Pakistan vs England ODI series

First topic message reminder :

The ODI series starts today, details of the fixtures in the 4 match series are as follows:
   
   Wed Nov 11 (50 ovs) 15:00 local (11:00 GMT)
   1st ODI - England v Pakistan Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi D/N
 
   Fri Nov 13 (50 ovs) 15:00 local (11:00 GMT)
   2nd ODI - England v Pakistan Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi D/N
   
   Tue Nov 17 (50 ovs) 15:00 local (11:00 GMT)
   3rd ODI - England v Pakistan Sharjah Cricket Stadium D/N
 
   Fri Nov 20 (50 ovs) 15:00 local (11:00 GMT)
   4th ODI - England v Pakistan Dubai International Cricket Stadium D/N

Really pleased for Buttler.

Taylor presents real problems for bowlers not just by his excellent technique, but also his - lack of - height. At 5' 5", he's probably a good 6 inches shorter than most players and that, combined with a great ability, is a real issue for bowlers. He is, in every sense, a compact player.

Those of us with as many grey hairs (or few hairs) as I will recall similar things said about Harry Pilling of Lancashire and, perhaps to a slightly lesser extent, Alvin Kalicharran in among the much taller West Indies batsmen of his time.

Just dawned on me this is a 4 match series, so England cannot lose the series now, but we are denied any chance of a decider. 4 matches is certainly a strange number to pick

I hope i am wrong, but i did get the impression that Taylor's height was the very thing that was preventing him from being picked and given a real run in the test team. In my opinion he should have been a fixture in the test team for the last two years. Hopefully he will go on to have a long and successful career. I can see him and root being the mainstay of our middle order for many years

I'm seeing some major shocks in the squad for the SA tour...

Can see why Bell was left out ; but a recall for Ballance seems a bit early for me...not fancying his chances against Steyn unless he has done a lot of work on his technique...

And Patel but not Rashid ? What's that about ?

Less surprised at the inclusion of Compton and Footit ...and of course Olly will be delighted to see Woakes rewarded

But Jordan instead of Plunkett wouldn't be my choice.

Hope the first X! stay healthy...

Interesting innings from Roy so far. All over the place, 2 inside edges for fours but narrowly missing the stumps

50 for Roy. Has failed up to now to convert these into a big score, good chance today.

Haven't seen that much so far today. However, saw the start - Roy seemed to combine being aggressive and scratchy then! He wasn't convincing as Jimbo suggested at the time. However, he's on 70 now and has a solid partnership so far of 70 with Root. If those 2 are still there at the 30 over stage, we could be treated to some enjoyable fireworks.

Currently 124/1 off 25.

Don't know if they have a lottery in Abu Dhabi, but Roy might consider buying a ticket.

fantastic partnership here by these two.. Roy onto 86, really hope he can convert into a hundred..and a big one at that!

Doubling the score after 30 puts England on pace for 320 or so. Will hope for 350+ from this start though

This is an excellent partnership from these two

From a century when I first saw Jason Roy playing second eleven cricket for Surrey against Essex at Guildford in 2010 to another one today.

A few wobbles along the way in those five and a half years and also during the last two and a half hours today but he deserves his first ODI ton. Delighted for him. I have always liked and rated him as I'm sure the Surrey boys here could testify.

Excellent hundred from Roy after a shaky start!

Perhaps not the most fluent of 100s, but they all count. Back to back 100s from England openers on foreign soil, bodes well going forwards.

15 overs, 10 an over gets them close to 350. 9 wickets in hand and 2 set batsmen

This is where the best ODI sides take control

I'll hold my hand up for that jinx.

Roy goes for 102. Excellent Innings but couldn't finish

I think England will be happy with 310-320 from here. The fielding regulations have changed meaning ten an over for the last 10-15 overs is not going to be as common as it was

Poor from Root to get out after Roy had just gone - one of them needed to bat through

England now in danger of wasting a great platform. As Olly said, disappointing from Root when he needed to consolidate.

Buttler beginning to rev up

I swear I could bowl leg-spin at the England batting and would get a couple of wickets!

Still not worried about the overall match situation, 280 would be disappointing but I don't think Pakistan will chase that down

Ok scrap that 280, Buttler is going absolutely berserk here

Buttler is feeling something

JOS IS BACK

50 for Buttler. Looks like he worked something out in the last game. 300 should be easy from here.

Its amazing how much difference a bit of luck can make. Buttler should have been out stumped for an ignominious duck in the last match, and England would likely have folded to defeat from there.

He survived, started to play fluently towards the end and is hitting nearly everything to the boundary today!

Buttler!

298 with 4 overs to go.

James Taylor has the best seat in the house

Last ball of the over, Taylor may as well have a swing rather than grab a single

Masterclass in improvisation from Buttler. A century could be on.

Is this the best England ODI innings ever?

Joint 7th fastest ever ODI hundred. Buttler now has the three fastest by an England player

Dunno, someone has a 61 ball century

Absolute monster 100 from Buttler

A 46 BALL CENTURY!!!

A 46 ball 100. Stunning

Playing himself into the first test?

350 up with 2 balls left

GSC wrote:Playing himself into the first test?

Not sure - maybe ODIs are his format. Tests seems to take away the fluidity and possibly over-think things

356 required for Pakistan to tie the series.

...good luck

116 from 52 balls for Buttler

Roy also with his maiden 100 and Root with 71.

Hales got a decent start before getting out, cameos from Morgan, Taylor and Moeen.

Not too much credit to be dished out to the bowling.

Makes you wonder why England persisted with his brother "Josh" for such a long time....

special special innings from Buttler. His first 50 took 30 balls, which you'd take anytime, but his second fifty was twice as fast. Simply superb Looks like his nice little knock in the previous game has done him the world of good.

What was so impressive today was the placed fours to go with the huge sixes. I'd highlight three in particular. There was a pull shot past square-leg (up in the circle) off a slower ball bouncer from Anwar, where he waited perfectly. There was a glide to third-man (up in the ring) off an attempted wide yorker from Wahab which was a bit full, and that gorgeous flick past square-leg off Wahab's slower ball in the last over. Just such quick ability to recognise where he can score a boundary from any particular delivery, and of course to execute. Beautiful to watch.

Re Test team, I think Buttler himself said that in the last six months he's been listening to too many people, overcomplicating things, and thinking too much about how bowlers are going to try to get him out rather than how he's going to score runs against them. Seemed to have gone back to something much simpler today, and boy did it work. I'd definitely have him in the Test team, but then I'm a big supporter of the guy.

Yep, I'd want him in the Test team longer term, but maybe he could sit out the SA series to focus on the limited overs stuff for a bit longer - with the aim of getting a series of scores so his confidence is right back

Put him back in the test side and how about people just let him play his natural game rather than messing with his head

With the depth of our batting line up in tests, theres more than enough scope for Jos to come in and have a whack at 7

Yes big Dave willey

This is a decent chase so far - keeping up with the run rate despite those wickets. England could do with a couple more out fairly soon