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

[91Jmay]

Hundred opening stand, fifty for first drop. It hasn't been great to watch I wouldn't imagine but it has been pretty effective so far.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Cook haters like Jono having a good waaaah now

Cook was going so wonderfully mediocre until weldone and Jono had their massive whines about him having no chance of beating the all time run record. I blame them completely for his resurgence.

 

[Cabinet96]

Fully expect Boycott to lay into Cook for being a non English conditions bully.

 

[King Pietersen]

Cookeh. WAG.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Bell deserves a bit of credit for surviving this long despite looking like a tailender for most of his innings.

As a side note, I will never get why so many non SC batsmen don't understand that you can't just cut anything which is a bit short. Recipe for disaster. You have to use it judiciously or you'll just keep chopping it onto the stumps like Bell almost did on a few occasions.

 

[Gnske]

And he's almost done it again for about the 7th time

 

[OverratedSanity]

Just as I type it he plays another weak cut. Ffs.

 

[Cabinet96]

lol.

 

[GIMH]

Fully expect Boycott to lay into Cook for being a non English conditions bully.

Doesn't work given Cook has a decent record in England, then again he's much better away from home. If he never played a home Test there would be no doubt that he's been the best opener of his generation, on stats alone

 

[Cabinet96]

Doesn't work given Cook has a decent record in England, then again he's much better away from home. If he never played a home Test there would be no doubt that he's been the best opener of his generation, on stats alone

You joke but I do occasionally wonder what his record would be like if he was Australian. I know he doesn't actually have an amazing record overall in Aus, but that's mainly down to the attacks he's faced, he'd score a million runs against most attacks down there. Would have a better record than Hayden imo.

 

[Uppercut]

How did he end up with a technique perfectly suited to everywhere but the place he developed it?

 

[Cabinet96]

I don't know, it's weird. I always find it really hard to imagine him playing junior and lower level cricket in England too, where the ball very rarely gets above the waist.

Some of his better attributes such as judgement of what to play and leave are very English qualities though

 

[Scaly piscine]

Will be interesting to see whether England make an effort to up the tempo if they can pass 400 with a few wickets in hand, should be virtually safe at that point and Pakistan would be the team that could lose if they have a wobble. Guess there'd be about 140 overs left in the game at that point. Pakistan would still need to bat a good 70 overs.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Can't see the point. Pitch is dead, may as well try and bat all 3 days and save the bowlers for next week. Also grind the Pakistan bowlers into the dirt.

 

[theegyptian]

I don't know, it's weird. I always find it really hard to imagine him playing junior and lower level cricket in England too, where the ball very rarely gets above the waist.

Some of his better attributes such as judgement of what to play and leave are very English qualities though

Think for someone like Cook who went to public school and was involved in the Essex youth setup he'd have experienced his fair share of good wickets and excellent facilities. More of an issue for those coming through state schools and club cricket.

 

[harsh.ag]

Cook can definitely break Sachin's record of most runs. 7 years more he requires.

 

[YorksLanka]

yes , Cook is class..

 

[Cabinet96]

Think for someone like Cook who went to public school and was involved in the Essex youth setup he'd have experienced his fair share of good wickets and excellent facilities. More of an issue for those coming through state schools and club cricket.

I've played a couple of times at Cook's old school and it's not a particularly bouncy pitch. Might have been quicker 10/15 years ago though I guess.

I imagine he did heaps of indoor nets that would've shaped his game quite a bit.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Cook can definitely break Sachin's record of most runs. 7 years more he requires.

How dare you say it is possible.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Can't see the point. Pitch is dead, may as well try and bat all 3 days and save the bowlers for next week. Also grind the Pakistan bowlers into the dirt.

Because you're trying to win a Test match.