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

Ed "The Hawkeye" Hawkins will be with us from 8.30 am on Sunday 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.

11.30 England 282-6 CLOSE
The game has opened up for India. Andrew Flintoff has gone from what was the last ball of the day and England are still 171 runs behind. Gautam Gambhir snaffled a sharp bat-pad chance off the bowling of Mishra. It was a terrific one-handed effort. With that wicket probably goes England's chances of levelling the series because Matt Prior, the only recognised batsman, has only the bowlers to bat with.

11.20 England 280-5
When Pietersen was given the finger he looked far from happy. A 'you've just made my list' sort of look to Asad Rauf. Replays showed it was going to clip leg stump but as a batsman, you always think you should be given the benefit of the doubt on such calls. If, or when, replays are available to umpires as a matter of course it will be interesting to see how many of those will be given out. I fancy not too many because we'll see Test matches over in three days.

11.15 England 280-5
I think England will take the light if it is offered. They are time-wasting between balls, pretending to be fascinated by the make-up of the pitch or discussing tactics. More likely they are talking about where they will go for dinner. Or not actually, because KP and Flintoff are not the sort of 'pals' who go out for dinner together. WHOA! As I type (it's amazing how often this happens) Pietersen has been adjudged leg before to Harbhajan.

11.05 England 277-4
There is turn for Harbhajan Singh, but it is very slow turn and that represents a minimal threat. Pietersen and Flintoff are able to watch, wait and then just flick it to leg for a single. It is still compelling stuff, though. England are caught in two minds over whether to go all out attack or play for tomorrow. Their run rate over the last ten overs is 3.4, which is a bit of one and a pinch of the other. We should find out their intentions soon enough because they could be offered the light. Really, they should stay out there because taking time out of the game will only harm their chances of winning it - remember they are 1-0 down.

10.55 England 266-4
India are looking a little jaded at the end of day three, although there are still a potential 17 overs left tonight. They should still be confident because with England trailing by 187, they are only two wickets from the bowlers.

10.40 England 251-5
Andrew Flintoff has reached his fifty. It came off 96 balls. Full credit to Flintoff in this dig - he has looked good. When Fred hits the ball crisply through the covers, it is a sure sign that he is in form and he has creamed a few through there today. Most impressive has been his play against spin. Often, he resembles a hippo trying to extricate himself from a vat of treacle when playing turn. But today he has looked assured, using his feet nicely.

10.25 England 248-4
Ian Bell is fast resembling Tiny Tim Cratchit in a Christmas Carol. Limping along, sickly-looking and generally making everyone wish he would just get on with it and leave the stage. Bell has only one 50 in his last nine innings and after scoring 1 today, he has scored only 24 runs on this tour. It is time Owais Shah was given a run in the team. Shah really should have played in this series after his success in the one-day matches and his excellent play of spin. Bell only scores runs when the pressure is off and on flat wickets. Over the last 12 months, ignoring a century and two not outs against the hopeless New Zealand attack, Bell averages just 27 in Tests. Like Timy Tim, he should be put out of his misery.

10.10 England 239-4
I've had a few emails after I posted yesterday that in celebration of Andrew Flintoff's three wickets I would "buy Tom Cratchett a new leg". I apologise. It is of course, Tim Cratchit. Or Tiny Tim as he is more comonly known. Nor do I think he actually he needed a new leg but he was always limping and hobbling everywhere wasn't he? A symptom of his malingering reputation I think.

10.00 England 235-4
Pietersen is toying with the India bowlers. Or in other words, he is messing about. Walking down the wicket, moving to leg in his crease, feigning to play left-handed. It is an indication of how easy the wicket is to bat on. And also how poor India's spinners have been. This was something that was glossed over after Chennai but Harbhajan Singh and Amit Mishra have not looked too threatening. Harbhajan in particular will be under pressure now he is the leading spinner after Anil Kumble's retirment. Can he hack being the senior man for the first time in his career?

09.50 England 226-4
Pathetic stuff from Ian Healy on commentary at the end of SA's historic chase of 414. "Plenty went wrong for South Africa..." What is wrong with this man? Even when his team are thrashed -and make no mistake they were - he cannot resist a dig. He epitomises Australia's obsessive attitiude towards the game, constantly talking the opposition down as a self defence mechanism. The reason for it is that Healy and his countrymen have been guilty of placing too great an emphasis on their cricketing prowess in their country. So when something goes wrong, or threatens, too, they have to talk nonsense, cosseting themselves with cheap or inaccurate jibes as if somehow it will slow the inevitable decline of their team, and, of course, a culture.

09.40 England 216-4
England resume.One has kept low from Mishra, KP almost ran himself out and Zaheer is sporting a fetching beard.

09.30 England 211-4 TEA
We all received an early Christmas present this morning: the erosion of Australian society. South Africa's incredible chase of a target of 414 in the fourth innings in Perth, for the loss of only four wickets, was an unexpected gift beneath the tree. Cue Aussies not turning up to work, violence on the streets and Ian Healy and Bill Lawry lost for words, beceause ordinarily all they do is slag off the opposition. SA's chase was the second highest in Test history. I'm, watching the highlight on Sky now. I'm having a mince pie to celebrate.

09.10 England 211-4
England have gone into the break in counter-attacking mode. They've scored runs quickly and Pietersen and Flintoff look dominant. Still lots of work to be done, however. They are 242 behind. India are [6.2], England [27.00] and the draw is [1.19].

09.00 England 202-4
A century for Pietersen as he becomes the first England captain to reach three figures in India since Tony Greig, 31 years ago. KP was also subdued in his celebration. Normally we get whooping and hollering, a skip and a jump and a passionate, get-a-room kiss of the badge. Nothing of the sort today. Importantly, for the first time KP has lived up to his promise to be an attacking captain. England's run rate in this innings is 4.46 and they have scored at more than five an over in the last 10 overs.

08.50 England 192-4
The fifty partnership between Pietersen and Flintoff is only their fifth together in Test cricket. Historically they have not batted well together, which rather explodes a myth because ever since the two had a real go at the Aussies in Edgbaston - they put on 103 - they have been thought of as a gun duo.Not so.They averaged only 33 runs together before this series began.

08.45 England 184-4
Pietersen has just brought up the fifty partnership between him and Flintoff with a switch-hit six. He is batting tremendously and is treating Harbhajan Singh with particular disdain. It is vital that Flintoff stays with him, however, if England are save the Test. India continue to drift to the [5.00]mark.

08.40 England 171-4
Earlier this morning England found themselves two wickets down for one run. Our advice last night was based around India claiming early wickets for a back-to-lay wager and I hope you were up early enough to take advantage. Andrew Strauss, hero in the last game, fell for a duck and Ian Bell went for one to put his Test career in jeopardy. Kevin Pietersen, who has 77, is trying to rebuild with Andrew Flintoff.

08.30 England 170-4
Good morning sports fans. If you have just awoken from your Saturday night slumber, it is my duty to report that England are not finding this pitch as easy as they were expected to. They find themselves in perilous position, still 283 runs behind with only one batsman to come. Surprisingly India are as big as [4.00] but it is the draw which is taking up such a large amount of the book at [1.37]

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