Richard
Cricket Web Staff Member
I only watched about half today's play, and while there were times when Pietersen and Bell could have been a bit more proactive in looking for gaps (doesn't appear to me that anyone is suggesting to try and hit more boundaries) it's easy to overestimate the ease of the quick single. Placing the ball into gaps involves working across the line, it involves opening the face, it involves, premeditating - not all concurrantly, of course, but it still has its hazards. Especially with the skill, accuracy and variation Vettori and Patel were displaying, opening the face could have resulted in gliding one straight to McCullum, playing accross a straight one could have resulted in an easy lbw, premeditating could have resulted in top-edged sweeps, etc. etc.GTFO? Right.
Its not whinging, its how they approached the game. Scoring at 2.6 an over isnt being aggressive or thowing wickets away, its keeping yourself in the game. Its sensible responsible batting.
As it is, England could bat for more than 150 overs and still be in trouble.
The simplicity of some people to think its either block, block or slog slog.
England are batting themselves into a hole due to the runrate. You may like it but its bad cricket.
I hardly think asking for what is an extra single every 2 overs is excessive. And something as small as that with the runrate as low as it is makes all the difference.
England are making it hard on themselves. Sure 286/6 (134 overs) >>>>> 286 all out (100 overs) but its a pretty easy track to bat on and what makes you think 286 all out would be likely. Its like saying 550/4 (100 overs) >>>>>>>>>> 250 all out (120 overs). It means nothing.
TBH, I'm pleased to see Pietersen show that he can play at this pace, can stay at the crease without striking at even 50-per-100-balls. It's a skill he's not often demonstrated before now.