***Official*** Pakistan in England

[wpdavid]

He's also fortunate he's had so many very spin friendly wickets to bowl on. He was abject in the first innings and if he can't take 5 wickets on this there's just no point picking him.

.. on the basis that which better alternatives are queuing up to take his place? Yes, he was poor in the first innings, but if we dropped players after one bad performance then our pace attack would be all over the place.

 

[wpdavid]

Terrific over from Harmison. The next 30 minutes is crucial, you feel. If Pakistan get through this, they'll be fine.

 

[Scaly piscine]

.. on the basis that which better alternatives are queuing up to take his place? Yes, he was poor in the first innings, but if we dropped players after one bad performance then our pace attack would be all over the place.

One bad performance? He's had a long list of bad performances. On the face of it he's had one standout performance - 5-78, which took him absolutely ages (so SL scored another 100+ runs in the meantime) on a bunsen and included 3 tailenders at the end... Sri Lanka's spinners showed him how it's done either side of that.

He now averages above 40 with the ball and contributes zilch otherwise.

People keep moaning about Plunkett but his Test bowling average is 6 runs or so better and he's had far less favourable conditions to bowl and he's a way better fielder and a bit better batter.

I'd rather have Mahmood or the like playing instead of Panesar going by recent performances.

 

[silentstriker]

He's also fortunate he's had so many very spin friendly wickets to bowl on. He was abject in the first innings and if he can't take 5 wickets on this there's just no point picking him.

Look at who he is bowling spin too. I would argue that if England were batting, he'd have two wickets in the innings already. Thats the problem with the English. They constantly moan about not having good spinners, but don't have the patience to groom them and let them grow.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Look at who he is bowling spin too. I would argue that if England were batting, he'd have two wickets in the innings already. Thats the problem with the English. They constantly moan about not having good spinners, but don't have the patience to groom them and let them grow.

If he were a wrist spinner then yea he could become a real asset, but he's just a finger spinner and so he's never going to become anything more than a steady contributor in Test cricket.

England are playing at home and have the Ashes tour to come... it's not like he's going to become a key player any time soon is it?

 

[wpdavid]

TMS reckon Pakistan can't win this, but I'm not convinced. The required rate is still under 6 an over for the remaining 46 overs. There'll be no reverse swing, and we don't have a world class spinner.

Oh hang on, Monty's got Yousuf ....

 

[Benny2k1]

Thats the BIG wicket!
We need inzi and quick then its englands game i think.

 

[Scaly piscine]

4 more to get Monty. Think KP should get a go at the other end sooner rather than later.

 

[silentstriker]

4 more to get Monty. Think KP should get a go at the other end sooner rather than later.

And there's your wicket.

 

[silentstriker]

If he were a wrist spinner then yea he could become a real asset, but he's just a finger spinner and so he's never going to become anything more than a steady contributor in Test cricket.

Its harder, but there are a lot of lefties these days. Plus a 'steady contributor' is more than what England have had in a long time, so even if he becomes just a 'steady contributor', thats a big leap forward IMO.

England are playing at home and have the Ashes tour to come... it's not like he's going to become a key player any time soon is it?

There's always the ashes 'to come'. You can't let that stop you from grooming players.

 

[Fusion]

That was such a VITAL wicket. As long as Yousaf and Inzi are there, at least for the majority of the sessions, Pakistan can feel confident of saving the game. I'm nervous now.

 

[Scaly piscine]

And there's your wicket.

Like I said, 4 more to get. He has to contribute big in situations like this to make up for the rest of the time when his bowling will be toothless.

 

[steds]

I'd rather have Mahmood or the like playing instead of Panesar going by recent performances.

I thought you might have half a point until that.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Its harder, but there are a lot of lefties these days. Plus a 'steady contributor' is more than what England have had in a long time, so even if he becomes just a 'steady contributor', thats a big leap forward IMO.



There's always the ashes 'to come'. You can't let that stop you from grooming players.

People say Giles is a steady contributor with the ball, Panesar has to be better than that because his batting and fielding is a lot worse.

 

[Scaly piscine]

I thought you might have half a point until that.

Mahmood is ok for the first 5-10 overs of the day, then he's spent after that. That's tolerable when we get Fred back and have 5 bowlers.

 

[silentstriker]

People say Giles is a steady contributor with the ball, Panesar has to be better than that because his batting and fielding is a lot worse.

How many more series does Giles have in him anyway? And he's OK because he bats and fields, but I wouldn't call him a steady contributor with the ball. His bowling average is almost 40 for christ's sake!

 

[Sprint]

If England don't take another wicket before tea, i fear they will have missed the boat. Inzamam is susceptible early on, they need to get him before he settles.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Time to prove you're worth your place Monty...

I hope KP gets a fair bowl.

Prodigious turn from the big lad from Natal in his first over. I rather fancy KP's offies aren't entirely without merit.

Monty picks up his second as I type. Cook takes a sharpish catch at slip from Iqbal.

 

[Sprint]

Iqbal deserved a fifty for the industry he showed in this innings. England should do this now.

 

[silentstriker]

Two wickets for Panesar now. He almost got Inzamam too, so could have been three.