Pakistan v England 2nd Test

First topic message reminder :

England team:
AJ Strauss(c), AN Cook, IJL Trott, KP Pietersen, IR Bell, EJG Morgan, MJ Prior(w), SCJ Broad, GP Swann, JM Anderson, MS Panesar

Pakistan team:
Mohammad Hafeez, Taufeeq Umar, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq(c), Asad Shafiq, Adnan Akmal(w), Abdur Rehman, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Junaid
Khan


Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat

biltongbek wrote:How deep does Pakistan bat?

Surely if two more wickets go down, their tail will be exposed.

Absolutley.

Akmal is no Prior then theres pretty much nothing after him. But any batsman could hit a few on this, the bowlers will very much be relying on mistakes form the batsmen...it wont simply be a case of blasting them out.

Disaster from Anderson, so much for the great fielder . GRRR
You can get away witha few of those on a damp morning in Manchester, but not here. Theres been so few chances its ridiculous.

Oh Jimmy, hope that doesn't to come back to haunt him.

Their run rate is a bit on the slow side though. If they end on 220/6 by the end of the day, it will be england who will be happier at stumps.

In fairness, it was an excellent recovery from these two.

The final session will be very tricky for England as these two are well set.

eirebilly wrote:I do tiger, Monty was attacking and causing problems. I was concerned about the amount of overs he was bowling but as a spin bowler he can bowl more than the pace bowlers. i would be even tempted to bring Broad back....

I understand that Billy, what i didn't understand was why we took him off for 4 overs. Might as well kept him on.


Tea - Pakistan 177 - 4.

England's session early, but Pakistan session after, these 2 batting well, hopefully the break might help as these 2 were dominating.

Nobody is set after a tea break, eire. We will have a small window in the first couple of overs to sneak one more wicket out.

Really devastated that Jimmy didn't hold on to that catch. It could well have been the key to us winning this Test match, as it'd have been an opportunity to bowl Pakistan out very cheaply.

As it is, you have to expect Pakistan to score at least 300 from this position. England seriously need some luck, and likewise need Swann to bowl slightly better than he did in that session.

I think that its safe to say that these two are settled. They will require a couple of sighters when back but they are settled and set.

Good, Panesar and broad to share the opening spell of this session

Decent opening overs by both Mony and Broad. Hopefully the will build some pressure and force a bad shot.

Come on Broad, time for a wicket.......

Broad upping the pressure here

Panesar getting timed away for two 4's.. The second waqs a lovely stroke

Is there anything more frustrating than a big partnership against you? Driving me up the wall this is, I can see our chances of winning this Test disappearing before my very eyes

I guess that i am the only one following this now

I am happy to prattle away to myself so all is good

Its not all doom and gloom just yet Fists...

I am still here Billy, just behaving myself a bit.

50 for Shafiq

biltongbek wrote:I am still here Billy, just behaving myself a bit.

Just spat my coffee out, you behave? Dont make me laugh

Broad was bowling really well. Why take him off now?

Its frustarting because tehres no easy answer.

England went in with 4 bowlers and no real support. That was always the risk. Aggers no doubt will have a field day on that subject if these get another 50.

Still bowling a side out on this for under 400 is good. Its pretty hard for any English bowling lineup to do anything against a side who are batting well on this road. Pakistan will be more than happy to win the series 1-0

Pressure is starting to mount.... Hoping for a wicket soon but this is very slow going from Pakistan.

eirebilly wrote:

biltongbek wrote:I am still here Billy, just behaving myself a bit.

Just spat my coffee out, you behave? Dont make me laugh

Of course I can behave. I just have to stay away from my keyboard.

I see both Swann and Panesar are both bowling quite fast and flat. Perhaps they should give the ball a little more air?

Is it me or do these two batsmen seem very content to see out the overs rather than scoring?

Actually a very good ploy if they are as that will frustrate the English bowlers.

Well pox to that then, 6 off the Swann over

Swann has been wayward since the morning session. He is, by all accounts, bowling the kind of attacking line expected on a faster pitch, but he needs to adapt out here.

My enthusiasm has been well and truly drained by this partnership.

Good evening all

Have been in and out today and not seen as much as I'd like , but my two previous visits have brought wickets within ten minutes or so ... so hopefully I can get us a breakthrough here

eirebilly wrote:Is it me or do these two batsmen seem very content to see out the overs rather than scoring?

Actually a very good ploy if they are as that will frustrate the English bowlers.

Not the best tactic in my view, if the scoreboard doesn't tick over and you lose some wickets, is will only create a domino effect.

Frustrating as it is Fists, i am actually enjoying this. Its a very fine, if not cautious, batting dispay from these two. I actually admire their effort.

A nice 100 run partnership

Fingers crossed, Alfie. I very much doubt it, though, this is an absolute road of a pitch and the ball is doing nothing.

Afternoon alfie, England could use a bit of luck here

biltongbek wrote:

eirebilly wrote:Is it me or do these two batsmen seem very content to see out the overs rather than scoring?

Actually a very good ploy if they are as that will frustrate the English bowlers.

Not the best tactic in my view, if the scoreboard doesn't tick over and you lose some wickets, is will only create a domino effect.

I know what you mean but there is no need to take the bowlers on with 10 overs left on day 1. I think that they are being very clever.

Am i the only one who's worried about what the pitch will be like for Pakistan 2nd innings, think we will really struggle.

100 partnership for these 2.
The Shafiq out Lbw to Swann, reviewing it but given out.

YES !!!!

... only took five minutes ...

Swannnnnnnnnnnnnnn

alfie, you are star

Alfie, I bow to your magnificence!!

Perfect timing before the new ball. Now, we need to get rid of another pretty sharpish and this would be England's day if we can.

See Billy, watch the dominoes tumbling now.

Thank you , billy

Should I now go out and come in again?

Right, Broad and Jimmy for the new ball. 10 overs left. Lets hope Biltong is right and that we have a domino effect

Dont you dare leave alfie

eirebilly wrote:Is it me or do these two batsmen seem very content to see out the overs rather than scoring?

Actually a very good ploy if they are as that will frustrate the English bowlers.

I guess it came down to a game of cat and mouse. England stopped giving them, the balls tempting them to hit, and they stopped being tempted to hit.
Negative cricket form boith sides, but England did need a change of tack.
Huge wicket from swann when Shaffiq finaly lost patience and made a mistake.

New ball.... this really is huge, theres not much left in Pakistan after Akmal who himself is not a great bat. The capatins still their but he will be forced to come out and take more risks once England are in the tail.
Finn would be nice right now....

Interesting last 10 over now. Come on England, 2 wickets please

Strauss drops Akmal on 0. Needed that. 3 catches gone down today.

Another Review, Misbah lbw over Anderson, given not out.

Misbah gets the umpire call after an England review.

Eng unlucky, hitting middle but just too high.

One more wicket and it will be England's day.

Anderson rather unlucky here - first Strauss drops one and now an lbw not quite[i] plumb enough for DRS to overturn a not out call...

Want to make the most of this new ball , long time to wait for another one

At least we are creating chances

Dropps like that cost matches. Shocking lack of concentration from Strauss

Strauss :@ this is unacceptable fielding for the worlds best side, two terrible drops on a wicket where the chances are few and far between.

Don't often see it, but there is gonna be more than 90 overs today.