**Official** Pakistan and England in the UAE 2015/16

[Black_Warrior]

Heaven forbid Botham do some research for his highly paid commentary role.

Well in some cases I don't mind the conversations. Asking why Yasir has played barely 10 test matches at 29 is a fair conversation to have on air (even if Botham bothers to do his research). Except that none of the other commentators were actually able to have that conversation, because they don't seem to either do any reading or have poor memory.

Commentators need to provide some context, a perspective for their viewers..they should have talked about how Pakistan preferred Kaneria until 2010, and then Ajmal took over with Rehman as back and Ajmal-Rehman had a steady partnership for a few years and Pakistan didn't need to look beyond until Ajmal got banned.

It's not that hard to come up with this kind of thing. If one has bad memory, all you need to do is do a page of reading at max.

 

[91Jmay]

But sick of the same people who call for county players to come into the team all the time are having a typical moan about Bairstow even when he's quietly made a good start here.

The guy just averaged 90 in the first division of CC. He was the best batsman by bloody miles. He's your pick. You wanted to pick guys with tons this year, guys in form, guys who've 'earned it', here he is.

You think Taylor should be in ahead of him? Fine. But you better be damn sure next year and the year after that, because you've not let results make up your mind.

I think both should be in the team.

 

[Black_Warrior]

Misbah needs to give Imran an extended spell here with Yasir because Zulfi is being milked quite easily

 

[Black_Warrior]

Bairstow is playing quite well here for all the hate that he gets

 

[91Jmay]

This pitch is going to rag on day 4/5.

 

[Black_Warrior]

Another boundary ball by Zulfi

 

[Niall]

You need wickets, its near the end of the day and you are bowling Zulfi ?

Get Malik on, Zulfi can come back on when Anderson is batting.

Have to put my hands up though, wanted him picked ahead of Bilal which was a horror call. Asif would have added some crucial runs this morning and I'd be shocked if his bowling was less threatening than that of Babar.

 

[theegyptian]

You can't look at a new player's average to say all the batting is crap. Taylor could be a 45-50 average guy for all we know, but he's not had a proper run yet. People were saying England had no decent bowlers to come in based on Jordan earlier in the season. If guys like that are getting 40-50 caps then we should asking questions - is it a lack of talent or rubbish selectors?

Taylor isn't a 45-50 player imo. Outside Asia he's going to struggle. They probably don't need to give him a good run in test cricket to know that. He also isn't a top 3 bat which is the main area of weakness.
The fact that they have to keep going back to someone like Bairstow as the next best bat, when he seems to have some technical issues and has performed poorly in the past, suggests there isn't a whole lot of quality. They should give him a decent run here (this series and SA) but at some point he needs to score runs or be dropped again.
I'd rather keep Bell around let him average 35 or whatever and bed in Bairstow, Stokes, Ali, Buttler or whoever(some will fail, some will suceed) over the next year or two rather than adding another inexperienced guy to the middle order.

 

[AndyZaltzHair]

shot just goes to show root's dominance to spin

 

[Black_Warrior]

This is the thing about England and Australia. There was a time when Australia was so much better than England in away games, and now the situation is totally reversed.
England won 2-1 in India, a few months before India blanked Australia 4-0, and now, already putting up a far better fight than Australia managed in UAE last year.

 

[Black_Warrior]

Stumps

 

[91Jmay]

10 overs lost from day. How ridiculous they don't start an hour earlier.

Still excellent days play for England. Root is such a gun player, world class player of spin. So rare to see if from an England player.

Bairstow has done well after rough start as well.

 

[Howe_zat]

Gun partnership. Great day of cricket, loved it

 

[Black_Warrior]

I have to say this was England's day, just by a fraction, but still they should be happy with the day.

 

[theegyptian]

Yes Bairstow did really well there. Looked comfortable for the most part which is more than he has done in these conditions in the past.

 

[Niall]

I have to say this was England's day, just by a fraction, but still they should be happy with the day.

Nah, by more than a fraction I think. Babar is an absolute waste here, Asif and Gohar could have contributed some much needed runs down the order and may have actually concerned the English batsmen now and then. Pakistan still in this, but will be hard to win this test carrying such a passenger.

Root's innings was absolute quality though, he he keeps going, close to 450 on the cards which will make them solid favorites.

I shouldn't keep going on about Babar, but with all the talk on Yasir v Ajmal, its really does remind us all how crucial Rehman was back in 2012. Babar as the second spinner this time around, the total opposite of Rehman back then.

 

[91Jmay]

I have to say this was England's day, just by a fraction, but still they should be happy with the day.

Reckon taking 7 for 90 odd then scoring 180 for 3 makes it England's day by a distance, but overall would say it is even as Pakistan dominated day 1.

 

[JRC67]

Taylor had 3 Test innings, 3 years ago. Taylor was the man who should have been in front for me.

But after that series he averaged 36 (2012) and 38 (2014) in first class cricket. Had a reasonable season in 2013 but only averaged over 50 last year. After being dropped he did nothing to justify a recall until this year. Bairstow deserves at least this match on his form last season and he has a higher first class average than Taylor for every one of the last 4 years. Bairstow deserves 5 or 6 tests to state his case and I'd agree Taylor should get the same chance when his time comes. He's a good player but his form until this year for me was knocking on the door for selection, not smashing it down.

 

[Black_Warrior]

Guy has over a thousand runs in Country cricket this year. I don't know why England selectors are getting the flak for picking him. Whether the outcome is ultimately positive or not, he has the runs to justify the call.

 

[Scaly piscine]

But sick of the same people who call for county players to come into the team all the time are having a typical moan about Bairstow even when he's quietly made a good start here.

The guy just averaged 90 in the first division of CC. He was the best batsman by bloody miles. He's your pick. You wanted to pick guys with tons this year, guys in form, guys who've 'earned it', here he is.

You think Taylor should be in ahead of him? Fine. But you better be damn sure next year and the year after that, because you've not let results make up your mind.

Taylor's career figures would be a little ahead from memory. Bairstow did some amazing things this season and I'd have them both in once Bell's chucked, but Bairstow already had a reasonable run in the side so that's why I'd have Taylor in front. I don't have a problem with either in the side. I would also expect Ballance to come back and have a regular place, have a good Test career. I'm surprised how quickly people have turned on Buttler actually, and the calls for Bairstow to take over his keeping spot.

The only player I really want out is Bell.