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

How good was Broad today. It's amazing that not long ago people (Me being one of them) was calling for his place in the side to be questioned. He bowls with real purpose, has the ability to swing it just enough to draw the batsmen into shots and can also nip it back off the seam. Fantastic effort from the bowlers again today, but I still don't agree Panesar should have been picked. Yes its turning but as we saw as the ball gets older it's actually easier to play the spin strangely. Message to the England batsmen tomorrow: SEE OFF THE NEW BALL AND GET YOURSELF IN!!

Spot on there, Martyr, England need to be watchful but assured against the newer ball. It is important not to get bogged down, but likewise we don't want to throw any wickets away. Play each ball on its merit.

Firstly, though, we need to hope we can dismiss the Pakistan tail cheaply.

as i just said in the other thread about playing 2 spinners i really fail to see why figures of 33-9-91-1 have people so excited about how panesar bowled and justify his selection

i watched the whole days play and i didn't think he caused the batsmen too many problems and if he gets bowled again in the morning when misbah will be looking to have a go with being left with the tail we could quite quickly see pakistan get to 300+

Misbah out lbw but reviewed

Plumb perfect for England.

Well done Broadyyy

Pak 257/8.

Even better, Anderson has Ajmal lbw to claim his first wicket.

Pak 257/9

Anderson gets his second to end the Pakistan innings.

Pak 257 ao. Excellent for Eng, well below par score from Pak.

Now over to the batsmen

That was tidy!

If Finn had played, might the Pak score been a lot lower

Don't think it will take long for spin to be introduced with the new ball

Good morning everyone,

fantastic start to the day for England, now over to the batsmen, who have started okay. Sligjtly surprised they haven't started with spin.

Good morning Tr, it won't be long I am sure

Big scores from these two are long due.

What sort of lead do you think they'll be looking at Skye? About 100-150?

Can't say just yet I will say more after 10 overs of spin but I do think the last game was just poor batting.

Should be a lot better this time.

Beautiful surroundings in the background there...

Cook needs to be more watchful. He seems to have lost his touch since the summer. Pakistan will feel they have his measure in these conditions.

Hafeez in already,Lb a 150 lead will be fine, Cook already in trouble nearly out just know.

Cook not looking good against Hafeez.

Well i missed the start to this but it looks like Englands bowlers did well to clean up the tail. Strauss really is due a big innings.

Lucky to still be there. He's been quite inconsistent since his 294.

Ajmal in as well, after a shakey start Strauss look's okay,

I'm sure he'll make some runs this time. He has to. A player of his class should be able to steady the ship and consolidate an innings - unlike our lot!

I think that its a little early to be talking about how much of a lead England will look to get. Lets focus on first getting above 200 runs, something that could not be done in 2 inning's last test.

They have got to be more positive, only way to go.

Unsettle the spinners with some solid drives.

Great shout by Strauss for 4.

There is bound to be some trepidation on the part of the batsmen after last test skye but you are right, maybe take the spinners on a bit more.

Like that Strauss

If they can reach 50 without loss, the confidence will come flooding back.

24/0 after 9, is a fairly solid start, if these 2 stay in till lunch they could get a biggish score, Cook gets another run.

eirebilly wrote:I think that its a little early to be talking about how much of a lead England will look to get. Lets focus on first getting above 200 runs, something that could not be done in 2 inning's last test.

Aww come on Billy. Give us something a little more positive? A lead or not? No fence sitting.

Not yet breaker... Still want to see England make some runs first before being too over confident and talk about a lead

Experts got this pitch wrong, there was movement for the England quicks with the newish ball. Finn might have been better than Panesar in hindsight. But this is definitely a better pitch than Pakistan's 257.

Cook is looking very shaky here, scoring has stopped nearly.

you could be right skye but the batsmen are being very cautious out there nwhich suggests to me that the track is doing something for the spinners.

Or they're expecting the ball to do more than it actually is.

Straussy gone. Hafeez strikes early again.

Thats why i am being cautious about claiming how much of a lead England should get breaker......

Oh Poopie, Strauss out not a good shot at all.

Caused by a lack of being positive, but Trott was more positive in the first Test.

Agree Skyeman, other than Cook getting 3 runs and Trott getting 1, the scoring has slowed right down, worrying signs.

Not sure its a lack of being positive to be honest. I think that there is alot more in this track and the conditions than we think.

If they can see off 30 overs with the ball, the spinners will be less effective, similar with Pakistan's innings when the 100 run stand came.
Just get to lunch lads without further damage.

This may seem like a very odd move but if the spinners get another wicket here soon, i would consider bumping Mogs up the order or even Prior......

eirebilly wrote:Not sure its a lack of being positive to be honest. I think that there is alot more in this track and the conditions than we think.

It is the proding and lack of rotation which should be sorted.

Rotation is defo key when under the cosh from bowlers, thats for sure skye.

M. Clarke and M.Hussey do it beautifully.

There is also the possibility that Trott will bore the bowlers into submission

I think assertive is the word maybe. They need to show the spin bowlers they can handle their stock deliveries better than they are. Showing a little too much respect at the moment which comes across as tentative or unsure.

As some suggested the other day - maybe start to hit through the line a little firmer and with more conviction... a la Hayden or someone. Spread the field. Last thing they need is to get too bogged down by this spin duo.

eirebilly wrote:There is also the possibility that Trott will bore the bowlers into submission

He was one of the quickest scorers in the first Test

eirebilly wrote:There is also the possibility that Trott will bore the bowlers into submission

He was one of the quickest scorers in the first Test

Agreed breaker, thats why i suggested that if England lose another wicket, that i would consider bumping Mogs or Prior up the order to do just that.

Better from Cook