***Official*** England in Pakistan

[greg]

N Shah gets the scalp of Strauss early in tour opener. Mohad Irshaad (fake copy of Akhtar) going for runs from other end.

England 60-5, Collingwood batting above Bell (they both failed), Strauss set to miss the final test. Looks like a mess.

 

[GladiatrsInBlue]

England 61-6 in tour match, with only trescothick getting a decent score.Yasir Arafat and Najaf Shah destroying England batting order!!

 

[luckyeddie]

Yasir McArafat really cementing his place in the Scotland side today.

Update: 84-6.

I always knew that spin would be England's Achilles heel

<quack> It's swing that's blown them away

I always knew that swing would be England's Achilles heel

Update: 98-7

Giles went for 30, Trescothick still there on 38*

 

[wpdavid]

According to Cricinfo's lineup, Harmison isn't playing. Anyone know why that is?

 

[GladiatrsInBlue]

Maybe Pak should give Yasir a chance in its test side instead of that loser Sami.

 

[Sanz]

you've forgotten 2 things though:
1) england outplayed india in both of the last 2 tests(and if it werent for rain and bad light in the last test, were favorites to win)
2) giles missed the only test that they lost.
also when someone takes 5/67 after bowling over 40 overs, id say it worked.

And you are forgetting quite a few things too

1. The test India won @ Mohali had players like Iqbal Siddiqui, Deep dasgupta, SS Das, Bangar and Tinu Yohanan
2. And the 5/67 you are showing us had great batsmen like Kumble, Harbhajan, Srinath & Dasgupta
3. in the 4th innings Giles bowled for 31 overs and went for 57 runs, if you aren't going to get wickets in 31 overs, then you aren't going to get one.
4. After the 1st innings in the 2nd test, India had figured out Hussain/Giles plan and since then Giles went for 1/131.
5. It's laughable to suggest that England were going to win the 3rd test when only 2 innings were complete, Kumble hadn't even bowled a ball in the Eng second inning and Bhajji had bowled 1 ball
6. Oh and SRT scored 103, 26 and 90 - i dont know how the plan worked .

Well, what can one expect from you, who has such biased view about almost everything you post on this forum.

 

[Sanz]

Does anyone want to change his prediction of this series ? Last chance

I am still on with 2-1 in favor of England.

 

[luckyeddie]

According to Cricinfo's lineup, Harmison isn't playing. Anyone know why that is?

Cricinfo haven't a clue?

Actually, the game is England XIV (11 to bat, 11 to field) v Patron's XII (11 to bat, 11 to field).

Radar isn't batting but will bowl and field.

 

[wpdavid]

Cricinfo haven't a clue?

Actually, the game is England XIV (11 to bat, 11 to field) v Patron's XII (11 to bat, 11 to field).

Radar isn't batting but will bowl and field.

Only that he isn't in the XIV they listed. Do you know for certain he's going to bowl?

 

[superkingdave]

Only that he isn't in the XIV they listed. Do you know for certain he's going to bowl?

given he is still in england it would be a long run up

 

[luckyeddie]

given he is still in england it would be a long run up

Ssssshhhhhhhh. Don't let on I forget.

I know he's not due to be there until next week when he travels out with Freddie. The pair of them have got 6 weeks drinking to fit in beforehand.

 

[social]

According to Cricinfo's lineup, Harmison isn't playing. Anyone know why that is?

He's homesick, happens every time he doesnt feel confident about geting wickets.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Thank God for Tresco. This ain't gonna be a particularly easy report to write...

How can a pair of average seamers take five wickets bowled? Either we've been proper shank, or the track's reminiscent of Exeter.

 

[Pedro Delgado]

Thank God for Tresco. This ain't gonna be a particularly easy report to write...

How can a pair of average seamers take five wickets bowled? Either we've been proper shank, or the track's reminiscent of Exeter.

Pretty meaningless warm-up knockabout though ( just like the Twenty/20 last summer ).

 

[luckyeddie]

Thank God for Tresco. This ain't gonna be a particularly easy report to write...

How can a pair of average seamers take five wickets bowled? Either we've been proper shank, or the track's reminiscent of Exeter.

From what I saw of the dismissals, the wicket is devoid of bounce and the batsmen devoid of common sense.

 

[honestbharani]

I daresay he wouldn't have been actually fielding to it in the nets.

Anyway, they've sorted out a signalling system now for the doosra.

Alex shouts 'doosra' and bowls it, Geraint misses it and shouts back 'oops', the ball goes for 4 byes.

( )

lol, but given it is Geraint, it might happen for real, unfortunately.

 

[aussie]

well played Trescothick, but looking at england middle order in the aftermath of the ashes, its looks a iffy with guys like Bell & Collingwood their England need some experience their IMO. It would have nice if Thorpe would have still been around or even if a Mark Butcher could find some find a way back into this side...

 

[honestbharani]

For once, I agree with you hals. I mean, I know that Pakistan and India are big rivals (me being born in pakistan and and all) but winning the ashes after 18 years is something really special that doesn't happen very often. Meanwhile ind-pak series' happen every year.

There was a period when the series didn't happen for almost 10-12 years and since, it was that series I was referring to (Sachin's knock etc) I can safely say it must have had at least equal pressure.

 

[Scaly piscine]

well played Trescothick, but looking at england middle order in the aftermath of the ashes, its looks a iffy with guys like Bell & Collingwood their England need some experience their IMO. It would have nice if Thorpe would have still been around or even if a Mark Butcher could find some find a way back into this side...

It doesn't matter how many times you mention Mark Butcher he's still a mediocre bat and he can't field. I know as an traitorous Australia fan you'd like the current Ashes holders to regress by bringing back the likes of Butcher but it ain't gonna happen.

 

[Shahid Afridi]

Patrons 11 cud of finished the game earliar, however credit goes to Trescothick who saved englands rep.

I can imagine a pakistani test team 11 with mushtaq ahmad and kaneira both in them. If that happens, i will tell you england would get demolished. Especially on home turf, pakistan have a very huge advantage, they only need to focus in order to win.

cant wait to see afridi in action

any news if they r gonna show highlights on ch4 ??? -- coz i dont have sky anymore