he set off on the well-worn track to the pavilion. Then it was as if Root was infected by the epidemic. So crestfallen was he by his last shot, which ended up in the hands of Stuart Binny on the legside boundary, that Stuart Broad, suddenly all avuncular, put his arm round the young man’s shoulder before he set off on the well-worn track to the pavilion.
Root and, to a lesser extent, Moeen, provided the palest glimmer of light on another dark day for England’s cricket team. Root is their leading run-scorer this summer, Moeen is the most prolific spinner in this series (he actually has seven to Ravindra Jadeja’s three). All of this is overshadowed by the jaded performances of the senior players and the inevitable debate about the captaincy.Root and, to a lesser extent, Moeen, provided the palest glimmer of light on another dark day for England’s cricket team. Root is their leading run-scorer this summer, Moeen is the most prolific spinner in this series (he actually has seven to Ravindra Jadeja’s three). All of this is overshadowed by the jaded performances of the senior players and the inevitable debate about the captaincy.
Cook is determined to keep going but that will not halt the debate until he scores runs and England win. In the meantime many solutions will be expounded. In fact such a the debate usually ends up being decided by a mundane process of elimination. In which case mark this contribution: Root is growing as an England batsman, a potential bulwark in the middle order. Cook is determined to keep going but that will not halt the debate until he scores runs and England win. In the meantime many solutions will be expounded. In fact such a debate usually ends up being decided by a mundane process of elimination. In which case mark this contribution: Root is growing as an England batsman, a potential bulwark in the middle order.
Do not even consider undermining his progress by tossing him the captaincy prematurely.Do not even consider undermining his progress by tossing him the captaincy prematurely.