*Official* Pakistan in England and Ireland 2016

[Magrat Garlick]

vcs reported for EPO

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Can he really get much better? He's still about 3 years away from what most would say is just the start of a batsman's prime, isn't it around 28-34 when they're in there prime? He already has around 5 great innings where he made batting look easy while others looked like they were batting on a minefield.

Great thing is there is also Williamson, Smith and Kohli around the same age who do exactly the same as Root in looking a class above the rest of their teammates on certain pitches/days. Good times for watching.

 

[Daemon]

urban dictionary link for the rest of us

well that certainly gives a new meaning to the kuala lumpur police department

 

[Adders]

The truth is, we suck in London and dominate outside it. Need to start limiting London to one test a year. To hell with the home of cricket, let's win more matches.

As a London boy it hurts me to say this but I do think you've got a point.

 

[Captain_Cook]

Great thing is there is also Williamson, Smith and Kohli around the same age who do exactly the same as Root in looking a class above the rest of their teammates on certain pitches/days. Good times for watching.

How do people currently rank this quartet? My opinion is probably heretical but Smith, Root, Williamson, Kohli is my current ranking. Although of the four I think Smith's technique will fail him long before the others on that list.

 

[Daemon]

As a London boy it hurts me to say this but I do think you've got a point.

dig up the pitch

 

[Shady Slim]

according to the definitive shady slim rankings it's kohli>williamson>smith>=root, though i have not seen enough of root outside of england lately to judge (forgotten completely how he went in the UAE and WI)

 

[Captain_Cook]

according to the definitive shady slim rankings it's kohli>williamson>smith>=root, though i have not seen enough of root outside of england lately to judge (forgotten completely how he went in the UAE and WI)

Root has looked solid away from home since 2014 averaging 64. It's his conversion rate that suffered with 2/10 fifties converted to tons. Loads of those were 70s or 80s though.

UAE scores: 85, 88, 71
WI scores: 83, 59, 182*

 

[flibbertyjibber]

How do people currently rank this quartet? My opinion is probably heretical but Smith, Root, Williamson, Kohli is my current ranking. Although of the four I think Smith's technique will fail him long before the others on that list.

Past caring now and just enjoying them, discussions for who is the best can wait till they are all in their 30's.

 

[Shady Slim]

Root has looked solid away from home since 2014 averaging 64. It's his conversion rate that suffered with 2/10 fifties converted to tons. Loads of those were 70s or 80s though.

UAE scores: 85, 88, 71
WI scores: 83, 59, 182*

not bad at all (though must take the windies scores with a grain of salt... that said the windies were pretty good that series)

now we are kohli>williamson>root>smith

 

[Gnske]

The one who slagged off Holder doesn't even deserve to be part of that quartet

 

[Captain_Cook]

not bad at all (though must take the windies scores with a grain of salt... that said the windies were pretty good that series)

That Windies series was so annoying. It seems like the only time they could be bothered in test matches in the last few years. They rolled over before the first over against Australia (home and away) and India. Blackwood has proved his ton against England was a fluke after all. Brathwaite really is the only batsman with any grit at all.

 

[Howe_zat]

How do people currently rank this quartet? My opinion is probably heretical but Smith, Root, Williamson, Kohli is my current ranking. Although of the four I think Smith's technique will fail him long before the others on that list.

Williamson and Root are slightly ahead for mine because of them being among the best in all formats. I'm sure I'll be happy to keep swapping them over for the next few years

 

[Compton]

I've said it before, but it's a pretty strong testament to how good Root is that the only criticism he faces is that he scores too many 70s.

 

[Howe_zat]

Indeed, I'm sure James Vince would love a few 70s right now

Speaking of Vince, downs another catch...

 

[Howe_zat]

Some beautiful stuff from Jimmy, just needs to keep pitching it up

 

[flibbertyjibber]

I am probably in a minority of just me and Jmay on this but why isn't Woakes bowling first up today?

Been the pick of the bowlers this series so strike while the iron is hot.

 

[fredfertang]

No idea what this 2011 series you people are referring to is. Pretty sure there was only a 3 match series between England and Sri Lanka that English cricket season.

These phantom series are very odd - I've met people who swear blind there were Ashes series in 2006/07 and 2013/14 - I tell them they shouldn't believe what Wikipedia says, but still they rattle on about it

 

[Howe_zat]

Honestly the only surprising thing is that Masood was the 5th man out. There's been plenty of bagging in this thread of Hafeez, but he has his strengths and weaknesses. Masood's just pants.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Shows what I know, Woakes can wait till later.