*Official* Pakistan in England and Ireland 2016

[Groundking]

Outside leg, and breath.

 

[91Jmay]

Wow missed that drift live, was crashing into middle but great call from the umps.

 

[Niall]

Sohail not built for test matches it seems, looks knackered this time round, the lack of a proper fifth bowling option exposed yet again.

 

[Stace]

Batting records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPN Cricinfo Looks really close doesn't it? The thing is the query is runs scored before 33 so Cook still has 1 year and 141 days to increase the lead. #CookWillDoIt.

 

[Groundking]

Sohail not built for test matches it seems, looks knackered this time round, the lack of a proper fifth bowling option exposed yet again.

That grimace when cook got him for 4 tells it all imo. IF and that's a big if, we bat for the majority of tomorrow, he could very much need changing for the next test in a few days time.

 

[LegionOfBrad]

That grimace when cook got him for 4 tells it all imo. IF and that's a big if, we bat for the majority of tomorrow, he could very much need changing for the next test in a few days time.

Would be amazed I'd he plays at the Oval.

 

[91Jmay]

Little bit of spin started to go, but as comms are saying it is slow turn. Really disappointed in the pitch, grounds man needs to take a look at himself.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Little bit of spin started to go, but as comms are saying it is slow turn. Really disappointed in the pitch, grounds man needs to take a look at himself.

Why though? It's made for good cricket pretty much all throughout and the test is still beautifully poised. I seriously think we look to blame pitches far too quickly and far too often these days.

 

[LegionOfBrad]

Great turnaround. Gotta be pretty psychologically damaging for Pakistan. Especially if we can see out the first 30 mins tomorrow.

 

[Compton]

How do so many overs get lost on a day where so much spin was bowled?

 

[Niall]

Pakistan 10/1 on betfair and I see why. They blew what was a great position last night. Younis and the abysmal tail the main culprits.

England have batted nicely tonight, yep the pitch is not doing much and its a misfiring bowling attack, but they got out very cheaply in the first innings so massive improvement so far.

Anything over 220 to chase which should England should set quite comfortably will be near impossible for Pakistan with Younis, Hafeez and the lower order disasters about.

 

[GIMH]

What a great Test match though.

Tomorrow the finest sporting day of the year outside of Boxing Day in an Ashes winter

 

[91Jmay]

Why though? It's made for good cricket pretty much all throughout and the test is still beautifully poised. I seriously think we look to blame pitches far too quickly and far too often these days.

Could be wrong but I don't see more than 35 wickets going down on this deck. I thought the pitch was ok first couple of days but today the pace died and it just got flatter.

 

[Stace]

Pakistan 10/1 on betfair and I see why. They blew what was a great position last night. Younis and the abysmal tail the main culprits.

England have batted nicely tonight, yep the pitch is not doing much and its a misfiring bowling attack, but they got out very cheaply in the first innings so massive improvement so far.

Anything over 220 to chase which should England should set quite comfortably will be near impossible for Pakistan with Younis, Hafeez and the lower order disasters about.

10/1 is a big price and worth a few quid imo, I don't think they will win but ENG are still only 17 ahead and if a few wickets fall in the morning a cash out offer should be decent.

 

[MW1304]

Such a gradual comeback until the last hour where we've finally pulled ahead. We'll have to come out tomorrow as if it's the start of a first innings, which has sort of been the case at the start of every day so far. Build a lead and correct the mistakes of the first innings - today was just a start.

Lots of great cricket all around the world in the last few weeks.

 

[Niall]

I've backed worse 10/1 shots I suppose, and I'd be tempted if this bowling attack wasn't so uninspiring.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Channel 5 highlights already pissing me off. Saying the pitch hadn't changed, then saying it was a master-stroke to bowl first. If nothing has changed then it was the wrong decision no matter how well Pakistan played and how shite England were for the first two days.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Could be wrong but I don't see more than 35 wickets going down on this deck. I thought the pitch was ok first couple of days but today the pace died and it just got flatter.

And that's ok imo. I don't think a pitch should be completely slagged off for flattening out eventually. If it's a road for five days, then sure, criticize it all you want. But if it's flattened out after having been lively for the first two days, that's perfectly fine. There's still lots of time left for a result and it puts the onus on the bowlers to produce something special as conditions become easier.

I hope it doesn't become a total road where wicket taking becomes impossible, but yeah., I think we jump the gun too often these days when it comes to pitches.

 

[Howe_zat]

What a fantastic partnership, there's life in this opening pair lads

 

[91Jmay]

And that's ok imo. I don't think a pitch should be completely slagged off for flattening out eventually. If it's a road for five days, then sure, criticize it all you want. But if it's flattened out after having been lively for the first two days, that's perfectly fine. There's still lots of time left for a result and it puts the onus on the bowlers to produce something special as conditions become easier.

I hope it doesn't become a total road where wicket taking becomes impossible, but yeah., I think we jump the gun too often these days when it comes to pitches.

Yeah fair enough, my issue is this pitch won't break up so it could just get slower. Hopefully a hot day tomorrow could create some cracks.

Watching highlights and Woakesys ball to Amir was gorgeous.