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*OFFICIAL* England in Pakistan 2024

BazBall21

International Captain
Lottery wickets tend to equalise teams and bring mediocre bowlers into the game more than they help distinguish better batsmen. This is why a lot of the home Tests India have lost in the last few years have actually been on more dubious wickets (Pune, Indore etc)
It is a good idea on Pakistan's parts in terms of getting a result. A "leveller" if you like.
 

Spark

Global Moderator
Eh, does plausible deniability really come into it with bad pitches?
The appearance of propriety still matters somewhat IMO, if only to try and create the appearance of some red lines when it comes to pitch preparation.

However it is long past time that this stuff was determined objectively by ball tracking. Take all the cultural biases and what have you out of it.
 

Starfighter

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Also why only go with one seamer if there is cracks and low bounce, not mention reverse swing potential
None of Pakistan's current seamers have proven themselves that good at it and there was none on this pitch last test. It's not as abrasive as a pre-Ramiz Raja Rawalpindi surface. Though I think I've seen Naseem get some in the past and am a bit surprised they've left him out. But I don't rate the Pakistani's chance of dismissing England with pace (or any bowling at all really).
 

Starfighter

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
First ball from Leach and Saim gets beaten past the outside edge by a straight break.

It could be dangerous. Could get steep bounce as it breaks up hitting the cracks...

Obviously unlikely on a slower surface but a possibility.
It's very slow. IMO the face hitting ones tend to come from underprepared pitches or damp pitches with uneven surfaces.
 

Spark

Global Moderator
One possible outcome that actually gets more likely the more I think about it is that this pitches just totally and completely dies and it turns into one of those truly horrible, unwatchable games where no one can score freely but no one can get out if they don't do anything stupid either. At least it'll be interesting to see if the unstoppable force that is England's run rate finally meets the immovable object that is a Nagpur 2012 style dead treacle strip.
 

BazBall21

International Captain
One possible outcome that actually gets more likely the more I think about it is that this pitches just totally and completely dies and it turns into one of those truly horrible, unwatchable games where no one can score freely but no one can get out if they don't do anything stupid either. At least it'll be interesting to see if the unstoppable force that is England's run rate finally meets the immovable object that is a Nagpur 2012 style dead treacle strip.
Antigua in other words
 

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