Anderson continues to perplex

32.3 Anderson to How, OUT, that's a peach, Anderson has produced a most beautiful away-seamer, fantastic seam position, pitches on off, straightens a shade and kisses the edge of the bat, How pokes tentatively but has no answer to that one, Ambrose completes an easy catch and England are on top. That was the best ball of the day so far.
JM How c Ambrose b Anderson 64 (110b 7x4 0x6) SR: 58.18

40.3 Anderson to Flynn, no run, he's missed that and there's blood on the pitch, he tries to pull a short one but that's too quick for him, struck full on on the face and that seems to have gone through the grill, he's taken off his helmet and is spewing blood on the ground
DR Flynn retired hurt 4 (13b 1x4 0x6) SR: 30.76

Ok, I did not watch the match, but from following it on Cricinfo, it appeared that Anderson had bowled the best couple of deliveries of the irst day. And yet, his figures at the end of the day?
12, 0, 66, 1, 5.50
At the end of the Lords Test last year, Ian Chappel seemed convinced that Anderson had finally found his feet in international cricket, and that there would be a different bowler on . Clearly has not been the case. But credit to Taylor.

Ambrosia

Three tests. That's how much Tim Ambrose has played.

Fourteen months. That's how much time is left before the Australians arrive.

Time, one would think, for the English media and fans to start howling for his blood. For the next fourteen months, Ambrose needs to keep justifying his spot in the side.

Geraint was not a good enough keeper. Read was not a good enough bat. And Prior was the recurring nightmare.

Ambrose needs to be extra-safe behind the stumps and needs at least one good outing with the bat. Something like his counterattack at Wellington will help.

India morph into New Zealand

The much-hyped Indian bowling looked like Paul Collingwood and Dmitri Mascarenhas were bowling at both ends when Kumar and Jayawardene were batting. Actually, make that Chris Harris and Gavin Larsen. An unhelpful pitch quickly turned Munaf, Pathan and Praveen into a bunch of trundlers, who will rely on tight bowling to make the batsman take a risk and perhaps get a wicket. And if the batsman are not so inclined, we need lightning striking twice in the same place (as it did today) to break such a partnership.
If Zaheer and Arpy don't play, we need to play Sreesanth. If for some reason, all three cannot play, Dhoni needs to take a gamble and play Chawla. India need at least two bowlers who can hustle a set batsmen in the middle overs.