***Official*** England in Pakistan

[Choora]

The leggie and Shahid Nazir getting thrashing.

I can't understand as to why Mohd Asif is not being asked to bowl ? he's the most successful bowler and has so far bowled just 6 overs in second innings.

 

[Choora]

England will win this match comfotably, don't see how Pak A will be able to score more than 150 runs in second innings.

 

[Choora]

159-5

Flintoff got out to the leggie, but not before givving him a hammering!

 

[Barney Rubble]

Thinking cap time - if Vaughan misses the first Test, who comes in?

Personally, I'd bring Bell in at five and promote Collingwood to three - I don't think Pietersen has the mentality for no3, and I don't think Bell would appreciate the extra pressure.

If his injury is a bit more long term and there is a need for another top-order call-up, I'd go for Alistair Cook. Neither Owais Shah or Ed Joyce would really be capable of batting in the top 3 IMHO - but Cook has been opening all his life, so he'd cope better at the top of the order than anywhere else.

 

[luckyeddie]

Vaughan's had to go to hospital for a scan - sounds very doubtful for the first test.

Latest 178-5

 

[wpdavid]

Thinking cap time - if Vaughan misses the first Test, who comes in?

Personally, I'd bring Bell in at five and promote Collingwood to three - I don't think Pietersen has the mentality for no3, and I don't think Bell would appreciate the extra pressure.

If his injury is a bit more long term and there is a need for another top-order call-up, I'd go for Alistair Cook. Neither Owais Shah or Ed Joyce would really be capable of batting in the top 3 IMHO - but Cook has been opening all his life, so he'd cope better at the top of the order than anywhere else.

Interesting shout for Cook. I was thinking Rob Key, but you may be right about the younger man.

As for Saturday, I'd play Bell at 3 if Vaughan misses out, and I don't reckon there's be any more pressure at 3 than 4, especially as that's his usual position.

 

[Pedro Delgado]

I don't see the problem vis the wickets. I was always ****ed off when the Aussies arrrived, the red carpet was laid out extending to a beautifully pituresque ground, and a dodgy team of student farmers served up long-hops to the tourists enabling them to get their eye in just in time for the Lord's test. I'd much rather we did the opposite and sent them to Buxton to play in the snow on a green-top against a decent attack. I think this "Welcome to Pakistan" is spot on mesen.

 

[Prince EWS]

I dont think the pitches can be all to blame, as Giles has looked pretty comfortable with the bat in every match.

I know Giles can hold the bat, but if the pitches were as bad as they are being made out to be, he clearly wouldnt have scored 20ish in reasonable time every time he went out to bat. The whole tail has looked fairly sound really, especially when compared to the top order.

I think its more a case of lack of application from the English top order than dodgey pitches.

 

[Pedro Delgado]

The new ball has done most of the damage, by the time the lower order arrived it'd calmed down a bit.
I agree though that the top men haven't shown the patience (Tres aside) required, as Johann mentioned.

 

[Shoaib]

Pitches like this should not be permitted in any cricket, period.

Yeah,the pitches on which the English batsmen find it difficult to bat should be permitted nowhere in the world.

 

[Barney Rubble]

Yeah,the pitches on which the English batsmen find it difficult to bat should be permitted nowhere in the world.

And both teams England have played so far have found it so damn easy, haven't they?

I don't want to join in with the whining about the pitch - the argument isn't to do with England failing, it's to do with both teams failing.

I get the feeling by the end of this series you're going to annoy one hell of a lot of people.

 

[Shoaib]

Listen to yourself - if you carry on like this you're going to look very stupid if and when England win this Test series.

U better stick to your prediction about the Test series,which was

"3-0 to England"

And if the series ends at even 1-1 draw,u r gonna look more stupid than me.

 

[luckyeddie]

U better stick to your prediction about the Test series,which was

"3-0 to England"

And if the series ends at even 1-1 draw,u rgonna look more stupid than me.

No-one could ever look more stupid than you, Shoaib.

 

[Shoaib]

No-one could ever look more stupid than you, Shoaib.

 

[vic_orthdox]

No-one could ever look more stupid than you, Shoaib.

Point of conjecture.

 

[luckyeddie]

 

[Shoaib]

No-one could ever look more stupid than you, Shoaib.

Thanks for your valuable comments about me.

 

[Barney Rubble]

U better stick to your prediction about the Test series,which was

"3-0 to England"

And if the series ends at even 1-1 draw,u r gonna look more stupid than me.

I do stick to my prediction. But if it doesn't end up 3-0, I'm going to accept the result however it is, rather than whining as you claim all Englishmen do. The reason why you're going to look stupid is because you've done more whining about the whining Englishmen than they've done themselves, and you clearly don't actually pay any attention to what anyone says to you.

I won't look stupid, I'll just look like someone who's made a bad prediction - you'll look stupid, because you'll come out saying stuff like "the whining Englishmen have got what they deserve" and "see where whining gets you" when in fact all you've done so far is whine and the series hasn't even started yet, so I dread to think what you'll be like once you have something to complain about.

 

[Barney Rubble]

Point of conjecture.

Jack, you're a legend.

 

[Jono]

I can't believe people complained about the wicket considering 16 or 17 wickets fell in a day in the first Ashes test at Lord's. Poor form.