England v India Second Test, Day Three Report Card

Featuring nefarious plans and Morpheus off the long run

Nefarious Plans
Grade: B+

The third day of this Test began with England needing Mad Harry Brook and Joe Root to build a lar—

Oh, wait. There’s Root out, tickling a Mohammed Siraj delivery down the leg side. Oh, and there’s Ben Stokes copping a snorter first ball. England 5/84, in tatters, still 503 runs behind India, facing the prospect of a follow-on, and perhaps even a humiliating Test defeat today.

Precisely where they wanted to be.

Silly old India had fallen straight into England’s trap.

Oh, sure. Maybe you’re thinking that the trap was to lose by an innings in a Test where India didn’t play Jasprit Bumrah and, hence, trick the visitors into leaving him out for the rest of the series.

This is precisely the kind of lateral thinking ploy these mad Bazballers might come up with. It’s not a bad idea. You have to try something. After all, not every side has a Sam Konstas ready to deploy. Heck, probably not even Australia for much longer.

Morpheus Off The Long Run

But if that was the plan, nobody told Jamie Smith and Harry Brook. Because the duo suddenly went on an absolute, bloody tear.