**Official** Pakistan and England in the UAE 2015/16

[Black_Warrior]

Lol PakPassion thinks Shafiq should be dropped as well

Drop Asad Shafiq from Test XI when Azhar Ali comes back?

It's amazing how Pakistanis manage to reserve their hatred for some of their very best. I'm a massive Shafiq fan and he's played some top innnings for them. Dropping him would be braindead. Hope it happens.

Ok don't go by Pakpassion. Let's leave them out of the conversation for now.

You are one to talk when you feel India has massive batting problems at 269/2 chasing 303.
I am not a massive Shafiq fan but I am not a hater. Here are my reasons.

Shafiq and Azhar are two batsmen Pakistan have invested in the most in the last 5 years, starting in 2010 when they did away with Moyo.

Shafiq, despite the complete faith, support and encouragement of the management, hasn't quite developed into the player we would have liked. There are a couple of factors for this kind of thinking. It's very rare that players get this kind of uninterrupted support in Pakistan..look at Fawad, Haris, etc.
So when he does get that, and doesn't quite take full advantage of that situation, it is frustrating a little. I know he has improved a lot, but the fact that his name even comes up as a potential drop is a reflection. Had he been averaging 50 by now, no one would be having this conversation. Look at the emergence of some of the other young batsmen in that time - Root, Williamson, Du Plessis. Does anyone EVER talk about dropping one of them? Their development in the last few years is incredible.

His mode of dismissals at times makes you want to tear our your hair out. Even his century in Sri Lanka this year when Pakistan were 98/5, it was Sarfraz who really broke the shackles and took Pakistan out of trouble, while Shafiq being the main batsman played second fiddle. He was not able to take charge and this is something that, like Azhar, he has to learn to do because it will be expected of him when Misbah and then YK leaves.

Having said all of that, he is still miles ahead of Malik, and it would be terrible for Pakistan cricket if he is dropped for Malik, when he actually has the potential to be a top class batsman unlike Malik.

 

[Black_Warrior]

Ok those who have seen Adil Rashid bowl before,

Does he normally bowl a bit quicker through the air or is this his normal pace?

 

[Black_Warrior]

Yeah but the question is if xulfi B is going to love this or not?

Interestingly the English spinners were very expensive and their pacers quite economical

This pitch looks very similar to the Pakistan vs Australia 1st test last year. If you remember, the first 2-3 days were pretty good for batting and even Australia were going strong at one point before the ball started turning. This pitch was very slow, low bounce, every now and then there was tad movement for the seamers, Wood was the pick of the bowlers for me. He did trouble the batsmen and I am hoping Rahat can do the same.

 

[nightprowler10]

Just saw the highlights and read through the thread, I'm glad we all agree there was no way Misbah's decision should've been overturned.

Also lol @ Hafeez at that review. I don't think he even consulted with Shoaib on that one.

Honors even on this pitch IMO.

 

[Dan]

Ok those who have seen Adil Rashid bowl before,

Does he normally bowl a bit quicker through the air or is this his normal pace?

He certainly isn't the quickest of spinners going around.

 

[Fast N Furious]

Not a bad day for either team probably.
From the looks of the score card it was perhaps a road

Not a road. The ball is gripping, turn on offer and ball reversed from 35 onward.

England could've had Pakistan 7-8 down had Bell not dropped his catches.

 

[Fast N Furious]

Overall, England's seamers bowled well. They missed a trick by under-bowling Wood between 35-60 when it was reversing the most. He looked the most threatening with reverse and got the most lateral movement as well due to his pace.

As expected, Moeen and Adil were below par.

 

[The Battlers Prince]

Ok those who have seen Adil Rashid bowl before,

Does he normally bowl a bit quicker through the air or is this his normal pace?

He looked like he was bowling quicker against Australia in the ODI's. I haven't seen him other than that. He was giving it plenty of height yesterday

 

[AndyZaltzHair]

Not a road. The ball is gripping, turn on offer and ball reversed from 35 onward.

England could've had Pakistan 7-8 down had Bell not dropped his catches.

Overall, England's seamers bowled well. They missed a trick by under-bowling Wood between 35-60 when it was reversing the most. He looked the most threatening with reverse and got the most lateral movement as well due to his pace.

As expected, Moeen and Adil were below par.

Welcome to CW

 

[Fast N Furious]

Welcome to CW

Thanks.

 

[dermo]

winning the toss and batting first in the uae is a massive advantage, there's absolutely nothing in it for any bowler on the first 2 days.

 

[Black_Warrior]

winning the toss and batting first in the uae is a massive advantage, there's absolutely nothing in it for any bowler on the first 2 days.

That's pretty much how it is in Australia too these days. Win the toss bat first has been Australia's mantra for ages at home now. In fact, win the toss bat first seems to give teams a massive advantage almost everywhere these days

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Not complaining about conditions, we know how they will be before the game starts. From here it is all about whether we survive with a draw.

Bloody Bell is a **** you can't give chances on tracks like this but he gave 2 from absolute dollies.

 

[fredfertang]

**** me Rashid is a disappointment - hope this works

 

[dermo]

That's pretty much how it is in Australia too these days. Win the toss bat first has been Australia's mantra for ages at home now. In fact, win the toss bat first seems to give teams a massive advantage almost everywhere these days

win the toss and bat first is pretty much everyone's mantra everywhere. most country's in the world however there is still something there for the bowlers on day one, not here though.when the ball starts to turn on these pitches the cricket is good to watch but imo until that point the game is to skewed towards the batsman.

I'm not saying pakistan haven't played well here because they have but that doesn't mean the pitch isn't quite easy to bat on right now

 

[AndyZaltzHair]

Rashid scores a crafty century

 

[Black_Warrior]

Wow Mark Wood is some bowler. I thought he bowled decent in the Ashes but in this game, he has really impressed me. Best bowler by far.

 

[OverratedSanity]

So how bad has Rashid been? Scorecard suggests pretty terrible.

 

[dermo]

**** me Rashid is a disappointment - hope this works

not the first spinner to debut in these conditions and go 0-100 and he certainly won't be the last. at least wait until you've seen him bowl in the second innings where there'll be sharper turn and more variable bounce before you write him off.

 

[Black_Warrior]

win the toss and bat first is pretty much everyone's mantra everywhere. most country's in the world however there is still something there for the bowlers on day one, not here though.when the ball starts to turn on these pitches the cricket is good to watch but imo until that point the game is to skewed towards the batsman.

I'm not saying pakistan haven't played well here because they have but that doesn't mean the pitch isn't quite easy to bat on right now

I thought the pitch offered a fair bit of assistance..the ball was reversing from 30 overs onwards and Wood and Anderson did manage to move the ball laterally as well.
Don't forget, 2 dropped catches and 1 wicket of a no ball. 7 wickets in Day 1 is hardly a road.