Someone was talking about caravans earlier - WD, I think - anyone else with an interest in the UK needs to be on an FB group called "Caravans that have been Stolen, Help us to find them." Loads of people having caravans stolen from their drives and then hidden on traveller sites that the Police won't dare enter. Quite a few people have recovered their own caravans with help from sightings. Some of these stories are interesting even if you don't own a van.

Well done elis btw

You are now an official gambling AND cricket stalwart

I hope you got Lobster Madras to celebrate

ill be starting day 4 by laying india  at 32, ( already done), and surely bar weather this is certain england victory , whats your position, whisper ?

Grrrr! They still haven't fixed that double-space glitch.

I don't own one either, WD. It's just that with the housing market crazily still rising even during a pandemic that is leaving half the population out of a job or on zero hours contracts I was worried my landlord might try to sell up before the market finally crashes, so I was considering alternatives that didn't involve living in a "horl in't groond, coovr'd in' piece o' wet taahpoowalin".

I guess I could always invest in a Berlingo.....

elis,

I would say the draw is not out of the question. Some of these Indian batsmen are very good and can bat long, even Ash and Washington DC. Once in it is hard to dislodge as the spin thus far has been slow.

The Indian reply was a little disappointing because of the 2 early Archer wickets but Gill, Kohli, Rahane and even Panty boi gave their wickets away to a degree and Pujara was very unlucky otherwise Pant and Pujara theoretically could still be at the crease and the draw a strong favourite.

Having said that there are two whole days left. The pitch has spun a little albeit slowly and there has been some uneven bounce. The wicket should be ok in the morning session after rolling but England need to make the new ball work for them and be batting after 40 minutes or so.

I think everything will depend on the pitch. If it goes this afternoon it is game over and England will win tomorrow. This pitch tends to break up and I am confident it will and England wrap up the win tomorrow evening. I am banking on it and have gone all in tbh.

India could bat this out but I don't think so. I am a little surprised the draw is odds on. I think the market has read this wrong or I don't understand how gambling works and maybe I don't but I see an England win and a chance to make good money at a decent price with everything in my favour.

India did not bowl well with the new ball and Sibleys innings gave England the platform.

One thing I might suggest is hold off on the India draw lay. why tie up so much money?  I am thinking of maybe waiting till it goes up high if England skittle them and bat well. Throw something at it because England will set a target and the India price will come down once that is established if it 400 or so. Any higher and some sort of reality must set in. India could make 400 in 4 sessions and the market would have to cover that but they cannot or certainly should not be able to make it on this pitch. I don't think our spinners are that good. If they don't get assistance off the pitch they may have trouble bowling India out if any two batsmen get established. They have 6 that can make a big hundred even on this pitch.

Pitch report!

Never considered they may have to enforce the follow on!

This semi retired forumite is grabbing a good sized green here.

sorry reduced by two thirds!

good morning, rather overslept.

s africa needing 370 to win are 206-3 ,

What would the position have been if they HAD enforced the F-O? The bowlers had a rest overnight and had already taken the last few wickets between them within one session. England choosing to bat means the amount of rest the bowlers actually get will be at most two sessions (minus maybe a few overs at India tonight) then they will get a full overnight rest on top, BUT they will have to really go hell-for-leather to bowl most of India out in less than three sessions tomorrow.

Had they enforced the F-O instead they would be bowling two more sessions after last night's overnight rest, meaning six sessions in a row, just as if it had been Day Two of a Test if Eng had elected to bowl first against a good team. Probably they would have knocked out two or three wickets and then have had the whole of Day 5 to get the remainder after another full night's rest.

In summary the choices would have been:-

1) Bat a session-and-a-half, hope to take a wicket or two in the last half-session and then with more thoroughly-rested bowlers be under immense pressure to take possibly the whole ten wickets in only three sessions, OR.....

2) Be required to take ten India wickets in up to five sessions, minus time at the end to chase any lead, with bowlers having had roughly the same amount of rest as if it had been Day Two against a good batting side, except here the pitch has over three days of wear in the bowling team's favour?

Eng have presented the chance to India of bowling them out cheaply and then sensing they had a sniff of chasing down the target whilst feeling on top of things. Surely following-on would have been more demoralising even if they'd ended up setting a modest target?

Pope obviously thinks it is a free hit after a no ball

Kohli is terrible with reviews

I should be as I am against the draw, even got a small green on India but this Indian side don't know when it's beat. I want more than 350 to defend. 375+ would be good, 400 better!

India could score 240 with the old ball between overs 40 and 80!

I cannot believe draw is still the favourite!