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

[amanuensis]

Off spinner. Suspect action. That should probably do for us on this viewing.

Top of the SL domestic wickets lists. Debuted in ODIs in SA last month and is not part of the SL A team in the current Lions series. I can't see them going in without the second spinner so all indications point to a profitable Test debut.

Just what I feared you were going to tell me - has he been tested yet?

 

[Neil Pickup]

Just what I feared you were going to tell me - has he been tested yet?

Was reported during the SL "A" tour of England but seeing as he has since made his ODI debut, it looks like it's getting swept under the same carpet as all the other bent elbows.

 

[Jacknife]

All logic does point to Pakistan spinning England out tomorrow with plenty of runs to spare. England will just set small targets, getting through the first hour unscathed will no doubt give us a boost and maybe some belief, but wickets have been going clusters, my worry is when one goes how many follow quickly after that ?

I don't think we'll chase this total down, a score that will go second in the list of highest targets England have chased in the fourth innings in Test match cricket, but the least I hope and expect is for us to apply ourselves well, be positive, and make Pakistan work hard to get all 10 wickets. It's small comfort when you consider the series overall, even if we do achieve this, but such has been our batting this campaign that I'm sure we'll take that for now.

I'm reluctant to say England cannot do this, despite it being highly unlikely that we can win this Test the way we've played the spinners and the general form of the batsmen which makes this task huge, but if we get through to lunch in a decent state and we have players that get set, who knows ?

I agree with all that, the key as always with any kind of chase is getting off to a good start, so if Strauss & Cook can set a good platform, it may just give the rest of the players that little bit of confidence and belief. After that it will come down to who can play themselves in and then make it count because imo even though they haven't shown it on this tour yet, they are capable of getting this total, on this pitch but maybe a little too much damage has been done,we'll see.

 

[Daemon]

Was reported during the SL "A" tour of England but seeing as he has since made his ODI debut, it looks like it's getting swept under the same carpet as all the other bent elbows.

He went through remedial and was cleared subsequently

 

[smash84]

Off spinner. Suspect action. That should probably do for us on this viewing.

Top of the SL domestic wickets lists. Debuted in ODIs in SA last month and is not part of the SL A team in the current Lions series. I can't see them going in without the second spinner so all indications point to a profitable Test debut.

suspect action or no England are pretty ****e against spin

Exhibit A: Abdur Rehman

 

[Jigga988]

Dunno why everyone has this obsession with using your feet, the way I see it success comes from how solid your defence is on this pitch, as ali showed yesterday, and trott and cook showed last test. If we can stay solid in defence, there's a decent chance we can win, with the pitch flattening out and serving up less variation in turn and pace.

 

[Spark]

Dunno why everyone has this obsession with using your feet, the way I see it success comes from how solid your defence is on this pitch, as ali showed yesterday, and trott and cook showed last test. If we can stay solid in defence, there's a decent chance we can win, with the pitch flattening out and serving up less variation in turn and pace.

Because it gets you to the pitch of the ball, hence largely taking the pitch (ie. turn) and variations out of the equation, and giving you essentially the entire ground as a scoring zone. In doing so, this puts pressure back on the bowler, forcing him to rethink his plans and possibly disrupting his length.

Not only do you get more runs, but you're also far less likely to get out.

 

[Daemon]

Because it gets you to the pitch of the ball, hence largely taking the pitch (ie. turn) and variations out of the equation, and giving you essentially the entire ground as a scoring zone. In doing so, this puts pressure back on the bowler, forcing him to rethink his plans and possibly disrupting his length.

Not only do you get more runs, but you're also far less likely to get out.

Of course if you're not good/confident of yourself at judging lengths, moving down the track excessively may eventually see you missing one if you don't get to the pitch of the ball. Have to watch out for variations in pace and flight from the bowler as well, which he is bound to change constantly once you start using your feet well.

 

[Jigga988]

Because it gets you to the pitch of the ball, hence largely taking the pitch (ie. turn) and variations out of the equation, and giving you essentially the entire ground as a scoring zone. In doing so, this puts pressure back on the bowler, forcing him to rethink his plans and possibly disrupting his length.

Not only do you get more runs, but you're also far less likely to get out.

I understand that, I'm all for getting a good stride in to negate turn, but commentators and others just constantly go on about leaving the crease and meeting the ball, which is all well and good if you're a micheal clarke, but its just not entirely necessery, on a decent wicket a solid defence should be enough, if you're capable of using your feet fair play, but batsmen who don't often do it i.e cook and strauss don't all of a sudden need to start doing it to succeed, playing off the front foot as cook largely did in that evening sesh should be enough.

 

[smash84]

if all the partnerships from now on can make 29 runs between them then England are home......simple

 

[weldone]

suspect action or no England are pretty ****e against spin

Exhibit A: Abdur Rehman

Moment of truth

 

[Xuhaib]

Pitch Report: David Lloyd reckons that the pitch has changed in character completely. The bare rough patches outside the off-stump for a left-hander has turned out to be a pile of dust. There is absolutely no life in this pitch. The ball will not kick and bounce even if it pitches on the dusty area. The Pakistan spinners will need to work hard to fetch wickets on this pitch.

itstl.

 

[smash84]

England off to a good start here

 

[Agent Nationaux]

England should lose simply because Z-man deserves that avatar!

 

[Spark]

That's a great shot.

 

[GIMH]

Lovely shot, that's what we need to see

 

[Agent Nationaux]

Come on pitch, break down.

 

[Agent Nationaux]

Lovely shot, that's what we need to see

Didn't know you would wake up this early to see England lose.

 

[Spark]

Akmal.

 

[Agent Nationaux]

Akmal drops Strauss. Kamran syndrome.