Pakistan 173 for 2 at Tea not a great looking match by any acccount.
As I said the other day we can’t play on wickets if it is not seaming, we don’t have a spinner or a good one let alone two needed on this, we don’t even know our top six order and wicketkeeping is still up for grabs.
Pakistan 389 for 4 at lunch on the second day a draw is already made.
We have to bat, we can’t really bat through, we’ll lose comfortably, Bazza knows his cricket.
Quoteth the BBC
Could England have done any more? They might be disappointed with the performance of their spinners, but the seamers remained a threat throughout. The tourists simply came up against a run-thirsty Pakistan team on a flat track in blistering conditions. The big positive for England is the performance of new opener Moeen, who was calm in facing 65 balls for his unbeaten 15
Quoteth Geoffrey Boycott
"My mum would love to bat on there against those bowlers. My auntie Anne would have a bat too - after two port and lemons.
“There’s nothing there to worry about - the only thing England can do is get themselves out. Just go and bat the rest of tomorrow.”
Quoteth Ben Stokes
"Bowling in these condition is hard, then standing in the field watching the overs and runs tick by is very hard. Everyone has tried their nuts off in the field so we’re very proud of what we’ve done.
"Coach Trevor Bayliss told me well done for a burgling a couple of wickets. You take wickets any way you can.
"We know that subcontinent players are very good against spin. Adil Rashid especially was very unlucky - on another day he could have got three or four. I’m sure they will have a bigger part to play in this series.
“Adil is quite laid back. I’m sure he’ll be hurting to not get a wicket, but he’s been bowling brilliantly.”
England currently 244-1
Cook has a ton
Bell was dropped on 1 and now has gained his 46th test 50.
Poor game, poor pitch, I was wrong thinking we would collapse but glad we haven’t, spinners for us are a huge issue.
It’s a gash pitch for sure, not even spinning much at all…
What are they doing playing there? Why not here?
Umm, Baz, you may not have noticed but it’s the middle of winter over here, we’d never get a days play in…
Ha ha I gather that I mean their summer tests. The winter tours away they travel away as such. This isn’t working as it is.
Pakistan play in the UAE because none of the test playing nations will go to Pakistan due to security risks.
Well I guess the biggest disappointment was Mark Wood failing to play the proper night watchman role and trying an expansive shot that he should have left well alone…
290-3 close of play.
Cook 168 no
Need another 34 runs to avoid the follow on.
Yes I know that but no one goes to the UAE either hence its been an abject failure for crickets fans, summer in England and Winter touring.
Bit of a batting pitch then?
The Pakistani’s thought that with the amount of Pakistanis in the UAE and there are many they would get sell out crowds and it would feel like being at home not realizing that nobody would give them days off work to go and they dont get paid enough for the entrnace fee. and the other nations playing them would only go and sit in an air conditioned pub to watch and not at the actual stadium.
As I was saying about the cricket…
50 minutes to get 99 runs.
20/20 cricket hopefully just smash the bastard everywhere, Stokes out first.