***Official*** Pakistan in New Zealand 2016/17

[Gnske]

Can't express how glad I am that Wagner got his 100th with a short one.

He should be all four cricketers of the year tbh.

 

[straw man]

Google a certain fielding position on the offside.. I don't think those links are allowed on here.

Is it a crime that I got that position right at the first attempt?

Wait so it wasn't the third man?

 

[straw man]

I see Boult is still your go-to man if you want to charge through the gap though. Seems like it was a sensational ball to get Sarfraz.

Yes he is - not quite Stuart Broad but is usually the best bet for a clatter of wickets and cleaning up the tail. I keep wondering if he'll beat Southee to 200 wickets; currently 168 to Southee's 177.

 

[Blocky]

Yes he is - not quite Stuart Broad but is usually the best bet for a clatter of wickets and cleaning up the tail. I keep wondering if he'll beat Southee to 200 wickets; currently 168 to Southee's 177.

The answer is absolutely yes.

 

[Grumpy]

If Pak can manage a lead of 150 somehow, it should make for an interesting finish.

 

[Starfighter]

Having caught up with this match for the first time since the NZ innings, I must say that Azhar Ali sure was in a hurry, wasn't he.

 

[Rootfan]

Unusual player to hate on. But keep trying.

Yes because pointing out his overall inflated record is hating.

 

[Rootfan]

With a shady tail it does not apply here

 

[Flem274*]

will howsie's will to live survive this game?

Lord Colin 6fer followed by a bright and breezy knock, jeet raval 50 on dayboo and wagner's 100th test wicket. trent boult's yorker to asad saved a life.

 

[Howe_zat]

will howsie's will to live survive this game?

Lord Colin 6fer followed by a bright and breezy knock, jeet raval 50 on dayboo and wagner's 100th test wicket. trent boult's yorker to asad saved a life.

Praising De Grandhomme's knock might be pushing it. Bloke made 29.

 

[Zinzan]

will howsie's will to live survive this game?

Lord Colin 6fer followed by a bright and breezy knock, jeet raval 50 on dayboo and wagner's 100th test wicket. trent boult's yorker to asad saved a life.

Don't forget Southee yet again being our worst seamer.

 

[Zinzan]

Praising De Grandhomme's knock might be pushing it. Bloke made 29.

Context. 29 in response the opposition scoring 136 is above par.

 

[Flem274*]

Praising De Grandhomme's knock might be pushing it. Bloke made 29.

kane didn't

 

[smash84]

Oh well, at least Pak tried to put up a fight

 

[TT Boy]

Oh well, at least Pak tried to put up a fight

Going into survival mode with 2 and a bit days left in the match on a pitch where sooner or later you are going to get one isn't that impressive. They shut up shop in a game which cannot be drawn.

 

[AndyZaltzHair]

It's okay to criticise their approach and run rate but at least understand what's going on. It's not like they deliberately decided to not score runs. They just couldn't find scoring opportunities. Once they saw off Boult and Southie, Wagner started taking wickets. Now this is a situation where a BMac 30 ball 70 would have been perfect. But guess what, this team does not have a player like that.

I could not watch the match but followed on cricinfo. Seems like Pakistan esp Azhar copped a lot of hate for his innings. You have to choose between the hard lines here in a situation when they came out to bat trailing by 65 odd runs in a difficult wicket. Azhar could take risks and play few shots against the new ball or dig in as much as possible and blunt the new ball and reap the harvest later. He chose the latter and I don't see anything wrong in it. It's about what could have been. No gurantee that he would have made more runs with better SR. Had he taken more risk earlier on and thrown away his wicket, that would have been far worse. Also don't buy the argument 'you are gonna get out anyway so why not play some shots.' It's applicable for batsmen who do not possess good technique and all. Certainly not for someone like Azhar Ali.

 

[smash84]

Going into survival mode with 2 and a bit days left in the match on a pitch where sooner or later you are going to get one isn't that impressive. They shut up shop in a game which cannot be drawn.

They didn't go into survival mode. I don't think they could score. Adaptation has been especially hard also because they didn't get a single day of practice. The preparation has been woeful and they're suffering.

 

[Moss]

Also this has been one of those rare occasions when all three frontline NZ seamers have been able to stay accurate. Usually its either Wagner rescuing things after a wayward start with the new ball, or Southee/Boult starting well and Wags or Neesham or whoever leaking runs. Add to that CdG has backed them up extremely well in this game. So would tend to agree that it's a case of Pakistan waiting for the scoring opportunities and not getting any, This should be the blueprint really for NZ's bowling plans in general.

 

[Niall]

Azhar has always struggled to rotate strike and gets bogged down quite easily as last night proved. He didn't need to go into Warner mode, but jesus man rotate the strike. However its unfair to single him out for criticism, the rest of the batting has not shown up whatsoever.. Shafiq at 6 and Azam at three is the first real mistake Arthur has made with the test side, hope he does not double down on his silliness and have Sharjeel open next test.

 

[hendrix]

Also this has been one of those rare occasions when all three frontline NZ seamers have been able to stay accurate. Usually its either Wagner rescuing things after a wayward start with the new ball, or Southee/Boult starting well and Wags or Neesham or whoever leaking runs. Add to that CdG has backed them up extremely well in this game. So would tend to agree that it's a case of Pakistan waiting for the scoring opportunities and not getting any, This should be the blueprint really for NZ's bowling plans in general.

Southee has not been accurate in this test, at least from what I saw from the first innings.

Didn't watch Pakistan's second innings though.