*Official* Pakistan in England and Ireland 2016

[Burgey]

Great day for England, they will have at least a par score tomorrow and have a good chance to take it away from Pakistan with 450+.

IMO the game is as good as done from a Pakistan won POV. I know that sounds harsh but it's just he feeling I get with England bating as deep as they do this game and this many on the board already. Question is whether Pakistan can draw it from here and put them acid on England going into the third test. From that POV pakistan's first innings probably decides the game. If they bat into a decent part of day four there likely won't be enough time for England to force a result.

Would expect England to declare earlyish after pushing on hard on day two, maybe between lunch and tea. State of the series means they can't afford to meander at a normal pace deepinto session three today. Pakistan will, I imagine, try to limit the scoring rate and slow the pace of the game down as much as possible.

 

[91Jmay]

Woakes taking his rightful number 6 spot, good to see.

Rooty sublime, one of the best knocks he has played. Hope now he has the 10th he goes on a serious run of scoring.

 

[Black_Warrior]

A day like this was always on the cards. I mean England are considered one of the best test teams in the world, one of the strongest at homes. This is a 4 match series which Pakistan had to play out of their skins to go 1-0. But that was never going to mean they were going to dominate this series. There's going to be plenty of days like this throughout the course of this test series..not because Pakistan are bad. They bowled as well as an attack with an average of 15 test per bowler could have. Secondly, this is not a side that is used to bowling first, Yasir has rarely bowled on a Day 1 pitch. Days like this is what makes you a solid test cricketer. There have been plenty of days like this in Anderson's and Broads career as well when they were around 15 tests old. You can still face days like this after 100 tests. Cook and Root are two of the finest batsmen today..being dominated by them on Day 1 should not come as a surprise.

 

[91Jmay]

Yeah, this it the kind of pitch you should be 300-4 on if you are a good team.

 

[Xuhaib]

Agree with BW, when you are playing away from home against a top side these kind of days will happen its not always about winning tough gritty draws are equally important if you want to compete away. Time for azhar and assad to stand up and show that the 5 years that were invested in them were not a waste.

 

[Compton]

When is 500+ ever 'a must'?

Why do people say stupid things?

It's a must because they've got more than 300 on the board, with Root and Woakes at the crease and Bairstow, Stokes, Moeen, and the other two still to come.

Anything less would be letting a side that are leading the series off the hook. Don't see what's stupid about that at all.

 

[91Jmay]

It's a must because they've got more than 300 on the board, with Root and Woakes at the crease and Bairstow, Stokes, Moeen, and the other two still to come.

Anything less would be letting a side that are leading the series off the hook. Don't see what's stupid about that at all.

Agree with this, anything above 400 is a potentially match winning total but you're 100% right we need to start building massive totals and this is a great chance.

 

[fredfertang]

Rameez looks like he's had a heavy night

 

[flibbertyjibber]

So after a great day yesterday we need to back it up with another.

 

[Black_Warrior]

Agree with BW, when you are playing away from home against a top side these kind of days will happen its not always about winning tough gritty draws are equally important if you want to compete away. Time for azhar and assad to stand up and show that the 5 years that were invested in them were not a waste.

Asad I feel looks like the guy who is ready to stand up..He looked the best batsman in both the sides in the first match...and now he is making his batting position look too low for him.
Azhar on the other hand is the one I am concerned about. He has been number 3 for the last 6 years and he still doesn't look like someone who has confidently made this position his own. Facing the new ball should be something a number 3 is used to and can comfortably handle. He still looks like someone trying to establish himself in the side.

 

[Furball]

So after a great day yesterday we need to back it up with another.

I wouldn't call it a 'great' day, the usual suspects in England's batting lineup all failed again.

 

[fredfertang]

Makes me feel ashamed to be a Lancastrian to hear these cretins no balling Amir - pretty sure there's an offence being committed there as well - Greater Manchester's thin blue line failing in their duty imo

 

[flibbertyjibber]

I wouldn't call it a 'great' day, the usual suspects in England's batting lineup all failed again.

Any day you score 300+ and only lose 4 wickets is a great one. We get 500 here we can put real pressure on and hopefully have a good chance of levelling it up.

 

[fredfertang]

Would really like to see Woakes get some runs here and give the selectors and Cook the sort of headache they like to have

 

[Howe_zat]

Outfield is lightning quick. Ups the par score a bit.

 

[Compton]

Pakistan giving Woakes the single seems strange. Have they just given up on getting Root out?

 

[Daemon]

Asad I feel looks like the guy who is ready to stand up..He looked the best batsman in both the sides in the first match...and now he is making his batting position look too low for him.
Azhar on the other hand is the one I am concerned about. He has been number 3 for the last 6 years and he still doesn't look like someone who has confidently made this position his own. Facing the new ball should be something a number 3 is used to and can comfortably handle. He still looks like someone trying to establish himself in the side.

He's got the harder job tbf. Hiding down the order at 5 and 6 unless there's no choice is for pussies like Clarke and Chanderpaul

 

[smash84]

looks like it will be a another long day for the bowlers

 

[Compton]

Excellent spell from Amir. Woakes needs to survive this and see off another few overs of the new-ish ball. Make things easier for Stokes and Bairstow.

 

[91Jmay]

Amir really bowling superbly here but he looks in pain.