***Official*** Pakistan and England in UAE

[Cabinet96]

Bob Wills saying that sending someone like Swann in at 3 to try and hit a few quick runs would be a good idea. What do you think? Reckon it would have been worth a go.

 

[Howe_zat]

This...

this one hurts.

 

[Pizzorno]

Going by this series, Stuart Broad is our best player of spin. I'll feel a lot more confident when he and Swann are at the crease.

 

[sledger]

Incredibly uncomfortable viewing this.

 

[Spikey]

Bob Wills saying that sending someone like Swann in at 3 to try and hit a few quick runs would be a good idea. What do you think? Reckon it would have been worth a go.

Does in retrospect


Prior moving up does too, and it wouldn't've been as outrageous.

 

[Spark]

Thought Prior was the best player of spin bowling in the XI?

He is, but he does play back a bit too much. Hence "or".

 

[Prince EWS]

Bob Wills saying that sending someone like Swann in at 3 to try and hit a few quick runs would be a good idea. What do you think? Reckon it would have been worth a go.

The top six are all specialist batsmen; it's up to them to do the job when you've got four sessions to chase 150. There shouldn't be any need to do anything out of the ordinary in such a case really.

 

[Cabinet96]

Does in retrospect


Prior moving up does too, and it wouldn't've been as outrageous.

Was thinking about it before to be honest. Especially considering Broad looked like he was playing the spinners the best.

Obviously if it backfires it looks stupid though.

 

[Prince EWS]

He is, but he does play back a bit too much. Hence "or".

Yeah, at least he actually plays back though; he doesn't just play from the crease like Bell has in this series.

 

[sledger]

Not a fan of sending players like Swann up the order to get quick runs, not in this sort of situation anyway. If they were renowned as a truly devastating batsman like Gilchrist or something then yeah I'd give it a go. But sending in bowlers who can bat a bit in the hope they might score runs....no, if they fail then it just puts you extra wickets down, puts extra pressure on the rest of the batsman, and increases the chances of a genuine batsman being stranded without a partner.

 

[LegionOfBrad]

It just felt like the last few overs of the second day where you knew Morgan or Bell were going to get out. They have to stop prodding, get to the pitch and occasionally give it a whack.

Just a couple of boundaries and Misbah as is his want will start withdrawing fielders from around the bat.

Obviously that's easy to say from the comfort of my couch.

 

[Spark]

Yeah, at least he actually plays back though; he doesn't just play from the crease like Bell has in this series.

Quite.

 

[sledger]

Don't even need to whack it, just play positive strokes. Most of the wickets have gone down courtesy of some pretty insipid defensive shots.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Batsmen ****ing it up again. Whatever they're trying to do, do it a lot ****ing better than this.

 

[Eds]

Just got back from breakfast... WTF?!

 

[Hurricane]

Not a fan of sending players like Swann up the order to get quick runs, not in this sort of situation anyway. If they were renowned as a truly devastating batsman like Gilchrist or something then yeah I'd give it a go. But sending in bowlers who can bat a bit in the hope they might score runs....no, if they fail then it just puts you extra wickets down, puts extra pressure on the rest of the batsman, and increases the chances of a genuine batsman being stranded without a partner.

Agreed

Also unless Swann is used to batting at 3 he may get stage fright (from being so high in the order) and get overwhelmed.

At most put a middle order bat up the order.

 

[Uppercut]

Sending Swann in at 3 would be a bit spewy but it does let you see what you can get away with in terms of attacking shots.

 

[LegionOfBrad]

I really do feel massively sorry for the bowling unit. All the talk was of whether they could take wickets on these tracks and they've been brilliant. Only for the batsmen to look like club cricketers.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Finally a boundary, few more please and ease the pressure.

 

[sledger]

Sending Swann in at 3 would be a bit spewy but it does let you see what you can get away with in terms of attacking shots.

Wouldn't if he was trapped on the crease first ball.