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

[wpdavid]

If they weren't playing a team that has the potential to better that, I would have said, 'there goes the test match'

Love the ability of the Pakistan supporters to be even more pessimistic than their English counterparts.

This really would take a serious effort from the Pakistan batters to even keep the match alive, never mind lose it. Something along the lines of WI being bowled out for 50 at Lord's in 2000, and even then I don't see us chasing 200 to win it on Day 4.

 

[Black_Warrior]

No idea where we go with it. I could make a case for giving Hales a match and putting Moeen at 7 instead of Buttler, with Bairstow taking over the gloves. Not that we're very likely to win out here, but I don't know anyone who thinks Moeen should open in SA so Hales may as well have a go now.

.

Not convinced by Hales from what I ahave seen of him in ODIs. Compton would be my man to open in SA..but not sure how he has been performing this year FC. Let me go and check.

 

[Black_Warrior]

Love the ability of the Pakistan supporters to be even more pessimistic than their English counterparts.

This really would take a serious effort from the Pakistan batters to even keep the match alive, never mind lose it. Something along the lines of WI being bowled out for 50 at Lord's in 2000, and even then I don't see us chasing 200 to win it on Day 4.

Ok I am not trying to be overly pessimistic. Pakistan are very much on top here no doubt about that...but given what we saw on Day 5 just the few days ago, can you blame me for saying that?

 

[fredfertang]

I hope the selectors learn soon that whilst the likes of Buttler, Ali, Rashid, Stokes and Bairstow are great in ODIs and T20 that you have to have class batsmen in Tests - not convinced that Taylor or Hales are, but they have to come in for the third Test - next summer will be better because young Hameed can start opening with Cook

 

[Howe_zat]

Fair enough, but just a couple of points on that,
Firstly, Cook is not retiring for some time.
Secondly, you never know when someone bursts onto the scene. Did anyone see Root coming along? or Trott? Nobody knew Trott before he was picked for the deciding Ashes test and scored a match winning ton.

Yeah the batting resources might look a bit slim now, but you never know when someone comes along. I know this from experience..everyone used to say what would happen to Pakistan after Inzy and Moyo, YK and Misbah emerged, then they said what will happen after YK and Misbah leave, and Azhar and Shafiq have come along.

That's true but it's not especially inspiring. There are just as often the Dark Times that come between confident batting lineups that you really don't want to see your team be a part of.

To use the case you cite - after Inzy + Moyo and before YK + Misbah, Pakistan toured Australia and lost every game before touring England and getting bowled out for double figures four times in four tests. It's not exactly a comforting example.

Yeah I refuse to be cheered up. Today's podcast will not be a beacon of joy

 

[Pothas]

Stokes will be a much better Test bat than Hales, and probably Taylor to be honest.

Ballance had a decent day today, you just really don't fancy him and Taylor coming back into the side against South Africa, would probably be a good career move for both them to avoid that.

 

[Howe_zat]

I hope the selectors learn soon that whilst the likes of Buttler, Ali, Rashid, Stokes and Bairstow are great in ODIs and T20 that you have to have class batsmen in Tests - not convinced that Taylor or Hales are, but they have to come in for the third Test - next summer will be better because young Hameed can start opening with Cook

There's still Lees and Bell-Drummond to drop first. So I think it might take until the 4th test for Hameed to get a game.

 

[Black_Warrior]

Does anyone remember the 95 Bairstow made against SA in his debut match when everyone who was not KP was falling like ninepins against SA? Again, that was not a great knock but he was willing to fight it out..which is what I saw of him yesterday. He was not necessarily picking Yasir, but was willing to stay at the crease and figure out a way to deal with it..which is a lot more than what I saw from Australian batsmen last year who would get frustrated at the foreign conditions and looked to throw it away in anger.

 

[Black_Warrior]

That's true but it's not especially inspiring. There are just as often the Dark Times that come between confident batting lineups that you really don't want to see your team be a part of.

To use the case you cite - after Inzy + Moyo and before YK + Misbah, Pakistan toured Australia and lost every game before touring England and getting bowled out for double figures four times in four tests. It's not exactly a comforting example.

Yeah I refuse to be cheered up. Today's podcast will not be a beacon of joy

Lol yes that's true. Fair point.

 

[wpdavid]

Ok I am not trying to be overly pessimistic. Pakistan are very much on top here no doubt about that...but given what we saw on Day 5 just the few days ago, can you blame me for saying that?

No, and I am aware that Pakistan side have plenty of previous when it comes to collapsing horribly. But given the way the pitch should go now, I reckon they're safe enough when they've reached 50 later today.
No disrespect intended my my previous post, btw.

 

[Howe_zat]

Stokes will be a much better Test bat than Hales, and probably Taylor to be honest.

Ballance had a decent day today, you just really don't fancy him and Taylor coming back into the side against South Africa, would probably be a good career move for both them to avoid that.

I thought he was still with the squad - has he gone off to play some first class matches?

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Stokes will be a much better Test bat than Hales, and probably Taylor to be honest.

Ballance had a decent day today, you just really don't fancy him and Taylor coming back into the side against South Africa, would probably be a good career move for both them to avoid that.

Can't see them going to Ballance for SA when his style was perfect for this series and they ignored him.

Think SA will be Bell's last hurrah and Taylor will get a chance there too.

 

[Pothas]

I thought he was still with the squad - has he gone off to play some first class matches?

Nah I just meant that England collapsed and he was not in the side.

 

[Cabinet96]

Had no idea what the result of that 2001 test would be but it wasn't that surprising.

Don't know why people complain about the not calling of no balls these days, didn't seem to do it a lot back then either Also, that technology looked so dodgy ffs.

 

[Black_Warrior]

Had no idea what the result of that 2001 test would be but it wasn't that surprising.

Don't know why people complain about the not calling of no balls these days, didn't seem to do it a lot back then either Also, that technology looked so dodgy ffs.

That was just one game though. Do you recall a lot games that had that problem? And if I recall correctly, came at the tail end of Shepherd's career.

 

[NUFAN]

I would be bringing in James Taylor next match. Actually amazed that he isn't getting a game - I guess that's what unfortunately happens when your top 6 includes 2 frontline bowlers.

 

[fredfertang]

At 33 Bell should be in the form of his life - clearly has a problem between the ears these days

 

[wpdavid]

Stokes will be a much better Test bat than Hales, and probably Taylor to be honest.

Ballance had a decent day today, you just really don't fancy him and Taylor coming back into the side against South Africa, would probably be a good career move for both them to avoid that.

There's a fine line here. On the one hand, you don't want to throw kids into the side against the world's best bowlers and have them mentally scarred for years. On the other hand, sometimes you just need someone to stand up and be counted. Taylor is some way past his teenage years, so maybe it's just time to give him a run. Likewise Hales, actually.

 

[Black_Warrior]

I would be bringing in James Taylor next match. Actually amazed that he isn't getting a game - I guess that's what unfortunately happens when your top 6 includes 2 frontline bowlers.

In place of?

 

[flibbertyjibber]

In place of?

Bell or Buttler I guess.