***Official*** England in Pakistan

[honestbharani]

England weren't brought to earth in the series against India earlier this year - at least I don't think so.

Did I miss something? I know I drink a bit but I'm hardly likely to forget an entire series.

(When do the 2005 Ashes start? That Twenty20 was good, wasn't it)

I think he meant that India were brought down to earth by Pakistan. Anyways, I do think the series will be closer than some people here seem to think. I certainly don't foresee either team winning either series easily. I predict a hard fought series and whoever does better when under the pump would probably win.

 

[GladiatrsInBlue]

Kaneria has a lot better record than Warne had after playing the No. of tests which Kaneria has played at the moment.

L L.... Warne vs Kaneria... this is like comparing Tendulkar with Imran Nazir

Warne is the greatest leg spinner ever, Kaneria doesn't even come close. Every time Kaneria took 5 wkts in a match he gave away 150+ runs. The guy is simply overrated, and at present time he's even struggling in english county matches.

 

[GladiatrsInBlue]

Pakistan's pace attack is nowhere near as good as England's.
The batting is about equal.
Kaneria is better than Giles.

Ergo: close series, England marginal favourites.

English pacers: Jones,Harmison,Flintoff,Hoggard and Collinwood.

Pakistani pacers:Akhtar, eratic Sami, hopeless Rana Naveed, chucker Shabbir ...Basically except for Akhtar all are rubbish.

As far as batting is concerned, England have two solid openers while Pakistan are still struggling to find a single good opener, their middle order batting though is almost as good as that of England.

As far as spin is concerned, Danish is not much better than Giles.

As such i see no reason for England not to thrash Pak 3-0 in test matches!

 

[social]

English pacers: Jones,Harmison,Flintoff,Hoggard and Collinwood.

Pakistani pacers:Akhtar, eratic Sami, hopeless Rana Naveed, chucker Shabbir ...Basically except for Akhtar all are rubbish.

As far as batting is concerned, England have two solid openers while Pakistan are still struggling to find a single good opener, their middle order batting though is almost as good as that of England.

As far as spin is concerned, Danish is not much better than Giles.

As such i see no reason for England not to thrash Pak 3-0 in test matches!

In Pakistan, home team's middle order is superior.

No comparison between Kaneria and Giles.

Depends which Pakistann turns up.

If it's the rabble that played Aus, Eng win.

Otherwise it's close because of the conditions.

 

[Jono]

I think he meant that India were brought down to earth by Pakistan. Anyways, I do think the series will be closer than some people here seem to think. I certainly don't foresee either team winning either series easily. I predict a hard fought series and whoever does better when under the pump would probably win.

Yeah I agree, there's a bit of ****yness coming from both sides. I think they're both unwarranted, but at least England just won the Ashes beating the best team in teh world. For someone to claim that if Pakistan play a certain team, they won't lose a single test is just plain ridiculous.

I'm hoping for a close fought series, 2-1 England still seems right for me.

 

[PY]

Anyways, I do think the series will be closer than some people here seem to think. I certainly don't foresee either team winning either series easily. I predict a hard fought series and whoever does better when under the pump would probably win.

Exactly my thoughts, can't believe people are talking of white-washes. I mentioned it as a possibility on the 2nd page but it wasn't something I thought likely to happen.

My prediction stands at 2-1 England, as I can't see Pakistan's bowling attack being able to consistently produce over 3 Tests though I can see them clicking in one innings and England being blown away or something.

I also view the batting line-ups as being pretty similar in strength to be honest with the difference (as is the case a lot of the time) being Freddie adding depth. Though obviously he may not produce on the sub-continent.

It's going to be a mouth-watering prospect and I'm going to spend most of the time down at a mate's house watching Sky.

 

[aussie]

Because he is a kind of player for whom the Pakistan has been looking since the retirement of legendary Javed Miandad.He impressed many with his innings of 99 on debut against SA and then scored 2 fifties in the Lahore test against India.Many of the former cricketers have compared him with Michael Bevan.

yea i know so why have none of the pakistani's selected him in their probable pakistan test side???

 

[wpdavid]

I just think that Joyce has been earmarked for quite some time now, and the left handed option is also useful.

If Shah were close, he'd surely have been picked in some form this summer (ODIs maybe)

Not necessarily - the side for the ODI's was picked very early in the season. Obviously I've no idea whether Shah should be picked, but he wouldn't be the first to come in after a decent summer. Unlike some, I certainly wouldn't write him off because of some ODI's a few years ago, or the helpful Lord's wicket, which doesn't seem to have done Strauss too much harm. Maybe a choice between him & Joyce, as you say.

 

[Dasa]

yea i know so why have none of the pakistani's selected him in their probable pakistan test side???

...because he's not a flashy player and quite unobtrusive, and is easily overlooked (unfortunately).

 

[Neil Pickup]

Not unfortunately if you're an England fan. Definitely do not want to see Kamal facing us this winter - none of the other batsmen fill me with too much concern if our bowling attack is on song but I could see Kamal doing a Langer and getting in the way for hours on end.

I think Shah is very much in the mix, but I think one of the more established players (likelihood Key) will be picked for a hard senior winter before him, while Shah and Joyce join the Academy and 'A' tours.

Predicted Sixteen
Michael Vaughan
Marcus Trescothick
Andrew Strauss
Ian Bell
Kevin Pietersen
Andrew Flintoff
Geraint Jones
Ashley Giles
Matthew Hoggard
Steve Harmison
Simon Jones
Paul Collingwood
Robert Key
James Anderson (Chris Tremlett)
Matthew Prior (Chris Read)
Gareth Batty (Graeme Swann)

 

[chris.hinton]

my 16 would be

11 won played in the 5th test plus Simon Jones

and the other 4 would be

Read, Keedy, Anderson, Joyce

 

[chris.hinton]

who would be on the A/Academy tour:-

Shah, Batty, Tremelett, Wallace,

 

[Scaly piscine]

I hope they don't give Key another chance, the only excuse I can see in taking him on this tour is so he can have a pie eating contest with Inzy.

 

[mofo123]

i did say asim kamal is likely to get picked but that will be at the expence of razzaq and afridi if he does...but i dont see afridi being dropped since his good run. at least not in the 1st test. the thing is i believe selectors will give saqlain the nod for the first test so one person loses their place...and it just seems to me its gonna be asim, well its between him afridi razzaq and malik? oh yes maybe hameed but who will open? afridi made it clear in WI he doesnt like to open....but pak A ripped thru aus A which is a good sign shahid nazi umar gul and sami all did well, the batting was poor but butt and malik did well in the second innings well lets see:P

 

[aussie]

Not unfortunately if you're an England fan. Definitely do not want to see Kamal facing us this winter - none of the other batsmen fill me with too much concern if our bowling attack is on song but I could see Kamal doing a Langer and getting in the way for hours on end.

word out neilo, for the life of me i cant see how Pakistan can leave Kamal out, i am 90% sure the selectors aren't thinking like that. A middle or of Younis Khan, Inzamam, Youhana & Kamal is as strong as it can get......

 

[aussie]

who would be on the A/Academy tour:-

Shah, Batty, Tremelett, Wallace,

also Crook...

 

[aussie]

just wondering is the news that Mushtaq & especially Saqlain have applied to become brits citizens.....

 

[yohanna]

England have 4 bowlers in their lineup that can win matches for them, Pakistan on the other hand will be dependent on Akhtar and Danish.Akhtar will be comming back into the side after a long time and Danish isn't exactly Shane Warne, so i don't see how this Pak team can beat England in Pakistan.

 

[Go_India]

Youhana you seem like a sensible guy to me. Pakistan dont seem like a team which can fire ATM, they might have some tiny amount of good players but that cant win them matches.

 

[Barney Rubble]

just wondering is the news that Mushtaq & especially Saqlain have applied to become brits citizens.....

Does that qualify them for selection? Or would they need to serve the four years, meaning Mushie would be about 40 and Saqqie about 35 by the time they could be picked.

Question is, which one gets the second spinner's spot behind Giles, and which does the water-carrying?