Pakistan vs England 1st ODI - Abu Dhabi

by **Fists of Fury** Mon 13 Feb - 10:43

Here we go then, can England score well against the spin heavy attack of Pakistan?

England to bat first. Bresnan isn't fit so James Anderson plays. Otherwise, as expected.

Prediction? Pakistan by 4 wickets.

by BuLioli Mon 13 Feb - 11:01

Morning Fists. Hope all's well. Have damaged my knee again - clearly doing too much running, so it's a day in front of the compy working on the thesis for me - whilst following every ball of the match!

I reckon Pakistan win by 6 wickets. England to put in a good performance with the bat, but still not enough to trouble Pakistan's middle order, who score the bulk of the runs.

by JDizzle Mon 13 Feb - 11:07

Bopara in ahead of Buttler. Sigh. Form counts for nothing then? I hope he gets at least one game in this ODI series or I will be seriously unimpressed with the ODI selection policy. He might fail but given what form he is in and what form Bopara is in, he deserves a go. I'm guessing Ravi is only in for the extra bowling option.

Anyway, the game. England limp to 210 and then Pakistan knock it off for 4 wickets down with 4 overs to go.

by BuLioli Mon 13 Feb - 11:13

But if Ravi is the extra bowling option, why do they also have Samit Patel in the side?

Methinks you're right JD. I would have been tempted to go with Bairstow, but Buttler is clearly an excellent choice as well.

by **Fists of Fury** Mon 13 Feb - 11:14

Buttler is injured, guys. Cut webbing to his hand.

by Mike Selig Mon 13 Feb - 11:19

Simon Taufel take a bow, that is an outstanding not out decision. Go on, hands up everyone who thought it was plumb on first viewing? (puts hand up)

by BuLioli Mon 13 Feb - 11:27

Mike was that the decision that caused Pakistan to use up their review? No moving pictures for me sadly!

Still, not a bad start for England.

by **Biltong** Mon 13 Feb - 11:28

I think england is going to surprise you all today. They will have been retrospective of their test series and the difference in ODI's are firstly that you need to bat more aggressive anyway. this will no doubt help them agains the Pakistan spinners.

by Mike Selig Mon 13 Feb - 11:30

BuLioli wrote:Mike was that the decision that caused Pakistan to use up their review? No moving pictures for me sadly!

Still, not a bad start for England.

Yep. Straight on with the shine of the new ball, Pietersen played inside the line, hit him on the back leg half an inch outside off. Don't blame Pakistan for reviewing it personally, it looked stone dead.

The one Pietersen was given out on and reviewed successfully looked high in real time to me as well I have to say.

by **Fists of Fury** Mon 13 Feb - 11:30

Very negative against Hafeez, disappointing!

by JDizzle Mon 13 Feb - 11:31

Fair enough Fists, I knew he had done something to his hand and that was why he didn't play in the game against the Lions but I just assumed it wasn't overly serious and he'd be back for this game. Decent start so far for England.

by BuLioli Mon 13 Feb - 11:37

Wonder if England will have taken some advice from Afghanistan? They had some success against the spinners by using their feet and a few reverse sweeps!

by Mike Selig Mon 13 Feb - 11:46

Should have kept quiet, that was a shocker from Tauffel (who looked disgusted with himself when he heard whatever the 3rd umpire told him).

by Carrotdude Mon 13 Feb - 11:50

Afridi's first over looked dangerous but we're going OK atm, can see a flurry of wickets following the first when it falls though. Pietersen could do with playing a shot or two as well, 14 off 32 is awful.

by BuLioli Mon 13 Feb - 11:53

They were saying on Cricinfo that Cook's ODI average is 48 over the last couple of years. And a strike rate of 92 to boot as well. Which isn't bad going.

And as I write this, Pietersen departs....

by **Fists of Fury** Mon 13 Feb - 11:53

Pietersen gone, bowled Afridi, after a struggle. The big man looks low on confidence.

by Carrotdude Mon 13 Feb - 11:55

Told ya! 2 in 2 for Afridi.

by **Fists of Fury** Mon 13 Feb - 11:56

Trott first ball...Afridi on a hat-trick

by alfie Mon 13 Feb - 11:57

KP's forgettable tour continues...

And Trott too ... great bowling from Afridi !

Just when things were going well ...

No worries - Ravi to the rescue now Very Happy

by BuLioli Mon 13 Feb - 12:02

alfie wrote:KP's forgettable tour continues...

And Trott too ... great bowling from Afridi !

Just when things were going well ...

No worries - Ravi to the rescue now

And as we mock and criticise Bopara, this will probably be the one day where he stands up and puts in a match-winning innings!

by **Fists of Fury** Mon 13 Feb - 12:02

Two very good balls from Afridi, in fairness.

by hodge Mon 13 Feb - 12:04

BuLioli wrote:
alfie wrote:KP's forgettable tour continues...

And Trott too ... great bowling from Afridi !

Just when things were going well ...

No worries - Ravi to the rescue now

And as we mock and criticise Bopara, this will probably be the one day where he stands up and puts in a match-winning innings!

find some wood, NOW!

by Carrotdude Mon 13 Feb - 12:07

Bopara should have been out twice already.

by **Biltong** Mon 13 Feb - 12:09

England really relies on Cook heavily in the UAE this tour.

by alfie Mon 13 Feb - 12:13

Well he's survived a stone dead lbw , seems the stars are aligning for Bopara today...

I really don't want to mock Ravi , I am quite happy to see him in the team today and would love to see him succeed. Couldn't resist a little gentle comment on his well timed arrival at the crease though.

Afridi looking dangerous ... wonder what a "good" score is today?

by Carrotdude Mon 13 Feb - 12:13

Ajmal hasn't even bowled yet, we might struggle to reach 150!

by Mike Selig Mon 13 Feb - 12:15

They were two good balls, but that's going to happen as long as you keep allowing bowlers to bowl at you without ever changing anything up.

by BuLioli Mon 13 Feb - 12:17

The other problem being that the run rate is down to a crawl now - just 13 from the last 5 overs. This will give Ajmal some license to attack.

by Carrotdude Mon 13 Feb - 12:17

50 for Cook, superb innings. He'll need to be there at the end for us to have a good score.

by alfie Mon 13 Feb - 12:18

Nice 50 for Cook clap

Given his record since he became ODI skipper , it is beyond me why so many people don't want him in the team at all...nothing wrong with his strike rate either.

by Carrotdude Mon 13 Feb - 12:22

I'm sorry but there's no way Hafeez should have been allowed to bowl 10 overs for 30, he isn't that good. No intent whatsoever to get after him or exploit the field being in.

by **Fists of Fury** Mon 13 Feb - 12:23

Pathetic isn't it, Carrot, and England seem to be doing their best to make that part-time off-spinner that barely turns the ball look like a peak Lance Gibbs.

by Carrotdude Mon 13 Feb - 12:25

I know it's not just England though as he is number 2 in the world in ODI bowling rankings. I don't get it, he's just a standard off spinner who doesn't really turn it and is reasonably accurate. Pietersen was the main culprit, never once tried to attack.

by BuLioli Mon 13 Feb - 12:26

England are probably going to have to really attack Wahab Riaz's bowling at this rate if they want a decent score. I get the feeling they're not going to hit out to start out with against Saeed Ajmal...

by Pete C (Kiwireddevil) Mon 13 Feb - 12:29

BuLioli wrote:England are probably going to have to really attack Wahab Riaz's bowling at this rate if they want a decent score. I get the feeling they're not going to hit out to start out with against Saeed Ajmal...

How many overs will Wahab get? I presume they'll use Malik for a few.

by BuLioli Mon 13 Feb - 12:32

Kiwireddevil wrote:
BuLioli wrote:England are probably going to have to really attack Wahab Riaz's bowling at this rate if they want a decent score. I get the feeling they're not going to hit out to start out with against Saeed Ajmal...

How many overs will Wahab get? I presume they'll use Malik for a few.

Very true - I'd forgotten about Malik. Either way, a bit of aggression against both bowlers are going to be needed. Especially since the run rate has now dropped below 4 an over.

100 up, but that 2nd 50 took 80 balls. Snails have surely gone faster than that in a one-dayer....

by **ShahenshahG** Mon 13 Feb - 12:40

riaz really is average. what happened to tanvir

by BuLioli Mon 13 Feb - 12:42

Runs! A flood of runs for once! 12 off Riaz's last over - more overs like that needed.
113 scored at halfway. Aim for 260-270?

by Carrotdude Mon 13 Feb - 12:48

Bopara looks more comfortable now after his luck earlier on, need to keep pushing on and get the rr up to 5's.

by **ShahenshahG** Mon 13 Feb - 12:57

cook might break the hold ajmal has over england today

by alfie Mon 13 Feb - 13:07

150/2 , eighteen overs left ... have seen England mess up from these positions before , but it looks promising.

I won't see them mess up this time anyway as I have to work tomorrow and these night games are impossible to watch through in this time zone ... will leave the rest of you to it and hope you see a good game.

by BuLioli Mon 13 Feb - 13:17

Well done Mr Cook! That's the Route One way to get to a hundred!

by **Fists of Fury** Mon 13 Feb - 13:25

Thanks, Alfie.

Tremendous innings from Cook. Time for England to really play some shots now. Excellent support from the Ravster, too.

by Carrotdude Mon 13 Feb - 13:26

Brilliant innings from Cook, one of the best I've seen from an Englishman

by hodge Mon 13 Feb - 13:27

270 should be on from here, 5 an over roughly, Bopara should be looking to accelerate here as we have Morgan next i would presume and we know what damage he can do given 10 overs or so

by BuLioli Mon 13 Feb - 13:29

Right, 3 overs left in the Powerplay. Make them count England.

And in the process of scoring that hundred, Alistair Cook's one-day average is now back over 40. Well done that man.

by **Fists of Fury** Mon 13 Feb - 13:29

Bopara gone, stumped off Ajmal. Shame, but not a bad thing if Morgan and Kies can get themselves in.

by Guest Mon 13 Feb - 13:32

Think (without jinxing anything) that this just goes to show that these pitches aren't a minefield if you can just apply yourselves!

by Carrotdude Mon 13 Feb - 13:32

Fair play to Ravi, kind of sacrificed his wicket to get Morgan in, if he'd smacked it for 6 great, he was out so now our best 'finisher' is in for the last 12 overs. good innings though from Bopara, justifying his selection.

by hodge Mon 13 Feb - 13:34

hodge wrote:270 should be on from here, 5 an over roughly, Bopara should be looking to accelerate here as we have Morgan next i would presume and we know what damage he can do given 10 overs or so

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