Burns is a better candidate overall - he's batted better than ever since taking on the Surrey captaincy and looks like taking us to the Div1 title this summer - but it'd be crazy to give the captaincy to someone with no caps I would personally pick Bairstow ahead of Buttler though, not least because Buttler shouldn't be in the side at all.

It's all just a mess.

On the topic of the actual ongoing match, Stokes could really use a score here.

50 partnership up. Hilarious how big a deal that is at the minute

comment by HaaK (U11574)
posted 13 minutes ago
Burns is a better candidate overall - he's batted better than ever since taking on the Surrey captaincy and looks like taking us to the Div1 title this summer - but it'd be crazy to give the captaincy to someone with no capsI would personally pick Bairstow ahead of Buttler though, not least because Buttler shouldn't be in the side at all.

It's all just a mess.

On the topic of the actual ongoing match, Stokes could really use a score here.
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As could Buttler.

Absolutely. I guess I'm just kinda overlooking Buttler as I don't see him as a long-term fixture. Obviously if he gets big runs then I'll be delighted.

Moeen getting a double ton right when there's potentially a spot opening for a recall...

Just what we need, another dasher who chucks his wicket away.

Why this animosity towards Jos, Haak?

No animosity. Just don't think he's ever really shown that he's a Test bat. He's a sensational ODI and T20 player, but I don't see him as a good fit when we rarely give our lower-middle order big-hitters a solid platform of 250+ runs to play with before they come in to bat.

In the past he's had some horror form when asked to play more defensively, and it's even carried over to his one-day form. Now he's in great short-form nick, I'd rather he were just left to it, rather than muddling his game asking him to play differently in the long form as well.

Amazing how much this partnership is panicking some of the Indian fans on espncricinfo. Just the 382 more runs required

If we can scrounge a century stand here then at least we'll have salvaged some pride. Clearly we won't win but if we can bat out the day and maybe get up to 350ish then at least that'll dramatically reduce the mental damage caused by this test.

Anyone else agree that Charles Dagnall is a twunt?

comment by HaaK (U11574)
posted 20 seconds ago
Anyone else agree that Charles Dagnall is a twunt?
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50 for Buttler

C'mon lad, keep it up

At least we are making the Indian quicks work for their wickets a bit. Tiring out the bowlers a bit may make the difference for the next test.

You just know that as soon as one wicket falls a second will follow swiftly after.

It'll be over sharpish once they broke this partnership, yes.

Break* rather

100 partnership

Yep, especially now Shami is getting it to reverse swing, the new batsmen are going to have no chance.

I just hope this doesn't change the mind set of Stokes and Buttler to score a few runs quickly because eventually one will have their name on it. If they do get a cracking delivery then you just say well bowled.

We made it to tea

This has been a commendable effort from Stokes and Buttler. Stokes has looked especially solid although Buttler has put a few more deliveries away to the boundary.

They actually look like they have a set plan on how they're going to play and hopefully Bairstow, Woakes and Rashid follow that plan when they come out to bat.

This has been impressive from Buttler particularly. We've seen him smash quick runs all through his one-day career, and we've seen him scratch away for a ropey 20 at a strike rate of 25 before.

What we've rarely seen him do in test cricket is solidly accumulate runs at a strike rate of 60.

50 for Stokes. Well played.

2 of his 3 innings against Pakistan were pretty good test knocks. Obviously his 0 & 1 in the first test against India was poor but then he hit 24 from 22 and then 39 from 32 in this one which were more what you'd expect Buttler to try and do.

This is more like how he played in the second innings of the first match against Pakistan. It's a losing cause but it provides a template of what he needs to do when there's a clatter of wickets.

200 up as well as Stokes 50

More of this please gents, playing proper test cricket here

England's odds were up to about 50/1 when Pope got out this morning. They're now down at 13/2 with India now as decent as 1/6 with Bet365. Might have to stick some money on that as it's a sure thing. The draw is 12/1 which looks a lot more likely than an England win if there's rain about tomorrow.