Live Test Match Blogging / Ed Hawkins / 21 December 2008 /

Ed "The Hawkeye" Hawkins will be with us from 8.30 am on Monday to talk us through the action at the crease, the stats, the betting and other cricket and biscuit-related topics. Remember to e-mail him at hawkeyeview@hotmail.co.uk with any thoughts or queries.

11.25 India 134-4 CLOSE
That's yer lot for day four. And that's yer lot to England, too who look a beaten side in this series. The draw is as short as [1.11] as India lead by a whopping 285. Day Four Verdict will be swinging its way shortly.

11.20 India 134-4
Interesting points from Portuguese Pirate about Panesar. It is impossible to argue that he does not contribute in the field or with the bat. However, what I would say is that it is harsh to judge Panesar on his performances in India alone. It is a graveyard for spin bowlers. Shane Warne averaged more than 40 in India. Indeed, in the last 14 series in India, the leading overseas bowler has been a seamer on 10 occasions. Let's also not forget that Panesar was the one of the fastest players ever to 100 Test wickets.

10.55 India 96-4
Portuguese Pirate says: "We all know Panesar can't bat or field and now it seems he can't bowl either. So much so that KP has only given him two overs so far on an Indian fourth day pitch. He's a character and doesn't bowl too many four-balls but the time has surely come to accept that he simply doesn't take enough wickets for a cricketer who can only do one of the three disciplines. I say play Swann, bring Shah in at six, bat Flintoff at seven and we'll then have a very good eight in Prior. And get KP to work a little more on his bowling to provide a more serious second spin option."

10.47 India 96-4
What has become of me. I've had to log on to the John Lewis site to search for napkins as a Christmas present for my brother and his wife.

10.40 India 93-4
Yuvraj Singh and Kevin Pietersen do not get on. In an interview last night, KP said that Yuvraj was a "piechucker" and that he bowled "filth". If so, why did you get out to him earlier in the tour and generally look hopeless against him KP? It is odd that a player talks about a fellow professional in such a way. Normally that sort of thing is for the four walls of the dressing room.

10.26 India 84-4
Just as the match was meandering to a draw, VVS Laxman has injected some urgency with some lazy running. He was well short there and he has put his side in a slightly uncomfortable position. They lead by 235 still needing a decent partnership to put the game beyong England. Yuvraj Singh is in now and they will fancy their chances of getting him cheaply. I do, too. Lots of weaknesses in his game that could be exploited.

10.25 VVS has run himself out!!

10.20 India 78-3
The great thing about betting is that there is always something happening even if, to the untrained eye, it appears that nothing is actually happening. If you see what I mean. To the uninitiated, this game is drifting towards a bore draw. To the rest of us, we are watching with fascination as Andrew Flintoff runs in because he is tied at seven each with Graeme Swann for top series wicket-taker honours. I am on Flintoff and there will be much celebration if he goes in front.

10.10 India 71-3
Some good advice from the commentary team for India. They must play normal cricket.This is not it as they crawl along at less than two runs an over (last 10). The warning is there in England's first innings when the last six wikets fell for just 20 runs. If something similar happened to India with this scoring rate, then they would be in danger of defeat. However, if they played with more freedom then the game would quickly be taken away from the visitors.

10.00 India 70-3
Time to reveal another scheme to upset your boss. Accuse him/her of sexual harrasment. This may not be everyone's one cup of tea, but hey-ho. One needs very little evidence for such a claim. "He looked at me funny," could well be enough and it really will put a dampener on his family time over the festive period. Of course, when he returns just withdraw the complaint.

09.55 India 68-3
England have drifted to [40.00] which just shows the demoralising impact an even small partnership can have on their morale and price. The draw is [1.11] now. My flatmate's sister is staying with us for a few days before Xmas. She has just asked where the bowler (Anderson) is from. "Burnley," I tell her. "Ooooh, aye!" she replies in a west country accent. I've put her right on the geography.

09.45 India 63-3
Airbag Math Mug. That is an anagram of Gautam Gambhir's name. I've been working on that four hours. There isn't one for VVS Laxman. Lax Man is the best I could come up with. Apt for his performance so far - he has eight runs from 25 balls.

09.40 India 59-3
Boring stuff from India. As is their wont. They know that occupation of the crease for a couple of sessions wins them the series. There is still some reverse swing for Anderson and he has just had a leg before shout turned down against VVS Laxman.

09.30 India 56-3
Michael Parkinson is the new voice of M&S. That is the final nail in their coffin in terms of getting any cash from me. Some of you may know that in this household there is a ban on buying anything from Tesco because they are a behemoth, trying to take over the world withheir cheap, poor quality food. They must be stopped. The grub at M&S is better but I've never been a fan of Parky because for some reason he thinks we are interested on his views about county cricket. We don't care, shut up and go and live in Sydney if you don't like it. But what really has got me about Parky more recently is that he has taken to doing adverts - as if he is short of a few bob.

09.10 India 56-3, lead by 207
India still in charge but England have a foothold in this game for the first time. Don't forget that it was England who dominated for the majority in Chennai only to lose their way. India could do likewise. There was reverse swing for James Anderson briefly before the break, too.

09.05 India 55-3
If you want to get into the festive spirit by really busting the balls of your boss, here's a tip. Go to the supermaket and buy a prawn One will suffice. (You may have to buy more than one because those scheming supermarkets have decided it is more cost-effective to sell them in bags of 15 or 20). Now take that prawn and while your boss is out stuffing his fat face on some corporate lunch (loads of those at Xmas) hide the prawn somewhere in his office. Sew it into a piece of upholstery for really terrific results. After a couple of hours said prawn will really start to stink, making boss hock and swoon. Better still, people will think he is the one that smells, he'll get the sack and you (unless you are a complete no-mark at your company) could get a promotion. All the best.

08.55 India 45-3
As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted by the Tendulkar wicket, there is a tipping point in this match. A 50 or 60 run partnership demoralises England in the way that time is being taken out of the game and any potential target starts to look big. However, in their favour is India's negativity. I haven't written that sentence before in this series. They have been strokeless this morning, particularly Gambhir. The run rate over the last 10 overs is 1.

08.47 India 44-3
England are down to [14.00] and India [6.00] with the draw [1.21]. I'm surprised there was not greater movemenet in the India price after that wicket. Both teams should be contracting at the expense of the draw when a wicket falls.

08.45 India 44-3, lead by 195 runs
Realistically, England are not going to score more than 350 in the fourth innings, even following the record-breaking exploits of India at Chennai and South Africa at Perth respectively. That means England need wickets at regular intervals becuase if India can make it to 100-2 with Gautam Gambhir and Sachin Tendulkar...scrap that, James Anderson has claimed Tendulkar. He just glided into the hands of gully. This game remains in the balance.

08.35 India 42-2
Earlier today England were hurried out for just 302 as they added only 10 runs to their overnight score. In truth, it was one of the best things that could happen to boost their hopes of a series-levelling victory. Time was put back into the game for them to bowl India out. Sure, England are going to have bowl India out for under 200 and then bat like demons, but at least it's something. The problem is that India will now just bat time. They have no interest in giving England a target.

08.30 India 40-2, lead by 191
Good morning sports fans. Welcome to the fourth day blog. Are you at work or at home? Given it's Xmas week it seems rather counter-productive that your boss would make you go into work but I suppose these capitalist types (unless you work in a farm shop) want their pound of flesh. The solution is right here, though. I'll keep you up-to-date on the action from Mohali and, on the hour, suggest a way to really get on the nerves of your boss. Really get him cranky. England have a sniff of a win in this Test, by the way. They are down to [24.00] from last night's big numbers but they have to bowl India out quickly.

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