England in Pakistan

[canveyshrimper]

Slightly better batting performance by England todat 230/7 with 50's for Strauss and Collingwood.
Vaughan is doubtful for 1st test having retired hurt with a leg injury.

 

[MrB]

Not a good finish, can't believe the test is so close and we don't look at all ready!

 

[canveyshrimper]

Quote[/b] (MrB @ Nov. 08 2005,23:29)]Not a good finish, can't believe the test is so close and we don't look at all ready!

The same as South Africa last year really, the difference being that we did not have injury problems.

 

[Hong Kong Blue]

Yeah, having got away with it in South Africa, you'd have thought we'd learnt our lesson.

 

[canveyshrimper]

Probably, but if individuals aren't playing well or are out of form it doesn't really matter how many warm up games they have.

 

[canveyshrimper]

Alastair Cook of Essex has been called into the England squad as cover, although Michael Vaughan remains with the touring party but seems unlikely tp play in the 1st Test starting on Saturday.

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

Quote[/b] (canveyshrimper @ Nov. 09 2005,13:13)]Alastair Cook of Essex has been called into the England squad as cover, although Michael Vaughan remains with the touring party but seems unlikely tp play in the 1st Test starting on Saturday.

Blimey... talk about being chucked in at the deep end. Here's hoping he can swim...

Still - one plus point: presumably Cook will be a bit better at reading Danish Kaneria than most of his colleagues...

 

[canveyshrimper]

I am sure he can & will, but i think it will be unlikely he will get a game as Matt Prior will be batting cover if anyone else drops.

Really pleased for him, but there are easier places than Pakistan to start out from, and hopefully he won't have any problems with Mr Kaneria.

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

Quote[/b] (canveyshrimper @ Nov. 09 2005,14:21)]I am sure he can & will, but i think it will be unlikely he will get a game as Matt Prior will be batting cover if anyone else drops.

Really pleased for him, but there are easier places than Pakistan to start out from, and hopefully he won't have any problems with Mr Kaneria.

Very good point about Prior - especially after his useful knock in the first game...

Very pleased for Ali Cook too... always knew he'd be sporting the three lions sooner or later...

 

[canveyshrimper]

Quote[/b] (Matt the Shrimp @ Nov. 09 2005,14:24)]

Quote[/b] (canveyshrimper @ Nov. 09 2005,14:21)]I am sure he can & will, but i think it will be unlikely he will get a game as Matt Prior will be batting cover if anyone else drops.

Really pleased for him, but there are easier places than Pakistan to start out from, and hopefully he won't have any problems with Mr Kaneria.

Very good point about Prior - especially after his useful knock in the first game...

Very pleased for Ali Cook too... always knew he'd be sporting the three lions sooner or later...

Agree with you it was going to be a matter of time before he got the call. By all accounts he is very highly regarded.

 

[Guest]

Come on England!!

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

Superb knock from Banger for his 193, but apart from a first-rate score by Ian Bell (of all people - well done, Ian!) of 71, the rest of the top order didn't really spark at all - 10 for Colly, 9 for Strauss, 5 for KP.

With Pakistan at 125/2 in their second innings, 19 runs behind, I'd say the match was very much in the balance.  England need to strike early to get rid of Salman Butt, who looks in cracking form, and Inzy (once the night-watchman, Mohammed Sami, has been dispatched).

This Test is definitely winnable, but will require a top class bowling performance from us tomorrow.

Matt

 

[canveyshrimper]

It is just possible that England may just have missed the boat with their first innings score. They probably ought to have got nearer 500 with a lead of 200 plus.

Having said that Inzy may have also missed a trick by not taking the new ball earlier.

If the pitch starts to break up as forecast then I don't want to see us chasing much over 150.

 

[Shrimper2thecore]

Bad day for the tourists today.

Are we heading for yet another draw in Pakistan?

 

[C C Csiders]

Three or (probably) four wickets before lunch tomorrow should put us very much in the driving seat. Here's hoping:)

 

[canveyshrimper]

Pkistan 308/7 leading by 154.
Top effort from Flintoff another 4 wickets so far.

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

That's a magnificent fightback. When I left home, Paksitan were edging towards 250/3 after lunch - that was a lead of 106 with two big run-makers in the middle (Butt & Inzy) and plenty of batting to come.

For me, the plaudits go not to Freddy but to Hoggy for getting two huge wickets - Inzy & Butt. Both were absolutely crucial to the Pakistan effort - not least psychologically - in setting a stiff total. Having got those, Pakistan's middle order has gone to pieces.

Let's hope the tail collapses in similar fashion.

Bloody hell, this England side really are quite special, aren't they?!

 

[canveyshrimper]

Agree with you there Matt, they are turning into a special side, more so when you consider that only Giles & Udal are over 30, they could be together for a few years yet. With blokes like Ali Cook, Shah, Joyce, Anderson et al in reserve the future looks rosy.

Agree about the two big wickets for Hoggy, but Freddy put in a great spell in the first hour and then came back and got two more later on. All on a largely unresponsive track.

 

[canveyshrimper]

341 all out, which leaves 198 to win, plus a tricky half an hour or so batting tonight.

 

[Hong Kong Blue]

STOP PRESS: Kevin Pietersen takes a catch!!!!

England need 198 to win.

I'd set my alarm early in order to watch it, but was depressed to find that Inzy and Butt were batting with ease so I stayed in bed and listened to it on the radio and ending up nodding back to sleep. Even when I woke up again they were still batting.

There is still plenty of opportunity for England to make me lose sleep when chasing 198 to win in the 4th innings.