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It doesn’t make the heart race, but it is brilliant.
Andrew Strauss now averages 61.85 in Tests in India. Paul Collingwood averages 68.20. Kevin Pietersen averages 27.62. Sometimes you need to clog your way to success and Strauss and Collingwood can bunt singles with the best of them.
Strauss has been spectacularly impressive in this match. England’s selectors get a fair bit of stick for their conservatism when selecting batsmen, but Strauss hit a hundred in his last Test on Indian soil, hit 123 in the first innings and is now 73 not out.
Paul Collingwood’s 134 not out in Nagpur on England’s last tour was a real masterpiece, where he scored an extraordinary number of runs with the tail. Collingwood is another who some would do away with, but he hit 195 Test runs in India before anyone got him out. He’s worth his place.
Wing Commander Biggles and Ginger, that’s who they are
I think someone on TMS referred to them as ‘Yeomen’ – today’s performance was certainly stout enough to warrant such a metaphor.
A massive innings for the Ginger One, with Shah breathing down hi neck (again metaphorically, as far as I know). Bell must surely be under some pressure now, though?
Far too much balanced cricket analysis in this piece – have a word with yourself, KC…
That handshake in the photgraph looks a bit effusive for stout Yeomen.
A remote nod of recognition or a muttered “well done, old man” would have been more than sufficient.