1st T20 Pakistan v England Thread

[Duty281]

England: 1 Pietersen, 2 Kieswetter (wk), 3 Bopara, 4 Morgan, 5 Bairstow, 6 Buttler, 7 Patel, 8 Broad (capt), 9 Swann, 10 Dernbach, 11 Finn

Pakistan: 1 Mohammad Hafeez, 2 Awais Zia 3 Asad Shafiq, 4 Umar Akmal (wk), 5 Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), 6 Shahid Afridi, 7 Shoaib Malik, 8 Hammad Azam, 9 Umar Gul, 10 Saeed Ajmal, 11 Junaid Khan

England have won the toss and will FIELD first. Just checked the T20 Rankings and its 1 (England) v 7 (Pakistan). Come on England!

[Mad for Chelsea]

bit surprised England haven't picked Hales, and not sure Bopara is really a n°3, but other than that no problems with the team, will be interesting to see how the couple of new Pakistanis go. Just three specialist bowlers is a bit of a risk though

[Mad for Chelsea]

this Zia fellow looks like a bit of a slogger so far, though he's got a good eye, I'll give him that. Dernbach spoils a good over with two lousy deliveries, Pakistan off to a bit of a flyer.

[Mad for Chelsea]

Finn eventually gets Zia, and looks thoroughly unimpressed as he chips a slower one to mid-off. I must say I wasn't that impressed either, maybe it's the purist in me, but "swing with your eyes shut at everything" just doesn't cut it for me. Still he's given them a great start here.

[Mad for Chelsea]

rubbish over from Finn though, ends it with a leg stump half-volley which is hit for four, Pakistan 36-1 after three overs!

[wam]

See im quite happy to have the openers swinging at everything at the beginning on the basis if they get anything on it, it goes over the field.

Especially if you have someone at the other end being more measured.

[Mad for Chelsea]

Swann drop a sitter, dreadful!

[Mad for Chelsea]

pretty lousy stuff from England so far both in the field and with the ball. Looks a good pitch to bat on, Pakistan will want 150+ minimum

[Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler]

Boparas a good call fro 3 from the players england have and has been in decent form with the bat. Hes a proper batsman, and also capable of scoring reasonably quickly. The only other option would have been another kid or to swap him and Morgan round. Given Morgans form on this tour hes probably the one whos lucky t be in the side though.

[Mad for Chelsea]

and a run-out, mix up, Swann breaks the stumps with his arm which apparently is ok as long as it's holding the ball, and Shafiq is run out by a narrow margin. Now can England re-establish a bit of control?

[Mad for Chelsea]

Afridi in. And Hafeez perishes to a pretty ordinary shot, top-edging a big slog sweep straight to Bairstow at deep mid-wicket.

[mystiroakey]

id say its 50/50 at this point

[mystiroakey]

sweet taken the danger man-england up !!!

[Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler]

England have got control back but they are still going to have to make at least 3 overs from bopara/patel/kp and put finn back into the attack at some point.

OK with afridi out this is very much in englands favour. Misbah and Malik i dont really see as T20 batsmen

editing this gain as actually misbah has a good T20 record, I was baseing my assumption on his test style

[Mad for Chelsea]

brain-fart from Umar Akmal, dancing down and holing out to long-off from his second delivery, and Swann is ripping through Pakistan's batsmen here.

[trebellbobaggins]

i guess if you are going to lose a flurry you'd rather do it with some overs to recover. They have that so can make a big total still, especially with the boom booooom out there.

[mystiroakey]

booom booom???

[trebellbobaggins]

booooooooom

[Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler]

i guess if you are going to lose a flurry you'd rather do it with some overs to recover. They have that so can make a big total still, especially with the boom booooom out there.

He was out a few overs ago

Pakistan only have one really dangerous batsman left, and hes a kid.
their bowling options are a bit question able too.

I consider 160 about par for T20 internationals. Pakistan need to score at over 11 an over for the last 7 overs to get there.

[Mad for Chelsea]

big six from Malik, Finn back into the attack, been expensive so far.

[trebellbobaggins]

oh oops. haha. i was just reading someone asking why he wasn't being used today yet?

they must have been ill informed, and thus i was. apologies dear chaps.

[trebellbobaggins]

opening up. it has to doesn't it. they have wickets to lose.

is malik the one big hitter left?

[Mad for Chelsea]

Finn's been a bit off his game today, ah well he can't be brilliant all the time

[Mad for Chelsea]

Misbah with a six that just about came off the toe-end of the bat, jeez they make them good nowadays ten-an-over gets Pakistan roughly 150, that would be competitive.

[trebellbobaggins]

Fin had such a good odi series but this is different and he's getting taken apart a bit. shame. he has done well.

[trebellbobaggins]

@peter, they heard you and are indeed aiming for 11 an over it seems.

[jbd349]

Dernbach's fielding has definitely improved since he has come into the England setup.

[Mad for Chelsea]

so Dernbach and Finn to finish things off? or will Broad spring a surprise and bowl Bopara for an over?

[Mad for Chelsea]

Dernbach with four good balls, and then two lousy full-tosses but Pakistant can't get them away. Excellent over, just 5 from it.

[Mad for Chelsea]

poor over from Finn that, never got his length right, and Pakistan cash in. Chastening day for Finn today, but he'll learn from that.

[trebellbobaggins]

this bowling is getting stuffed now.

i think Pakisttan probably have the advantage, really hoped would build on the good start and restrict them to a run a ball.

[Mad for Chelsea]

Swann's had a shocker in the field today, a misfield costs his side four.

[trebellbobaggins]

Bad bowling or an easy pitch?

Finn just not suited to this form?

[trebellbobaggins]

well well, this looks easy when these two are in then.

what's par here? they have this now?

[mystiroakey]

wooza -- what a catch by bairstow.

144 spot on par for me! game on

[Mad for Chelsea]

very fine catch from Bairstow to end the innings, and good work from Dernbach at the death in the end. Pakistan will be moderately pleased with 144 but I think that's very chaseable on this pitch.

[trebellbobaggins]

144 is par? well then we screwed up. bowling first you need to keep them to less than it or they will give you hell trying to chase it.

bad day at the office thus far.

[mystiroakey]

parr for me trebbell-i have no idea what the statistical par is. but keep up the pessimison

[trebellbobaggins]

cheers roakey. looks like it's needed.

brilliant last 5 from pakistan. they need to open with those 2, made us look stupid.

[hampo17]

Junaid Khan was one of the top performers for Lancs in the T20 last season, doesn't look suited for international cricket though.

[Guest]

Finny had a poor night for once, however swanny was excellent yet again!

[mystiroakey]

er, kiesweter needs to just give strike to kp

[mystiroakey]

KP IS Back- tis all i can say- hope he continues till the t20 wc.

[Fists of Fury]

KP gone, caught inches inside the rope, but a fine innings nonetheless that should see England win this match.

[trebellbobaggins]

Oh oh, can we do it without him?

Someone on bbc just said we got hammered last time we faced 145 against them and were doomed.

[trebellbobaggins]

Bugger. They. Blew it.

Knew that last five overs killed us. Rubbish.

[mystiroakey]

come on mogs!!

[trebellbobaggins]

Oh for mod sake. Headless chickens.

[mystiroakey]

oh gawdd- sweeettttttt what a missed catch

[trebellbobaggins]

Game over I'd say.

If you bowl first you cannot let a team hammer you like that in the final overs.

Schoolboy stuff.

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