Bit of both. Yasir was really terrific. Accurate and testing. However, it's also true that the English didn't handle him will. It was just day 2. Should have been able to defend him but some guys were not good enough.I've only been able to follow the match here and there. Seems I'm missing out on a potential classic.
Did Yasir bowl great for his wickets or did England just play him poorly? I saw at least Root playing a bad shot.
That's great odds for Pakistan as they are surely favourites at this point.Odds update for Daemon
England 2.00
Pakistan 2.00
Draw 100.00
Cant remember a day 4 I've been this excited about for a while. Then again hasn't exactly been great teat cricket for a while
Thanks. Selvey wrote a sympathetic piece in the guardian and suggested he is close to returning to his best - but that Cook hadn't really backed him much today. Personally given the way he's bowled recently and the position England are in the game I don't see how Cook could have backed him with any real confidence. Hard to see how he retains his position for the next test if Anderson and Stokes return.@theegyptian: Better. He didn't stray down as much as before. He was unlucky too when Baristow dropped a catch off his bowling. However, he looked mentally spent. This has been a rough game for him
Better in his last spell but boy was he unlucky. Two dropped catches, a few close shouts, outside edges going for 4s.How'd Finn bowl today?
The test match I saw him in South Africa, he was a tad short of being really bad. But this summer it's a different bowler. It is probably a testament to his own hard work and the support he is getting from the coaching staff and management that you can have an unforgettable outing in test cricket in 1 season and come back the next season to back 11 wickets in a gameSeriously though I'm so chuffed for him. Guy has worked so hard and basically had to reinvent himself as a player multiple times. Also think it proves those test matches were he bowled quite well but didn't get the wickets he was genuinely unlucky as opposed to a bowler who will simply flatter to deceive because he's missing something to make him test class.
Always good to see hard woakes pay offSeriously though I'm so chuffed for him. Guy has worked so hard and basically had to reinvent himself as a player multiple times. Also think it proves those test matches were he bowled quite well but didn't get the wickets he was genuinely unlucky as opposed to a bowler who will simply flatter to deceive because he's missing something to make him test class.
I can't say that the figures support this. In the 21st century, there have been 33 targets of 280-320 set in the 4th innings of a test, and only one in every three have been chased down. So to have England and Pakistan both at evens you have to think that England are significantly more likely than average to get that kind of a score in the fourth innings, which doesn't strike me as correct seeing as it's not a road and we're struggling to play Yasir any better than the last 3 tests.Odds update for Daemon
England 2.00
Pakistan 2.00
Draw 100.00
Cant remember a day 4 I've been this excited about for a while. Then again hasn't exactly been great teat cricket for a while