*Official* Australia vs Pakistan in England

[Woodster]

Very entertaining cameo, shame he couldn't carry on, especially against Watson.

 

[Manee]

Wish Afridi would re-arrange Watson's smug face with his bat.

There has to be a part of Afridi that wants to open the bowling and take Watto's head off.

 

[Jayzamann]

tbh, he could have shouldered arms to all those boundary balls and repressed his natural game and got out like that for a handful of runs, or could have stuck around and blasted a monstrous century.

That's pretty much indicative of Afridi as a player. Maybe the repression notsomuch.

 

[Woodster]

Wish Afridi would re-arrange Watson's smug face with his bat.

Ha ha, that too would be very interesting.

 

[Johnners]

This isn't slogging, he's playing proper cricket shots. The six in Watson's last over was glorious, and he's just taking advantage of some pie served up from Watson. If you bowl full and wide to Afridi, he's going to smack you around. It's not like he's wildly swatting across the line, not yet anyway, this is good, sensible counter-attacking cricket. Hope he sticks around for a while yet.

The first couple he played were nothing but slogs (couple at Watson and then Bollinger) though, and he was lucky not to lose his wicket. Now though, he's already taken a bunch from the over, and he's out going for it again. When you're 5 down and still 130 behind in the first innings of a test match, it's a pretty poor/stupid showing from a captain imo.

 

[Spark]

Into the tail now...

 

[social]

Absolute nutter

If he had half a brain he could've been an all time great with his talent - averages 37 in tests despite giving his wicket away 95% of the time he bats

 

[Spark]

Oooh boy. Dougeh against the tail, wonder if he returns the favour of the morning.

 

[Manee]

Bit much for Amir to handle, good piece of seam movement.

 

[Burgey]

Oh dear. Rusty gate swung once too often.. Ah well, would have had a lead in an hour!

Aamir gonna smell some leather here - owed a few by Dougeh.

Dougeh!!

Young fella, you give it out, you ought to know how to cop it.

Dougeh!!

Dougeh.

 

[Manee]

Absolute nutter

If he had half a brain he could've been an all time great with his talent - averages 37 in tests despite giving his wicket away 95% of the time he bats

If he had defended, he probably would have fallen for about 10 to one that swung, though. He is not a fantastic batsman, defensively.

 

[inbox24]

Pakistunned

 

[Flyonthewall]

Gutted. Enlivened the match while it lasted. Most of the Pakistan batsmen have been rubbish mind, Kamran Akmal's shot was particularly dissapointing. Fair play to Salman Butt for knuckling down and playing probably the best innings of the game so far.

I think Afridi took the right approach in all fairness to him, there was no point in hanging around and making 10 off 25 (e.g.) before getting out, even though he would have liked to have lasted a bit longer.

 

[Jayzamann]

Tail playing shots like that just makes Afridi's dismissal more foolish. If there wasn't a readymade capitulation after the captain falls, it wouldn't be so much of a stretch for him to go down swinging.

 

[BoyBrumby]

This is excellent batting from Afridi, really taken it to the Aussies rather than allow the team to fold for 150.

150 might be a bit of a stretch now, tbh. Pakistan's tail is on the lengthy side and Butt not the kinda player to have a thrash usually.

Sounds an entertaining passage of play tho.

 

[wpdavid]

Gutted. Enlivened the match while it lasted. Most of the Pakistan batsmen have been rubbish mind, Kamran Akmal's shot was particularly dissapointing. Fair play to Salman Butt for knuckling down and playing probably the best innings of the game so far.

I think Afridi took the right approach in all fairness to him, there was no point in hanging around and making 10 off 25 (e.g.) before getting out, even though he would have liked to have lasted a bit longer.

That would be my take on it too. Of course it's a gamble batting like that, but the odds on him being good enough to build a big score by batting normally were pretty long afaics.

 

[benchmark00]

The first couple he played were nothing but slogs (couple at Watson and then Bollinger) though, and he was lucky not to lose his wicket. Now though, he's already taken a bunch from the over, and he's out going for it again. When you're 5 down and still 130 behind in the first innings of a test match, it's a pretty poor/stupid showing from a captain imo.

Gilchrist used to do that all the time though,albeit slightly more orthodox and selective perhaps.

His natural game is his natural game. You can make arguments that he should be lower down the order (or higher so he's not under the cosh) but at the end of the day it's better for him to get out having a dip for 30 than inevitably falling for a tame single figure score playing 'properly' as a result of his technical failings.

Let's face it, you were only filthy because he was taking Watson apart. Right?

 

[Jayzamann]

Watto again?

 

[Spark]

Watto didn't take a wicket that over, dire.

Butt orders of magnitude above.

 

[grecian]

BOOOOOOO, this isn't fun anymore. C'mon Pakistan, show some mettle, if someone can stay with Butt, could still get over 200, which won't be a disaster.