England vs Pakistan - 4th ODI

So here we are then, England looking to inflict some measure of revenge for the test series by whitewashing Pakistan in turn in the ODIs.

Both teams make plenty of changes. For England, Briggs and Buttler are handed their debuts in place of Swann and Bopara, while Bresnan and Dernbach get their first outings of the tour in place of Broad and Anderson. Pakistan make another raft of changes, with Imran Fahrat dropped for Shoiaib Malik (suggest Azhar Ali will open), and Rehman and Junaid Khan coming in for the two seamers Umar Gul and Aizaz Cheema. Just one seamer for Pakistan then.

Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez, Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq, Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Umar Akmal, Shoiab Malik, Shahid Afridi, Adnan Akmal (wk), Junaid Khan, Abdur Rehman, Saeed Ajmal.

England: Cook (capt), Pietersen, Trott, Morgan, Buttler, Kieswetter (wk), Patel, Bresnan, Briggs, Dernbach, Finn.

Pakistan have won the toss and will bat first, unsurprisingly.

apparently both Bopara and Swann are carrying slight knocks, as is Imran Fahrat (though I think he should have been dropped anyway, not good enough for international level IMO)

Interesting, Dernbach sharing the new ball with Finn rather than Bresnan. Good move too, he strikes second ball! Gets one to move away outside off-stump, Hafeez nibbles at it, gets a healthy nick through to Kieswetter, Pakistan 1-1!

Not a bad start for England then. I realise that only a couple of overs have been bowled, but I'm fairly impressed with Dernbach's accuracy, considering he can quite often go for a hatful of runs. Mr Finn of course is just continuing from where he left off!

Bopara will be kicking himself at missing out. A big score here and more pressure would have been added to Morgan's Test place.

Dernbach concedes 10 in his next over. Why do I always end up cursing everything!?

BuLioli wrote:Dernbach concedes 10 in his next over. Why do I always end up cursing everything!?

It's a terrible power. I was on the press bench for Harlequins vs Worcester (rugby) on Saturday. I turned to the journo next to me and said "Garvey's having a good game", and the poor chap got knocked out and stretchered off in the next play

England will struggle to hold Pakistan's batsmen here - you can't leave out your three main experienced bowlers and expect too much from the reserves on an easy pitch.

Not that I have a problem with the changes - when else are you going to have a good look at a Briggs or a Buttler with a bit of series pressure off? Batting still looks sound enough and Bresnan and Dernbach also deserved to have a chance to play some cricket.

3-1 wouldn't be a disaster and if Cook keeps the runs coming it may still end up 4-0 anyway...

These boys are going along comfortably

Shah may not lose his bet

I post and there is a wicket

Bresnan strikes, poor shot from Shafiq who's done all the hard work but goes when a really big score was there for the taking. Pakistan send in Umar Akmal, I like that move very much indeed, you don't want two "plodders" out there right now, keep the momentum going.

I hope that Pakistan make a big score this game.

Should be looking at 270 at least - though sometimes on these low and slow pitches it isn't so easy to plunder the later overs .

Given England's easy batting effort on the weekend , would 270 be enough?

Yeah that did look very easy in the win alfie.

If Umar gets going the could look at close to 300, that would be difficult.

Still not convinced Azhar Ali is an ODI player, he needs to work on that aspect of his game. And the pressure tells, as Umar Akmal hits Briggs straight down Dernbach's throat at long-off! Maiden wicket for Briggs but that was a daft shot from Umar Akmal.

Briggs with his first wicket on debut and what a wicket to get, Umar

And a handy (first) wicket for young Briggs !

So much for Umar getting going ...

Ali is not a ODI player MfC, he really isnt.

That said, Ali is getting valuable runs.

eirebilly wrote:Ali is not a ODI player MfC, he really isnt.

yeah but I think he can work on it and become a good ODI player, similar to Cook. He just needs to work out his scoring areas, his strengths and work around them. Speaking of Cook, he's done well here, got six men inside the ring to the new batsman, looking to really squeeze the runs.

A very long batting list for Pakistan today though ... still plenty of batsmen left who can score big (and quick)

Unfortunately for Briggs he won't get to work on the new batsman as the powerplay and the pace attack arrive ...

Shoaib can hit the ball as well.

Starting to go wrong for Pakistand now

Azhar Ali goes! Looks to work Dernbach through the on-side, gets a leading edge and Morgan takes a fine catch diving forward and to his right at backward point. Disappointing from Ali, did all the hard work but got badly stuck in the last 45 minutes or so.

Nice catch Morgan Two for Dernbach now and Pakistan faltering a bit here ...

They'll need an Afridi Special if they want a top range score now , I think.

Its a real shame, when i tuned in Pakistan were 100/1 and looking good. I make a post and they are imploding

Crucial BPP for Pakistand they must score runs here and not lose wickets to get the momentum back somewhat.

Apologies for my earlier error in calling the batting powerplay prematurely I guess I saw Dernbach and assumed ...

We're in it now , though... and Pakistan rather need to cash in

4 runs off the first over, not a great start.

Simply not good enough from Pakistan here. They dont deserve a big score if they can only manage 6 runs in the first two overs of a BPP

Finn back, accurate as ever, just two runs off that over. That's the problem with batting PPs when you have two new-ish batsmen at the crease, it just slows the scoring rate down even more.

A boundary in the PP wahoooo

better from Pakistan, 9 off that over

Yeah but they are still behind the balls to runs in this PP. Quite poor really.

not that easy though billy, if they lost two wickets they're virtually into the tail, so these two really need to bat for another few overs before opening up.

Then what was the point in taking the BPP now?

Surely they took it with the idea of winning back the initiative? If the beatsmen werent going to have a little hit out and take a few risks then i dont see the reason for taking the BPP now.

didn't have the choice billy, BPP needs to be taken before the 40th over remember?

Personally i feel that Pakistan are at least 14 runs short of what they should be after that BPP. Absolute minimum should be a run a ball. 1 boundary in 5 BPP overs? Thats simply just not good enough.

Oh yeah... the 40 over rule

Misbah starting to tick along nicely. 250+ still very much on the cards.

Ever the optimist MfC

Briggs has done pretty well here, not a big turner of the ball, but has varied his pace and flight nicely, never let the Pakistani batsmen get on top of him.

He has shown a lot of maturity and gile on his debut thats for sure.

big shot from Misbah for six, not sure why Samit Patel is bowling here TBH.

When Misbah hits it, it stays hit.Good way to bring up the 200

Briggs gets Malik, well bowled, a bit quicker and fuller, and Malik's hoick misses completely, that looked pretty plumb.

Well played Briggs

That's the end of a very good first outing with the ball in ODIs for Danny Briggs, 2-39 off his ten overs, well done

He can be dead proud of that spell.

So Briggs takes his second wicket and finishes a very useful debut spell , in which he lost nothing in comparison with the more experienced Patel ...

Only a start , but a good one