Tourist Match

[IlfordEagle]

Although the batting at times was very entertaining with Kohli showing his class against admittedly poor bowing by Dixon I am afraid to say that there is a complete & utter lack of urgency by both sides with numerous breaks & we finished on time but short on overs!
Coles & Quinn bowled very well but Dixon was erratic & Walter who got 2 wickets with decent deliveries(both slanted across the batsmen) bowled most deliveries on or outside leg stump & was very expensive, Great to see Nijjar given a bowl even though it took some 60 overs before spin was introduced, he bowled very well with thought & intelligence, Essex could do a lot worse than persist with him, he is worth it. Despite the weather & it being School hols the crowd was disappointing ,less than half full, but you can't blame people with the match reduced to non first class & 3 days plus Essex fielding a weakened team, sadly the importance of these games has declined sharply. One more thing the body language of Essex players especially Walter left much to be desired.

[JasonP]

Seems Coles put in a shift today?  Should've sweated off a few pounds.

he's looking pretty fit at the mo. would like to see him given a run in the CC games. Then we'll find out if he's up to the job.

Both him and Quinn bowled well today and in the CC game against Notts they played and both could do well in the CC matches but how do they get into the side?  Porter, Cook, Siddle and Harmer plus Ravi is the prefered bowling line up.  As yet we havent got an overseas bowler for the last 3 CC matches so if we don't there's a space there, I guess.

Well Coles is a better bet than Quinn...at the moment. An attack of Porter, Siddle, Cook and Coles would be pretty handy. Add Harmer and Foster plus 5 decent batsmen...job done.

We barely have a couple of decent batsman at the moment.  Chopra, Westley, Lawrence have all been useless this season and tendo has 1 score over 50.  No way we can afford to have Harmer at 7 with the way we've been batting this season.  We tried that against Notts and it was a disaster. 

[Valentines Park]

Re the lack of completed overs it was baking hot mid afternoon.

In a meaningless game I can understand the players not flogging themselves.

[Mick]

I expect it has already been decided who will bat first. I'm not driving for two/three hours for this 'match'.

Its the general rule that the overseas team bars first

I remember Ravi saying over the PA at the toss a couple of years back "conditions look perfect for batting, we'll have a bowl".

I am unimpressed with the way Essex hyped this match up and then decided those who were turning up did not deserve to see our four front line bowlers, our captain, our wicket keeper, the leading English Test run scorer and Ravi Bopara.  School holidays just starting, there may have been a few fans coming along who could have been won over by a competitive meaningful match.

[mawallace]

To be fair it's the same wherever the tourists play.

The tourists always bat first. I recall checking it out and it was something like 90 per cent of the time.

Cook was never going to play.. he's not played in the tourists games before.

I think the  club has need to update the website.  It still has the match lasting to Saturday

[IlfordEagle]

Some fair comments, obviously Ally was never going to play & didn't expect him to but still feel a bit cheated & Day 3 will probably finish early as India won't be interested in making a game of it & will just be interested in batting practice assuming we don't collapse twice in one day - always possible.
One other thing - Hayes Close advertised as Blocks 27-31 for Members but only 30 & 31 available due to positioning of wicket, maybe this could have been advised on website as seating options at that end greatly reduced.

[Slogger]

I heard Don Topley suggest yesterday that Cook may have played if it had been a proper match. It seems doubtful to me but maybe he knows something we don't?

I suppose countries don't "tour" anymore. What with different teams for different formats international teams fly in, play a practice match, which isn't really a match at all, and then play an intensive series. Probably explains why there's so much home advantage in test cricket these days.

[essexfan548]

Yes, Don said he'd spoken to Chef in the car park. He told Don that he had been interested in playing initially.

[nat]

Yes, Don said he'd spoken to Chef in the car park. He told Don that he had been interested in playing initially.

The ecb wouldn't have allowed it.

[nat]

...

I suppose countries don't "tour" anymore. What with different teams for different formats international teams fly in, play a practice match, which isn't really a match at all, and then play an intensive series. Probably explains why there's so much home advantage in test cricket these days.

Spot on.

[Valentines Park]

I am unimpressed with the way Essex hyped this match up and then decided those who were turning up did not deserve to see our four front line bowlers, our captain, our wicket keeper, the leading English Test run scorer and Ravi Bopara. 

They did get to see Kohli.

He was the only reason I was there.

It was also nice to see Fozzy behind the wicket for a change.   

[terryb]

I see that Snater bowled a few overs. He was not in the original published squad. I feel that the Club could have made some money by auctioning the opportunity for a member of the public to bowl an over. An avid Indian supporter would have paid a fortune to bowl an over at Kohli.

[Andy]

I see that Snater bowled a few overs. He was not in the original published squad. I feel that the Club could have made some money by auctioning the opportunity for a member of the public to bowl an over. An avid Indian supporter would have paid a fortune to bowl an over at Kohli.

Best idea I've heard in ages. 

The winner gets to bowl at a Test batsman,
2nd prize - a month's free coaching from Nat,
3rd prize - six months free coaching from Nat,
10th prize - adoption by Nat.

[SirChef26]

68 from the new “wonderkid” on the block. Anyone there (Nat) report on how he did and whether he’s a first teamer in waiting or another dud who got lucky?

[IlfordEagle]

Pepper batted with great assurance & showed a wide range of strokes striking 15 4s with style & timing, definitely one for the future & if we are safe come Sept worth giving him a game or two, Patel also looked ok in his shorter innings.
Very good to see Westley get some much needed runs, also Fossie showed he hasn't lost any of his ability, earlier 2 great catches by Dixon & Kushki as well. Very disappointed in the Indians slow over rate with just 74 bowled all day-equivalent of an hours worth short but clearly India can do what they like & have everything done to suit themselves!! It would have been nice to see spin given a chance today given that India are usually so strong in that area, a decent effort from Essex today though, crowd about the same as yesterday but I suspect far less will bother tomorrow given the forecast temperature etc - I bet the match doesn't go beyond tea!