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

[Spark]

A huge huge huge effect.. The average Pakistan cricket fan hasn't had much to cheer about since 2006.

I wasn't just speaking about the average cricket fans, and the "lack of things to cheer about" wasn't really that cricket-related.

 

[Black_Warrior]

I wasn't just speaking about the average cricket fans, and the "lack of things to cheer about" wasn't really that cricket-related.

It will work as a temporary excuse for some celebration.

 

[Viscount Tom]

Just seen cricinfo's main page.

Is Pietersen ever not on a short life span according to some writers, give the man a break for christ sake.

 

[marc71178]

Can't see how they'll pick him, Cook, KP opening, Trott then Morgan who takes KP place, then Kieswetter and Buttler should be a given but stranger things have happened.

Why should Kieswetter be a given? He's been **** so far in ODI's

 

[Agent Nationaux]

It will go a long way in making me forget about Sydney. To me Sydney was the worst and most heart breaking cricket match I have ever seen.

 

[Xuhaib]

It will go a long way in making me forget about Sydney. To me Sydney was the worst and most heart breaking cricket match I have ever seen.

yeah this game felt like a Sydney reversal I agree thats one of the worst matches I have endured as a fan have hated Kakmal with a passion since that day.

 

[smash84]

yeah this game felt like a Sydney reversal I agree thats one of the worst matches I have endured as a fan have hated Kakmal with a passion since that day.

So agree with the above

 

[Agent Nationaux]

I hated him the most. Really wanted to break all of his goofy teeth after the Hussey drops. And he had to never to laugh about it as well.

 

[sachin200]

 

[Jacknife]

Why should Kieswetter be a given? He's been **** so far in ODI's

I didn't I said Buttler, not one of my best worded sentences granted but still.

 

[Daemon]

Buttler's been killing it against SL A. How's his keeping?

 

[Jacknife]

Buttler's been killing it against SL A. How's his keeping?

Serviceable.

 

[Daemon]

Better than Kieswetter?

 

[smash84]

Another episode of the good, the bad, and some pure ugly predictions before the series. Some hilarious stuff in there as well (in retrospect of course especially by GF)

I'm sure the UAE barely has a pot to piss in either...

Blaming the broadcasters, myself. Let Sky cover everything. Evil heartless corporation and all, but their coverage and technology is **** on.

Let sky cover everything, and all they cover will be hands of pakistani bowlers & fielders

Hopefully he'll pitches that offer him something. His action is abysmal but I really enjoy watching him bowl; I love watching spinners bowl at batsmen who don't have a clue what they're facing.

hopefully Ajmal can chuck us to a series win.

Does someone hack your cricketweb?

I would like England to play 5 bowlers on the flat pitches of the UAE, and because of that I would preferably bring in Patel or Borthwick to add to the batting, although I know Patel's spin won't add much.

Obviously England probably won't go with 5 bowlers in which case what seamer would you leave out of the starting XI? In fact would you even play 2 spinners?

Why on earth would you pick 2 spinners?

More to the point. **** me, did Scaly just say he'd pick Panesar?

I know, had to read it at least 3 times.

Would probably stick with the current balance myself but would certainly be tempted to play all 4 quicks in this series.

Looking forward to the Ajmal vs Swann batte. Would be interesting to see how that goes

Swann wins.

ajmal > swann. Fact

We will find that out after the series for sure. Both are playing in unfriendly conditions against oppositions that have many players not adept at playing spin (with few exceptions). you cant have a more level playing field than this and it would settle the debate of the world's number one spinner in both tests and ODIs

The debate was settled a long time ago in Tests.

Lazy stereotyping ftw. Oh, it's England, their players must be rubbish at playing spin.

Its not lazy stereotyping since I am not saying all English players are rubbish at playing spin. I am going by the performance of the current squad most of whom are not comfortable against quality spin bowling. We saw this is in the recent series in the SC.

Rubbish. Ajmal is nowhere near the bowler Swann is in Tests.

I think Swann's a better ODI bowler as well but since I don't particularly give a **** about the format I'm not going to bother arguing that one.

I agree, but I am putting my faith in this team to punch above their weight...and I do feel in UAE they will have some advantage due to playing conditions...

I would select Umar Akmal over Shafiq for tests as well...

Bowling wise Junaid has to show the type of performance that he seemed to promise...

Have you seen Toffee against the spinners. He has been clueless, and so Swann will eat him alive (as the Bangladeshi fans would say).

If England are anything like Bangladesh then we can expect a series easily

If Pakistan win the series by a margin of 2 tests and SA complete a whitewash of SL, then England would lose the number 1 spot.

have a feeling Swann might end Taufeeq's career is this series or atleast put a hold on it also Hafeez might be that annoying thorn in Cook's side and stop him from scoring heavily.

I feel like an avatar bet on this series. Any Pakistan fans up for taking on Furball's points game with me? The rules are detailed as:



Duration stipulation:

Since the teams' ICC rankings are further apart than I think is accurate towards Pakistan, I'll avoid that version of the duration, and suggest a simple 1 month for every point's difference by the end of the series. So for example if it finishes 10-4 to me, I gain your avatar for 6 months.

Since England go into the series as sizeable favourites, I'll offer a negotiable points head start for my opponent.

I may think about entering the avatar bet only if I get another Imran avatar

I promise you it would be an avatar featuring Imran Khan

I'm open to changing the bet to my points based game if you want to do that.

edit: as for a stipulation, how does this sound - if I win, your avatar is mine for 6 months. If you win, my avatar is yours for 6 months plus 1 month for every point you win by (so to use Jake's 10-4 examlple, you'd have my avatar for a year.)

Why not make it 2 months for every point you lose by?

Agree with that but I really don't like your current avatar.

Haha, that's irrelevant. I pick an avatar for you.

 

[Daemon]

Haha, I especially liked that ganeshran - GF exchange where both of them turned out to be wrong

 

[Agent Nationaux]

Great stuff Smali. I was right about Swann eating Toffee alive.

 

[Jacknife]

For some reason not as many cringers as the India v England one.

 

[Jacknife]

Better than Kieswetter?

No, Kieswetter's looked the better last time I watched Buttler but that was some time ago, if he's been doing some work with French, I could see him being of a similar level.

 

[r3alist]

England seem quite punch drunk and dizzy, I hope Pakistan do not relent on the intensity, they may well lose but I would be more disappointed if they drop the intensity.

 

[Furball]

Another episode of the good, the bad, and some pure ugly predictions before the series. Some hilarious stuff in there as well (in retrospect of course especially by GF)

Half those quotes aren't even predictions.