*Official* Pakistan v New Zealand in the UAE 2018

[trundler]

Yeah South Africa will obviously cruise home. What I look forward to most besides how Abbas goes is the reinvigorated Steyn. There's going to be great bowling on display and hopefully some hilarious lollapses. Please take Hafeez to SA again.

 

[smash84]

South Africa are going to absolutely crush Pakistan. They crushed pakistan even with misyou. With this lineup they are going to bloody murder us.

 

[Pup Clarke]

Think this is going to be a close series personally. If AB was still around i'd just back SA - but of the opinion this is 50/50

 

[BeeGee]

Incredible performance by Yasir. Congrats Pakistan.

 

[trundler]

Think this is going to be a close series personally. If AB was still around i'd just back SA - but of the opinion this is 50/50

I'd give India in Australia a 50% chance of winning. Pakistan won't last long with this frail batting line up though SA have looked frail too. SA's bowling is the strongest in the world and they're playing at home.

 

[Borges]

Don't think a South Africa vs Pakistan series is going to be a very close series.
As I see it, Saffers would win quite easily at home, and in turn would get crushed in the return series in the UAE..

 

[Pup Clarke]

For sure, I won't be too surprised if SA do win. Just a feeling this is going to be a close series and will come down to one or two key individual performances

 

[trundler]

The best Pakistan can hope for is a result similar to India in England this year. A comfortable win for the home side with the series still being relatively closely fought.

 

[Days of Grace]

Yasir Shah's 8/41 gets a rating of 18.78, good enough for no.44 on the all-time test bowling performances list.

New Zealand achieved their highest ever team rating after the first test (108.52). And came back down to earth with a resounding thump.

 

[trundler]

Yasir Shah's 8/41 gets a rating of 18.78, good enough for no.44 on the all-time test bowling performances list.

New Zealand achieved their highest ever team rating after the first test (108.52). And came back down to earth with a resounding thump.

Is that a gold performance?

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

And came back down to earth with a resounding thump.

For some reason, I love this line.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Congrats to Pakistan. Yasir was absolutely magnificent. If Watling or Taylor could've moved for that easy Azhar Ali catch in the 1st session the match could've been so different.

Interesting to see that in the time since Raval and CDG debuted just over 2 years ago that Nicholls has been easily NZ's 3rd best batsman.

Batting records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPNcricinfo

 

[Howsie]

Wow, I hope de Grandhomme got a barking at for that horrible shot. This is test cricket man. That average of his will be in the mid 20’s by the end of this tour, luckily for him we only have Sri Lanka and Bangladesh at home this summer so he’ll probably be okay.

 

[Chewie]

Yeah the Blundell for Sodhi move is something to look at given how brittle the batting has been, but 5 bowlers is the way to go here.

Need a clever tactical change for the decider, much like Mccullum recalling Vettori for the final test in 2014 but doesn't look like those kinds of options are available. Too bad the A team has gone back, would've been tempted to call up Ravindra as a no. 6 or 7 batting all-rounder and move CdG down to Sodhi's spot, just for one test.

Bring in Franklin from the commentary box

 

[The Hutt Rec]

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a squad so bereft of options. What was Larsen smoking when he pulled this one out. Henry in particular, baffling given the conditions.

This series isn’t over yet though, NZ should come back strong in the third test.

 

[_Ed_]

Still a fan of CDG, but that was an extremely disappointing way to get out. I was hoping his gritty efforts against England might have been a turning point for him.

 

[Neil Young]

Still a fan of CDG, but that was an extremely disappointing way to get out. I was hoping his gritty efforts against England might have been a turning point for him.

He hasn't got the heart for it. Talented bloke, clearly, but not a guy I'd turn to when the chips are down.

I look at that batting line up and shudder. When Nicholls is our third best player, I know we have issues. And that freaking tail. I don't know what it is about Nicholls, but I can't warm to him at all. I was a huge fan of Andrew Jones so it's not an aesthetics thing. Maybe it's a provincial one. But I do need to grow up because HN played very well today.

 

[NZTailender]

Amazing performance by Yasir, absolutely immense. Been a fairly clinical performance by Pakistan. Their 'boring' batting was the tonic for two collapses - wish we could've learnt something more from them, but that would also ignore Yasir spitting fire. Most sides touring the UAE get this treatment.

We have a real headache now with CdG. His batting is shot and yet he's been pretty effective with the ball. The question is can Southee (or Henry) do better with the ball? Neither could do worse with the bat, but if you replace him with a batsmen then our bowling loses it's robustness - unless you drop a spinner for a batsman and rely more on Kane. I thought Sodhi bowled better in this test than the last - guess it all depends on the pitch.

 

[TheBrand]

He hasn't got the heart for it. Talented bloke, clearly, but not a guy I'd turn to when the chips are down.

I look at that batting line up and shudder. When Nicholls is our third best player, I know we have issues. And that freaking tail. I don't know what it is about Nicholls, but I can't warm to him at all. I was a huge fan of Andrew Jones so it's not an aesthetics thing. Maybe it's a provincial one. But I do need to grow up because HN played very well today.

Ive said it before but I'm not sold on Nicholls as an ODI number 6, but for some reason I rate him as a test number 5. Just seems to have developed a great temperament and also playing gritty innings overseas when we need it.

 

[Neil Young]

Ive said it before but I'm not sold on Nicholls as an ODI number 6, but for some reason I rate him as a test number 5. Just seems to have developed a great temperament and also playing gritty innings overseas when we need it.

Yet his LA record is superior to his FC one. But, on the evidence I have seen of him, I'm inclined to agree with you.

As an aside, great work with your podcast. Really enjoyed the first one you linked and will get around to listening to the latest one. I know the effort that goes into these things so I hope you keep it up.