Shame about Hameed seemed to be doing well at that role we havent filled since Trott left the scene, the ability to occupy the crease for hours without getting worried about scoring at a high rate. You need those players against the top teams.

Bit overdramatic possibly.

Some people much prefer 'Tiger' Tim, because he was very nice whilst being rubbish, oh and cos he's a nice Home Counties type.

Watched the ireland - all blacks games - both tremendous contests. The All Blacks seem to get away with things - forward passes for tries, a second high tackle whilst one guy is still serving a yellow card, giving penalties away on their own line and only conceding 3 points, where other teams may pick up yellows, but they are ferocious in the tackle, and pretty much all of them are lightening quick. Ireland badly missed Sextons kicking in Dublin. To be fair after the WC I thought they'd go through a big rebuilding process, but they've really kicked on and must be favourites for the 6 nations. I don't understand why England played Fiji - very little to be gained from it.

Regarding the toss, I think the toss should be at the first game of a series, and alternate each match afterwards- it still may not work out even in terms of you may not get the key games, but was it Alec Stewart who lost something like 12 straight tosses?

Djokovic is a marginally better player, but has lost form after nearly holding all 4 slams at once earlier this year. Murray has ended the year well, and has played every week over the last couple of months whilst Djokovic has missed a few. However Murray is a brilliant player, in probably the hardest single player sport. As for the English hating, well he lives in Surrey with his English wife - so it's obviously not that much of a hatred.

Cook never sets a positive declaration, he's pretty negative as a captain. Had India had a bit more time, and a few less runs they may have been more attacking, creating more opportunities too. Instead we really gave the Indians and our bowlers a pretty unachievable target.

India got to 60 odd for none without much problem. The game is going nowhere at present, looks like England need to go all guns blazing in the morning, and hope to catch the Indians napping, and hope the pitch starts to change on days 4 and 5. On a positive note, it would be difficult for England to lose from the current situation.

Agreed, if anything should have been given the chance vs Bangladesh - surely that was the whole reason for playing them before India.

http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/port-vale-mackay-keeping-watching-brief-vale-park/story-15062483-detail/story.html Was giving advice to people wanting to invest in football 4 years ago. May be worthwhile seeing if he knows anyone wanting to invest heavily in a struggling championship side? Loved watching Mackays teams at Ewood- proper players, brought together with truely no money whatsoever.

Its an interesting case in that it appears to be a drunk women who consents to sex with a sober male, able to then claim rape afterwards because she wasn't sober enough to say no? Sounds very familiar to the Ched Evans case. The law effectively says yes, but in balance it puts the onus more on the male. It also introduces a grey area, at which point does the female move from being able sober enough to give or refuse consent?

Just clothes line him Abs.

Agreed, I don't know the state of the cycle path, but if its not in a fit state, then I don't blame people for not using it. The filter roads from the left need to give priority to the cycle lane too, as there's nothing worse than having to stop and restart on a hill of even that gradient. I'd also guess there needs to be clearer segregation between cycle and pedestrians, so you don't have to stop because someone isn't paying attention. I think all cyclists would prefer that to riding slowly up that hill in heavy traffic with people trying to squeeze past you.

If its a major route, and a good cycle lane is provided, then cyclists shouldn't be allowed to use the main carriageway - for everyone's safety. On London road, the only change would be to give cyclists going up the hill priority over those joining from the left.

Sounds daft to me. They need to just move the top 8 counties through to a super-8s system instead of the full season, mid-week quarter finals and the very lengthy finals day.

Neutral observation? Aye whatever.

These people have every right to support England or Pakistan. What is sad is that yet another thread has been brought down to having a pop at a certain ethnic section of our community.

Competitive total for England. Think Pakistan may need to follow on. Why not play this game yesterday?

Don't disagree that less supporters require less staff, just that I should be allowed to have an opinion that the new gantry is a waste of money when we are broke and have plenty of other priorities.

Everyone is allowed an opinion Tom.

Do you think its a good use of money?

Definitely looks like it will affect the view from the last few rows when the ball is in the air.

The A team had a decent day too. http://www.ecb.co.uk/scorecard/39573 Just the 425 for 1 off 50 overs, including a 220 not out, and a 175 not out.

Like I said, it was irrelevant in the end. 1-1 and England so far on top, you wouldn't bet against a 3-1 series win.

2 days and no rain forecast. Like i said, it's not the decision I would have made, to not enforce the follow on, but it's unlikely to be proven right or wrong in this case. If it was only 1 day left, then its a risk that they could bat through, 2 days- well I just can't see that happening.