*Official* Pakistan v New Zealand in the UAE 2018

[trundler]

Was hoping for a wicket before close of play.

 

[smash84]

Was hoping for a wicket before close of play.

Don't worry you will be get your wish early tomorrow, and more

 

[trundler]

Don't worry you will be get your wish early tomorrow, and more

Won't be as exciting. Our best case scenario is crawling there 8 down.

 

[Xuhaib]

4th innings chases makes me nervous especially when it’s Pakistan I will not predict anything let’s hope we can get over the line even if it takes all 11 guys to get the runs

 

[Xuhaib]

Good comeback from Yasir but he should not be taking so many overs to get in the groove the target could have been 50 runs lighter had he bowled like this earlier.Same thing happened in the Khawaja marathon test yes then Aus got a draw as he found his rhythm too late.
Maybe it’s lack of bowling fitness post surgery which is the main cause of this but he needs to get in to the game much earlier.

 

[Athlai]

Truly I am capable of dark arts

 

[_Ed_]

Well, that's a disappointing (but not entirely surprising) score to wake up to.

 

[NZTailender]

Well, that's a disappointing (but not entirely surprising) score to wake up to.

Ha I thought the same thing. Went to bed when Nicholls and Watling were 40/30 odd and honestly hoped to wake up to 50+ more runs.

I think we'll get a sniff tomorrow but Pakistan should probably win by 4 or 5 wickets.

 

[Zinzan]

Damn it, this is going to be really tough to chase

I'd almost forgotten about your ghambiring skills.

 

[Bahnz]

Hugely disappointing. Went to bed at 200/4, thinking that we were probably on track for a 200+ target. Bleck.

Again, if you have a schedule that consists entirely of home games, you're going to have players in the team that can't adapt to foreign conditions. From the sound of things, CdG has been cruelly exposed in this test (at least with the bat). Don't know what can be done about that, there's no one in the squad who can replace him unless you take the attitude that Southee is effectively the better batsman in these conditions (which I don't really).

Well done to Nicholls, continues to show that gritty determination that will hopefully keep his average in at least the mid-30's.

Can't see us doing too much damage today tbh. We just don't have spinners capable of building pressure and restraining scoring like Bilal and Yasir.

 

[TheBrand]

Much more a fan of Nicholls as a test player as opposed to an ODI number 6.

I like CdG opening the bowling, somehow makes roads look threatening. Definitely should stick with him the other tests, in his test before this he scored a gutsy 70 odd and 40 odd (albeit throwing his wicket away) against England. So stoked there is no Southee.

Boult been exceptional.

Raval looked really good in his 2nd innings, like his adjustment to standing further towards off although frustrating he nicked off the same way as the first innings.

Hoping Ajaz/Boult rip through the order early.

 

[straw man]

If we get two wickets early we could still be in this, but otherwise Pakistan will canter home I'd say. Pretty galling for Boult and De Grandhomme to bleed so many runs in 6 overs last night - 20 easy runs is a large fraction of the 175 target.

Nicholls and Watling really were impressive - hours of concentration and patience in difficult conditions building a total, only for it to be thrown away. I guess we can't blame the tail too much against Yasir's spin and Ali's swing, aside from De Grandhomme who looked like he should be batting number 10. Playing back to spin like that made him a dead duck and seems to suggest very little thought in how he was going to approach his innings.

Sodhi could be bowling for his spot in the second test too - hope he gets into a rhythm and starts to threaten.

 

[Moss]

Much more a fan of Nicholls as a test player as opposed to an ODI number 6.

I like CdG opening the bowling, somehow makes roads look threatening. Definitely should stick with him the other tests, in his test before this he scored a gutsy 70 odd and 40 odd (albeit throwing his wicket away) against England. So stoked there is no Southee.

Boult been exceptional.

Raval looked really good in his 2nd innings, like his adjustment to standing further towards off although frustrating he nicked off the same way as the first innings.

Hoping Ajaz/Boult rip through the order early.

This looked like it could be an instance where NZ were able to put up a substantial score without a major contribution from Kane or Taylor , but none of the guys who got starts was able to kick on. Then again they each had to work bloody hard for those scores against a relentless attack, hopefully it's done a lot for their confidence in these conditions.

Wouldn't drop CdG for the reasons stated above, he's a guy who will look village from time to time. But man hw really needs a quick fix seeing that he's been a liability with the bat all tour and the lower order isn't up to much either.

 

[nzfan]

I think we are about 30 runs short, we'll only know now. Still I think if Ish can hit the right length he could be lethal. Rest will be consistent no doubt about that. We have played good cricket overall in this test match producing some back of the wall stuff but just been short by a bit. That could make all the difference. Pakistan are nervous chasers so I won't put it past us to make another dramatic come back. It's going to be a enthralling day of cricket if we can knock over couple of them early.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Obviously Pakistan should win reasonably comfortably, but don't forget that in the last test between these sides they lost 9 wickets in a session to lose a match they should've drawn.

 

[CharlesLara]

I think we are about 30 runs short, we'll only know now. Still I think if Ish can hit the right length he could be lethal. Rest will be consistent no doubt about that. We have played good cricket overall in this test match producing some back of the wall stuff but just been short by a bit. That could make all the difference. Pakistan are nervous chasers so I won't put it past us to make another dramatic come back. It's going to be a enthralling day of cricket if we can knock over couple of them early.

As someone who has defended Ish in the past, I just don't think that will happen. It's why he's found more success in shorter formats because variety trumps stock ball consistency, and the hallmark of consistency for a leggie is length. Not sure if its just me, but I still couldn't tell you Ish strongest point, part of me think's its his bounce, which is why he's good in NZ, but then again the average NZ domestic player can't play wrist spin AT ALL. The pace required in the UAE/Asia is a little quicker and flatter, its why R.Jadeja is lethal. You saw some of it with Shah in this Test, quicker, flatter and wicket to wicket with changes of pace and flight leading to LBW, bowled etc. Ish, like many us leggies who have lived the hard life, is reliant on his googly too much to ever be a threat in longer formats.

 

[Bahnz]

As someone who has defended Ish in the past, I just don't think that will happen. It's why he's found more success in shorter formats because variety trumps stock ball consistency, and the hallmark of consistency for a leggie is length. Not sure if its just me, but I still couldn't tell you Ish strongest point, part of me think's its his bounce, which is why he's good in NZ, but then again the average NZ domestic player can't play wrist spin AT ALL. The pace required in the UAE/Asia is a little quicker and flatter, its why R.Jadeja is lethal. You saw some of it with Shah in this Test, quicker, flatter and wicket to wicket with changes of pace and flight leading to LBW, bowled etc. Ish, like many us leggies who have lived the hard life, is reliant on his googly too much to ever be a threat in longer formats.

Yep, it's just like what Richie Benaud said to Shane Warne, when asked what the key to being a successful leggie is: just be able to land a turning legbreak on a good length 6 times out of 6. Ish has improved over the years, but he's still barely able to do that 3 times out of 6, and his googly isn't well enough disguised to be a threat in tests.

 

[nzfan]

Ish's release is 12'0 clock and relies heavily on toppies. He puts good revs so it does turn and he's a tall bloke so he does get the bounce. When he's relying on toppies often you can drag it down. He won't be able to change that so he has to stick to it. He sure does put a lot of revs, has massive fingers. I'd say with more experience he'll be much better.

 

[straw man]

sheesh, three times past the edge in the first over for Ajaz - he has certainly impressed this match

while I'm sure there's something in the posts above about Sodhi's limitations, I've absolutely still seen him bowl a lot flatter than he did in the first innings in the past, usually in T20s or ODIs

 

[straw man]

beautiful bowling Ajaz