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Day Two

England’s lack of a test class spinner was never more apparent than yesterday. Whereas Ashwin teased and tormented with flight, bounce, trajectory, pace and placement, Mooen Ali, Joe Root and Rashid served up predictable fare which set no challenge. Thus after making a more than respectable 400 England could not build on their advantage and only took one wicket all afternoon. Jimmy Anderson may be effective in seam conditions but as in the last test he toiled away in the brutal sun to no effect. He has yet to take a wicket in the series and does not look like doing so in this match. Jake Ball made more contribution with the bat with his important 31 whilst Woakes and Stokes could not unsettle the batsmen. With Kohli still to come and a team that bats down to Ashwin who has made substantial runs at 8, India are capable of batting all  day to reach the England score and hope to exploit the turning  wicket on the fourth day. Like all the best spinners Ashwin is economical. His 5 wickets were achieved at 2.55 runs per over. He would make a world eleven.

The afternoon was pretty pedestrian and I was pleased to be joined by a Fulham friend of Alan Tanner. He said the previous stadium the Brabourne is a picturesque ground not unlike Craven Cottage but the President of Bombay cricket Wankhede only got 20 tickets, not the 60 he wanted, a row blew up and he built his own stadium which he named after himself.

In the evening I had dinner at the Vetra restaurant with a friend who moved from banking to sport finance. A Chelsea fanatic he is leaving early for their football game on Saturday. It was a five course Italian tasting menu which was delicious but extremely expensive. The highlight was the chef Francesco introducing himself and informing us he is a Lazio fan. It was not long before over a grappa or three we recalled mutual Chelsea/Lazio players like Di Matteo, Zola and Casaraghi. I rather wish Stefan Ursolini would have present as he likes nothing more than good food, wine and football conversation.

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About Tom Hollingworth

Tom Hollingsworth is a former deputy sports editor of the Daily Express. For many years he worked in a sports agency, representing mainly football players and motor racing drivers. Tom holds a private pilot’s licence and flying is his principal recreation. More Posts