***Official*** England in Pakistan

[aussie]

oh my Kabir ali strikes, 58/4 pakistan

 

[Jono]

Lol what's going on there? Ali strikes in his first over.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Looks like Pakistan regrouping a bit. With Afridi & Razzaq to come I'm not counting my chickens.

Anderson's off-cutter to get rid of Akmal was a little belter tho! Got some genuine turn.

 

[marc71178]

We have to get a 5th one now, get the hitters in far earlier than they would like.

 

[BoyBrumby]

I love wickets with full-tosses! Malik must be sick, he could've hit that anywhere! Blackwell gets his first wicket of the series with about his worst ball!

 

[marc71178]

So who's overs is Collingwood covering for here?

 

[Prince EWS]

So who's overs is Collingwood covering for here?

Blackwell I'd say. Hes going at over 6..

 

[pakster]

Afridi in now...duely dispatches collingwood for a six.

 

[Jono]

Afridi gone, bowled by Plunkett. He was far from your typical Afridi knock actually. Yeah he hit a couple of sixes but he wasn't middling them as often as he would have liked, and played a lot of singles.

And now Razzaq is gone!!! 2 in 2 balls.

 

[Beleg]

Brilliant bowling by England. I'll be extremely surprised if they don't win from here.

The wickets of Afridi and Razzaq were the real turning point. They had the ability to take Pakistan to 250 - which would have been a fairly competitive score on this surface - instead they could barely touch 210.

 

[Steulen]

Pak 210ao.

Good to see England's back-up bowling take 7 wickets. I still think they make up a mediocre ODI attack, mind

 

[pakster]

It seemed a tricky wicket to bat on, pak should have scored more though. England will get this with a few overs to spare.

 

[Nate]

Nah, I`m tipping Pakistan to own.

 

[deeps]

not if mr shoaib akhtar has anything to do with it

 

[Jono]

Far out those two balls were so close to ripping out the off stump. Shoaib vs. Tresco has been probably the best battle this tour. That or Shoaib vs. Pietersen.

 

[Zinzan]

Whats the pitch like??? Have Pakistan got a chance to defend their modest total or should England get there easily??

 

[Jono]

England SHOULD get there, but not easily. Pitch isn't a tough one to play on, more tricky and less flat than previous games, but I wouldn't say tough. Although Pakistan have 3 spinners in their team (since Arshad Kahn is super-subbed on) and it looks like the pitch will assist spin bowling.

 

[Prince EWS]

I think subbing Bell was a mistake. No great rate of scoring is required - just a good technique and a sound head. Bell is much more suited to this than the likes of Solanki and Prior.

 

[Jono]

Yeah but they subbed Bell at the start of the match. They didn't know they'd only be chasing 210.

Anyway Rana's got Prior.

 

[Jono]

OMG Rana how good are you!? Strauss gone first ball!!!

Rana on a hatrick.