- Second Test, day three over-by-over updates from St George’s
- Broad: England’s Cook-Trott fifty partnership was a bit old school
- Look in on Delhi Daredevils v Mumbai Indians in the IPL – live!
- And email simon.burnton@theguardian.com or tweet @Simon_Burnton
31st over: England 82-0 (Cook 40, Trott 34)
Gabriel bowls to Trott and the ball jags right off the seam, misses the stumps and Ramdin only just about gets a glove to it. Trott calls for a run with a “yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah” that sounds not unlike cartoon canine Muttley’s laugh.
30th over: England 79-0 (Cook 38, Trott 34)
Two for Trott, and another no ball from Roach. COMPETITION TIME! On Monday evening in London the Guardian is hosting a cricket-themed evening of fun and hilarity. “Hosted by Alex Horne and the Observer’s Emma John, guests include comedian Andy Zaltzman, cricketer Dean Headley, Felix White from the Maccabees and music from The Horne Section,” it says here. “Join us for an evening of special guest interviews, news and gossip from the world of cricket – and some truly silly quizzes.” Tickets cost just £20 (click here for details) but you could win a pair simply by clicking here and asking nicely. Good luck!
29th over: England 76-0 (Cook 38, Trott 32)
“I am convinced the speed gun has been to see Nicole Kidman in The Blue Room at a theatre in Grenada,” writes Richard Thomson. “Is Gabriel really bowling at 93mph.” Well either my eyes deceive me or the technology does, and given the choice I’ll go with my eyes. Anyway, he bowls one (clocked at 90mph) that has Cook feeling hesitantly outside off stump, but the ball fades away slightly and is missed.
28th over: England 76-0 (Cook 38, Trott 32)
A single for Cook, and an emphatic no ball for overstepping from Roach, have the scoreboard ticking gently onwards.
27th over: England 74-0 (Cook 37, Trott 32)
Shannon Gabriel (who, before you ask, has never played Test cricket on the feast of St Gabriel), gets the day started and tests Trott with a couple of short balls, both of which the batsman safely evades. In all Trott leaves five of the six deliveries well alone, and defends the other.
The action’s starting 15 minutes early because of the rain over the first couple of days, so the players are already out.
Great Stewart stat. It must be true also of other Test players, but I fear Cook will never be one of them.
@Simon_Burnton Alec Stewart's Test runs (8,463) coincides with his date of birth (8.4.63). So Alastair Cook should make 251,284 runs, right?
Hello world!
Happy St George’s Day everybody! Let’s dance!
Simon will be here soon. In the meantime, here is the reaction to day two’s play in St George’s:
Alastair Cook surpassed Alec Stewart to become England’s second highest run-scorer in Tests during his gritty opening partnership with Jonathan Trott.
Cook beat Stewart’s mark of 8,463 runs and is now closing in on Graham Gooch’s record of 8,900. The captain’s return to form was a welcome relief after a long lean patch, and won him and the recalled Trott praise from England’s bowling hero earlier in the day, Stuart Broad.
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