*OFFICIAL* England in Pakistan 2024

[LangleyburyCCPlayer]

60 out of 92 innings for Pope have been for 23 or fewer.

20 of them 50+ scores

That right there highlights his issue that he is capable of the big runs, his innings per 50+ score isn't bad.

But to have more than 65 percent of your knocks being that low does not make a top test match player.

Average at number 3 has dropped by 3 this series down to 40.28 and it's 36.22 if you take out the Ireland knock.

As the forum touched upon yesterday evening, Crawley averages less than Pope (albeit a lot of that came from his start in Test cricket where he reeeeeally struggled), but his consistency in getting in and helping to get Root in that bit later I think is more valuable to the team than Pope’s usual early dismissals followed by the odd cracking innings, I think you want an air consistency from your top order (even if it’s consistency a la Crawley and Duckett without too many big scores) rather than flashes

 

[LangleyburyCCPlayer]

Nah I don't see Brook as a number 3.

Problem is nobody is screaming to replace Pope or will necessarily come in and do any better. But they've surely got to be looking for an alternative.

He's not getting replaced for NZ but if he fails again there. Then his place will be the chat until May against Zimbabwe.

Seems a bit early for some of the Lions players like Rob Yates, Ben McKinney (you’ll have seen far more of him than I!) and Ollie Price, but I’d guess they are next cabs off the rank (Yates and McKinney are openers, but I don’t think there’s too much difference between opening bat and #3, especially in England)

 

[Silver Silva]

That's a good thread idea. Goat series by crap player should go to Bhajji.

Sanjay Manjrekar..

569 runs in 4 tests @94.83 vs Imran Khan , Wasim Akram , Waqar Younis , Abdul Qadir among others

 

[mackembhoy]

Pretty good tweet on the situation I think, if you're in the glass half full camp like me.

Still got to hope Root/Brook can put on a good partnership tomorrow though. But certainly feels like they won't

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1849782699877110125

 

[Groundking]

just not good enough, try out at Brook at 3

Let's not try Brook at 3, he's still trying to figure things out at 5 ffs.

 

[andruid]

Let's not try Brook at 3, he's still trying to figure things out at 5 ffs.

Bring back Paul Collingwood

 

[Molehill]

Yeah there was a difference. The team batting first in the first dig did a better job

You're kind of ignoring the fact that England reached 200-2 before it started turning on Day 2, whereas in this game it was rolling on the floor before Lunch on Day 1. The toss was not important in this game, Pakistan have just played better, especially since going 7 down in their innings.

 

[Silver Silva]

Pretty good tweet on the situation I think, if you're in the glass half full camp like me.

Still got to hope Root/Brook can put on a good partnership tomorrow though. But certainly feels like they won't

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1849782699877110125

Maybe put in someone extremely young at No
3 like a Freddie McCann?

 

[Molehill]

Pretty good tweet on the situation I think, if you're in the glass half full camp like me.

Still got to hope Root/Brook can put on a good partnership tomorrow though. But certainly feels like they won't

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1849782699877110125

1. No obvious opener replacement and the partnership generally do ok. Crawley stays. I suspect Pope gets one last chance in NZ...,
2. I just don't get Bashir at all. He was picked on a whim by Stokes, a bloke who is not a very good player of spin. There are far better options in County Cricket who can also offer more with the bat.
3. Brook played a key knock in the 3rd Ashes Test and I'd argue that coming to the pitch when the opposition have scored 550 is not without its pressure. He's clearly too talented to be even considered for dropping.
4. Stokes has been of no use in this series, and he rarely is in Asia. But he'll probably never play here again, let's see how he goes in NZ.

 

[Nicky]

I suggested earlier on Crawley & Pope were starting to have had too many chances. Someone said "we" can afford that since we have other good batters. I didn't really know what to make of this, and still don't. You can't count forever on 2 or 3 players... We won't be able to compete against teams like India or Australia (Jaiswal, Sharma, Gill, Kohli, Khan, Pant / Head, Khawaja, Warner, Smith, Green, Labuschagne, etc...)

 

[honestbharani]

Glad to see at least one SC team still showing how its done on spinning tracks to a SENA team this fortnight.

 

[Johan]

Crawley is okay

Pope is the weaklink

 

[Molehill]

Glad to see at least one SC team still showing how its done on spinning tracks to a SENA team this fortnight.

No doubt the groundsmen in NZ are currently trying to work out how to create slow turners for England's impending Tour!!

 

[Nicky]

So
Stokes opens with Duckett
Crawley plays at #3

 

[Silver Silva]

It's almost like Ashwin and Jadeja traded abilities with Sajid Khan and Noman Ali in some weird voodoo ritual this past week.

 

[kevinw]

Last two sessions were abysmal and have lost the match.

 

[Nicky]

OR they try Cox as an opener. He averaged 65.57 in County Championship, 2024.

 

[Hungry Llama]

Stokes should have stayed at home. Since hes taken over again, england have played shite. Smith should go to no3 so he dont have to bat with the tail all the time, swap him with Pope as keeper down the order or bring in Durham Ollie. Be surprised if Pak have a target much more than 100.

 

[Nicky]

OR what about getting Robinson in there too ?

Cox
Duckett
Robinson
Root
Brook
Smith
Stokes
Atkinson
bowler
bowler
bowler

 

[Nintendo]

I'm a fervent pope advocate, but he definitely needs to be under a ton of spotlight. How's bohannon been recently?