*Official* Pakistan v New Zealand in the UAE 2018

[straw man]

game on

 

[Borges]

Need a couple of more wickets now to make a game of this.

EDIT: Ok, need one more wicket now.

 

[straw man]

game double on!

where is everyone? This could be a classic.

 

[Moss]

Oh wow, what a start. Game on indeed.

Sodhi hopefully settles down a bit now that he's got two wickets.

 

[nzfan]

170+ now looking like 300+

Two soft dismissals, not complaining. Pakistan can panic here.

 

[nzfan]

There's plenty in the pitch if our boys can use it right. Ish has couple of easy wickets. He just needs to get the length and pace right. Ejaz is bowling great. Even if Ish keeps it tight it'll be perfect. No loose balls please...

 

[Moss]

170+ now looking like 300+

Two soft dismissals, not complaining. Pakistan can panic here.

One decent partnership will do it for Pakistan but yeah they are capable of self destructing. NZ have to Patel's example here and keep it tight, they're in win a real chance.

 

[nzfan]

I'm still not happy with Ish, he's bowling all over the place notwithstanding the two wickets he got. He's got to bowl good areas. He's doing that two balls in an over. It sounds crazy given he had taken two wickets but he's not bowling great.

 

[straw man]

yeah agree

Hope Williamson chucks straight-arms a few down this innings - could be handy.

 

[nzfan]

Never seen Ish bowl so many full tosses, I've seen him bowl plenty of half trackers. Boys have to attack the stumps. That's where things are happening from. Probably time for some Boulty magic.

 

[Borges]

C'mon guys, send another one back before the target comes down to two digits.

 

[Moss]

Watling's keeping has been exemplary in this test, both standing back and up to the stumps.

 

[Moss]

Never seen Ish bowl so many full tosses, I've seen him bowl plenty of half trackers. Boys have to attack the stumps. That's where things are happening from. Probably time for some Boulty magic.

Trying too hard maybe? I doubt he has been in this position before in tests, a chance to bowl NZ to victory in a 4th innings chase on a turning track.

 

[The Hutt Rec]

I’m going to be flying back to NZ during the rest of this ... hopefully upon touchdown I’ll hear of a glorious victory.

 

[_Ed_]

This has a familiar feeling - a cluster of early wickets to give us hope, but then it all fizzles out and we lose by five/six wickets.

 

[Blain]

Sodhi is spray canning it. Agree with the commentators, bring on Boult. Need to build pressure, far too much milking going on.

 

[vandem]

Just turned on, NZ doing better than I expected, thought 8 wicket loss and Ish 15-70-1 type of numbers.

 

[Mike5181]

The game was lost when we were dismissed for 153 on day one. Another 50-70 runs to play with would've been massive here.

 

[Moss]

Just turned on, NZ doing better than I expected, thought 8 wicket loss and Ish 15-70-1 type of numbers.

With the start they had, should be doing better. Ajaz has been very good but occassionally scored off, and Ish has two cheap wickets but otherwise been unable to provide control.

 

[straw man]

In same situation now as at the start of the day - need two quick wickets or Pakistan will win comfortably.