**Official** Pakistan v New Zealand in the UAE 2014

[smash84]

Not really, unless the NZ tail repeats their heroics and bats us to safety, the hosts have this sown up. No way Sodhi's pies are going to give us a chance of defending 200 with Younus and Misbah in their present form. This'll be all over by tea.

Nah

 

[Howe_zat]

This has been a friggin ace test match to follow

shame about the thread

 

[r3alist]

Not really, unless the NZ tail repeats their heroics and bats us to safety, the hosts have this sown up. No way Sodhi's pies are going to give us a chance of defending 200 with Younus and Misbah in their present form. This'll be all over by tea.

Can't really take middle order success for a given, a bit of pressure, a few bad shots, a bit of luck and suddenly NZ have a great chance, Pakistan might look invincible but not really been tested until now.

 

[smash84]

Not really, unless the NZ tail repeats their heroics and bats us to safety, the hosts have this sown up. No way Sodhi's pies are going to give us a chance of defending 200 with Younus and Misbah in their present form. This'll be all over by tea.

NZ will stretch their batting to at least one hour in the morning. It is impossible for Pakistan to score 200 in just 1.5 sessions with the pitch giving a bit more assistance to the bowlers. If Pakistan can bundle NZ for 200 till lunch Then 200 might be chaseable in about 2 sessions.

 

[nightprowler10]

Yeah this pitch isn't getting easier to bat on. Despite our form we could be bundled out for 150 if we play too aggressively, so look for Misbah to play it safe if we have to chase 200+ in 2 sessions. Remember, we risked everything against Sri Lanka because the series was on the line, there's little reason here for Misbah not to play it safe.

 

[Teja.]

I think there is merit in the idea of promoting Sarfaraz to No. 3 to keep options open if it's a 200-ish chase and then evaluate from there.

Realistically though, I see this heading towards a draw.

 

[smash84]

yeah, draw seems like the safest bet at this point

 

[Blocky]

Woke up to a much better match situation than expected, good to see Taylor find some runs and sounds like he's done it the true sub continent way by going back to everything. The balls that got Southee, Anderson and Neesham show what this pitch has in it for spinners, it will be interesting in last chance saloon for Craig to see if he has anything in the tank and also whether or not Sodhi is a new and improved model, or someone who's flattered to deceive.

 

[the big bambino]

But I don't see how reversing an on field decision because there wasn't any evidence of it being the right one is somehow diminishing the dignity of the umpire.

And on the bolded part, that's just wrong. A lack of evidence of the batsman having edged it pretty much means he's not out. The lack of evidence is the evidence. It's been the norm that benefit of doubt should go to the batsman for ages, rightly so. This stupid system throws that in the bin to "uphold the dignity" of the umpire. What does that even mean? It's just a meaningless phrase.

Try and follow this. If he has no evidence to overturn a decn then the on field decn is upheld. I can't help you if you think lack of evidence equates to proof. It just doesn't.

Another thing. Try and get past your ego. Its nowhere as important to me as it seems to be with you. I don't care if you think upholding an umpire's dignity and authourity is unimportant. Anyone else with a brain obviously can see why the conduct of the game depends upon it.

 

[hendrix]

Absence of an edge means there is no edge. That is the evidence.

I get requiring strong evidence but "he didn't hit it" seems to me strong enough.

 

[the big bambino]

Well it isn't. Unless you think the technology infallible.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

Yeah it's unfortunate but the Latham decision was the right one.

 

[Athlai]

It could have easily feather touched the wrist band it was that close, from the evidence we had there was no way you could say that there was evidence the decision should be overturned.

But beyond that, it was good to see Taylor dominating last night. It's fairly realistic to say our tail could get us to lunch. If Pakistan can wrap us up within 10-20 overs I'd say they will be fairly confident in going for it.

 

[Athlai]

That Safraz innings though. His runs and the time he spent at the crease may have cost us a good 150 runs. Would be a very different game if we were sitting on 320 overnight.

 

[straw man]

Nerve-wracking position for us overnight. I'm fairly confident we'll earn a draw if we can score another 60 runs and soak up some time (say 20 overs) tomorrow. Pakistan would still have a sniff but it would require significant risk on their part.

Watching Taylor last night I thought playing back and defending balls on the stumps wasn't going to have a long lifetime, and doubly so when he started cutting some of those instead. This is where having genuinely fast-hands and talent helps! Hundred today, please.

 

[Howe_zat]

Feels like forever since we've had a Test going into day 5 with all possible results still on the table. At least 6 months of nothing but tonkings this year

 

[Athlai]

Feels like forever since we've had a Test going into day 5 with all possible results still on the table. At least 6 months of nothing but tonkings this year

NZ has had a lot of good close Tests over the last few years.

 

[Blocky]

Absence of an edge means there is no edge. That is the evidence.

I get requiring strong evidence but "he didn't hit it" seems to me strong enough.

There was no conclusive way of proving that the ball did not brush the wrist band attached to his glove, due to that, the Third Umpire could not make a conclusive decision and had to refer back to the umpires original call, it's not rocket science. As long as it's the same for all teams I don't have an issue with it, except to say that hot spot needs to be utilised around the world.

The real question is whether they should change the ruling around the wrist band being "part of the glove" which would make dismissals like that far easier to overturn.

 

[hendrix]

Yeah.

Anyway we need Southee and Boult fired up tomorrow to deliver us those early break throughs. There's a win on offer here if someone steps up.

 

[Blocky]

Yeah.

Anyway we need Southee and Boult fired up tomorrow to deliver us those early break throughs. There's a win on offer here if someone steps up.

What would you consider a "safe" score for us to go for?