THE GOOGLY: KNOX IS WRONG TO KNOCK COOK, AND OTHER THINGS WE LEARNED FROM RAJKOT

FOLLOW HUW TURBERVILL @HUWZAT

While most England fans will look back at the first Test in India as something of a triumph, an Australian writer attempted to depict Alastair Cook as the destroyer of Test cricket.

Perhaps trying to forget his own country’s woes – they now trail 2-0 to South Africa after being bowled out in the second Test at Hobart for 85 – the well-respected Malcolm Knox took to his keyboard.

“Cook and his 19-year-old debutant partner, Haseeb Hameed, spent the first session of the fifth day's play tootling along, strangling what could have been an exciting Test match,” Knox wrote. “It is a reminder of why Test cricket in India – and therefore globally – is under threat.” 

The response from the Poms was predictable. Jonathan Agnew kicked things off on Twitter with “what dreadful rubbish”.

I suggested – lightheartedly – that it was “deflection tactics”, to which David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd added: “Deflection? Thicker edge than Broad’s nick to first slip ...”

A series of comments followed, generally along the lines that the Australians should get their own house in order before hitting out at Cook.

A few observations (mainly about Cook, not Mr Knox – I don’t wish to knock a man when his team are down):

• Cook did not ‘tootle along’ at two runs per over. He scored 130 runs off 243 balls (at a strike-rate of 53.49 = just over three runs per over over – and extras would have taken the overall run-rate to higher still).
• I actually found Cook’s target of 310 in a minimum of 49 overs quite enterprising by his standards. I did not expect him to take even a modicum of risk against the free-scoring Indians.
• A draw in Test cricket seems to inspire calls of ‘crisis’ every time now. In the 1960s, well known for being somewhat dreary, 50 of the 169 Tests ended in draws. How times have changed. We are so terrified that the Xbox/PlayStation/Nintendo/YouTube generation will get bored, the mere thought of a draw is terrifying – but actually it was a really good match, a lively, gripping, fascinating tussle.
• One thing I do fear, however, is that this could be England’s best chance of actually winning a Test in this series. But then I am probably being defeatist. England called the shots, they had four centurions, the spinners performed better than expected and James Anderson will return – why should India be favourites from here on in?

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After England lost the second Test in Bangladesh, there were frequent calls to explain the absence of Jack Leach from the tour party.

He took 65 wickets at a superb 21.88 apiece in Division One of the County Championship last summer.

Yet that was not deemed good enough to earn a berth as one of four spinners this winter. Moeen Ali was first choice, Adil Rashid second, and Zafar Ansari and Gareth Batty were the surprise picks. They are all handy batsmen – Leach lacks in that department.

Somerset captain Chris Rogers also intimated that Leach was not quite ready yet, and England would be better off delaying his arrival for another year.

It is a view that Michael Vaughan subscribes to. “In terms of numbers, Leach was the standout spinner,” said the BT Sport cricket expert. “But when you are picking a young player you have to look beyond what he’s delivered on the pitch, you have to go more for who he is as a person, is he ready for media scrutiny, is he ready if it goes wrong on their first occasion?

“Look at Simon Kerrigan and Chris Schofield, they were picked too soon. For whatever reason, we do not produce cricketers with the temperament of Mehedi Hasan. I think the selectors went for temperament and character with Ansari, and I think that was the right to go.”

Ansari has shown some promise in his two Tests so far, taking five wickets at 46 apiece.

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A new advert on the Tube for wellies got me thinking.

It says ‘rain starts play’, and I began to tot up a list of cricket phrases that crop up in every-day life. My friends and I came up with:

State of play.

Close of play.

He/she had a good innings.

Rain stopped play.

Sticky wicket.

Play it straight/with a straight bat.

On the back foot.

Captain's knock.

Play the game!

Caught out?

Dropped in it.

Play the ball not the man.

And most famously of all, perhaps:

It's just not cricket!

In that regard, no other sport touches cricket. Does it?!