Recent content by VirgilHilts

Mark Wood was the only one to trouble Conway all day.

Tough day for us in the field although I don't think we bowled badly. It's a pretty benign surface but Conway and Nicholls took brilliant advantage of it. Conway is a good argument for picking guys who may not be youngsters but are seasoned pros who know their game. Sometimes the emphasis on...

As an England fan that was a chastening experience after the Asian tour had started so brightly. India just played so so well, not always at the same time but there was always someone to dig them out of hole when they needed it most. Obviously they are masters of their own conditions but the...

I'm beginning to think this game might be slipping away. :think:

Come on then Ollie. Let's see what you're made of.

As delighted as I am that Root got away with one, it just reinforces my point that this particular third ump is atrocious. Still, at least both sides are copping them now.

If anyone was saying that, you'd have a point. I've never said the pitches were unplayable, just poor.

As I say, we'll have to disagree to disagree.

That's just whataboutery though. We're talking about a single pitch where the ball is bursting through the surface from the word go and you don't seem to think that's worthy of comment.

The ball going through the surface in the first two or three overs of the first day of a Test match is unremarkable?

I take your point but if you're trying to tell me the 2nd and 3rd Tests have been on totally unremarkable pitches then we'll have to agree to disagree.

Strauss and Cook thought 150 would be competitive.

I must say I have noticed on social media that some Indian cricket fans, and some of the pundits too, are hyper sensitive to criticism. On the Guardian BTL, usually the most acrimonious threads are when England play a football match but when England play India at cricket it's insane. Maybe I'm...

I wonder if India had won the first Test whether the next two pitches would have been different.

I swear I'm a jinx on England. I watched all day yesterday and we got obliterated. I have a lie in this morning and miss all the fun. I've since watched 5 balls live and seen 2 wickets go down.