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

MONTY!!!!!!!

England's spin twins, you beauties!

Damn meetings, missed all the wickets

How are you feeling about the spinners now PSW?

eire
Get yourself into another meeting NOW!

I have to accept some responsibility for our batting collapse yesterday - I took the dog out for a walk when we were two down and got back just as Morgan was out...

England are now in prime position. 1 or 2 more wickets today and Pakistan will struggle to make 200. How important will thatknock from Broad be?

Misbah taking a liking to Monty again

Running away Dummy_half

Stuart Broad bowling very well. What a player that guy is - can you believe we all thought he should be dropped just last year?

Misbah very lucky there, edging between our slips.

eirebilly wrote:How are you feeling about the spinners now PSW?

haha hence my last post!

But as I said, it was always the second innings we'd really know if it was the right call. Theyve done very well so far.

Last match , would have been the same story? No the batsmen never wouldve given them a chance to find out.

I never thought that Broad should be dropped Fists, far too valuable a player to drop.

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:

eirebilly wrote:How are you feeling about the spinners now PSW?

haha hence my last post!

But as I said, it was always the second innings we'd really know if it was the right call. Theyve done very well so far.

Last match , would have been the same story? No the batsmen never wouldve given them a chance to find out.

Never saw your last post, must be on the other page and i am too lazy to read back.

I could not have expected a better start to the Pakistan innings

Broad bowling very tightly and building the pressure on Ali

I never wanted him dropped, eire, but there was a time when I conceded that he simply had to be, given the total lack of threat his short pitched bowling was providing. However, so very glad that I know sod all and that the England selectors stood by him.

That has been one of the key aspects of this England setup - stand by your proven performers when they're in a lean patch. It has worked perfectly, with the likes of Cook, Pietersen, Bell, Broad all going through lean patches only to provide some extraordinary performances not too long after.

Another wicket before Pakistan reach 70 would be lovely.

As i said earlier Fists, the England camp were focusing too much on making him an allrounder and his bowling suffered for it. Not that they focus more on his bowling he has become better.

Pressure is seriously mounting here

Monty certainly wont complain about forming a great bowling partnership with Broad

England are fantastic at doing this - reminds me of the old Australian side. When they're on top they build immense pressure through a combination of accurate bowling and sharp fielding.

You could hardly have blamed England for dropping him though, when his average crept above 40. He was probably lucky that England lost so many bowlers tro injury during that period.

Its panned out well in the long run for sure. Previously England have been much more ruthless with their seamers, unlike their batsmen.

Tight little spell isn't it ? Five maidens in a row now...

Something has to give...

alfie wrote:Tight little spell isn't it ? Five maidens in a row now...

Something has to give...

Id like to see Panessar offer them a six ball

...and unfortunately , it's a run.

Where's my manners ---good afternoon gentlemen.

Monty bowling as well as I've seen him ... now if he can just get one of these two...

Not amazing batting from Eng but better than last time. If they can keep the bowling good and restrict the lead then who knows.

They look a lot better than last time.

Hi Alfie/Treb

Potentially pivotal innings from Broad, really grabbed the game by the scruff of its neck, and if England can remove one of these two soon after tea we will be sitting very nicely indeed.

azhar showing that it gets easier when you dig in..

however fantastic session for england, and monty has been brillaint

We love you Monty we do, we love you broady we do, we love you Swanny we do!


Morning all, what a mornings test cricket!

HI Fury and all.

Yup, crucial session coming up.

Trebbs, where have you been? Your absence has been noticed but Fists has done a pretty good job for you

yeah. funny old start to the year BIlly. I keep forgetting it's on

looks pad first to me.

Misbah gone!!! Monty!!!

MISBAH GONE, MONTY GETS ANOTHER!

Well you have come at the right time trebbs. England well on top here now

Monty rocks the Misbah.

Looking at that scorecard, this pairing now would seem to be vital to Pakistan. Break it and they might just struggle to get a good lead.

Fantastic stuff from Englands bowlers backing up some great batting by Cook, Trott and Broad

Now, where is Rich1uk? It was him that said he didn't agree with Monty's inclusion, wasn't it?

Ha haa Fists, he will be on later i imagine

Well unless something dramatic happens, this test wont see day 5

Monty is having a day isn't he ? Didn't start too well with the bat - and he looked so aggrieved to be given out too ... but since he took the ball it's been all going like a dream ...

(I actually missed Misbah's wicket - went off at Tea to see how The Scotsman was getting on - nice to come back and see such a big wicket had gone down

Surely another breakthrough now will put Pakistan under so much pressure it will be nearly impossible to come back?

These two will have to put something brilliant together if Pakistan are going to put any pressure on England alfie. I think that even a 150 run chase will be difficult here.

Misbah was the guy. Hes the heart of this team ( and Ajmal the weapon).

England very much bossing it with him gone. Id expect there to be a period Paksitan settle down and build a slow partnership, but then getting of 250 now is a huge ask even if someone gets after panessar with a swahbuckle.

Even if England are chasing uunder 200 they could get themselves in a pickle mind.


Anyone know what happened with Akmals wrist injury?

Yes billy , I don't want to see England chasing any more than they have to - this pitch (widely advertised as "full of runs , certain draw " before the toss , let us not forget ) dose not seem to be making batting easy for any one , and it is hard to see it getting any easier...

Pakistan tail is not an inspiring sight.

Won't count chickens : still need to get a couple more batsmen out ...

I would love to see one or maybe even two more wickets fall today

I think another wicket soon is probably the one that would seal this match for England. These two are capable, certainly, and Akmal isn't bad, but there is nothing to come after that.

eirebilly wrote:I would love to see one or maybe even two more wickets fall today

With 80 odd minutes left , get one or two more now might well get the lot

alfie wrote:

eirebilly wrote:I would love to see one or maybe even two more wickets fall today

With 80 odd minutes left , get one or two more now might well get the lot

Not going to push it

May just go to a meeting and see what happens.......

How good is Monty, the move to Sussex has helped him no end

ENGLAND's SPIN TWINS!

alfie wrote:Yes billy , I don't want to see England chasing any more than they have to - this pitch (widely advertised as "full of runs , certain draw " before the toss , let us not forget ) dose not seem to be making batting easy for any one , and it is hard to see it getting any easier...

Pakistan tail is not an inspiring sight.

Won't count chickens : still need to get a couple more batsmen out ...

Must admit its been a suprise just how quickly thsi pitch has fallen apart. But youre also looking at two sides who are better at bowling than batting ( england cant play spin as a team ) and who have picked attacking spinners and whos bwowling units have played very well.
Paksitan should have sewn this game up with a score of 400 in the first innings. I wouldve fancied Indias batsmen to do that ( yes India kings of the innings defeat ! )

As it is we have a cracking test match with two teams nip and tucking. It was flat to start with, but theres some thing in it now.

Pakistan 17-4 then. Might not be easy to break this partnership but we are right amongst them if we do!

The wicket will come, it has too