The Cricket Thread

[Baz]

I'm interested to see where Taylor will bat, will it be 3, 5 or 6? I'd say get him in at three if the spinners are already in as at least he'll have more back up coming in higher up the order.

 

[Saddlerrad]

I'm interested to see where Taylor will bat, will it be 3, 5 or 6? I'd say get him in at three if the spinners are already in as at least he'll have more back up coming in higher up the order.

They won't move Bell or Root around. He will come in at 5 IMO. I just can't see England getting anywhere a lead to be honest. I don't trust our batting in tricky conditions. I felt nervous every ball for the final 2 overs today!

 

[hodge]

KP slagging off the England set up again, this time about dropping Jos Buttler, saying players like him need special treatment (had to laugh given Buttler would be a near comparison to KP) and they should have persevered with Buttler as he'll get you quick runs as opposed to a plodder. So much bitterness still from KP.

 

[mowgli]

KP slagging off the England set up again, this time about dropping Jos Buttler, saying players like him need special treatment (had to laugh given Buttler would be a near comparison to KP) and they should have persevered with Buttler as he'll get you quick runs as opposed to a plodder. So much bitterness still from KP.

He's full of hate for England and nobody gives a fuck what he thinks,the sooner he learns that the better.

 

[Baz]

KP slagging off the England set up again, this time about dropping Jos Buttler, saying players like him need special treatment (had to laugh given Buttler would be a near comparison to KP) and they should have persevered with Buttler as he'll get you quick runs as opposed to a plodder. So much bitterness still from KP.

What's new? Kay Pee is just trying to stay relevant now his career is on the slow down. He's been a bitter man for many years now too.

 

[Baz]

64/1 off 25 so far. Nice and steady, we could be looking at getting a lead at this rate wow.

 

[Saddlerrad]

88/1 to 97/3. Cook and Root out. Effectively 97/4 with Stokes not batting. I'll be surprised if we get 40-50 more runs. The collapse on again. Our inability to take chances when on top in games is staggering.

 

[RavenBish]

Stokes being missing shouldn't really be an excuse when your 7,8,9 are effectively Patel, Rashid and Broad.

Biggest innings in Bairstow's career this. Could properly snatch the gloves off Buttler for the foreseeable future if he can get a 50 in this situation.

 

[Baz]

It's painstakingly slow isn't it? I think we should have enough to get close to, even pass Pakistans first innings score now we're 151/4*

*Technically 5 with Stokes long gone

 

[Saddlerrad]

I think it was always going to be slow. One of these needs to be at the crease at the close of play if we are to do anything in the game. 80 feels like it's absolutely miles away with the speed we are playing at, we'd need to bat until lunch tommorrow to get a 20 bloody lead! I suppose it's better than coming in and trying to slog to increase the run rate and getting out. It's been a criticism of our middle order for a while now, so this is the result.

Taylor into the 40's - been a curse in our innings so far, like 30 was for them.

 

[Who Needs Mourinho]

The only reason Pakistan weren't this slow at scoring is because of our spinners gibing them full tosses nearly once every over.

 

[RavenBish]

Happiest I think I've ever been for an England player here. Has deserved his chance for years and been unfairly treated purely for the fact he's short and not a trendy batsman.

Well done Titch. Wonderful batsman, exceptionally nice fella too.

 

[hodge]

Taylor and Bairstow seemingly showing KP up nicely here.

 

[Saddlerrad]

Great innings from Taylor, but it begs the question as to why he hasn't played all 3 games really doesn't it? It's been quite clear from the outside that Taylor's probably our best player of spin bar Root and with England adopting the horses for courses policy in this part of the world, it seems like a huge mistake not to have played him before. He's also given himself a strong tick of playing in the 4 tests next winter in India, even if we don't play him much over the home summer.

England need him or Bairstow to bat long tommorrow. Let's not get carried away, we battled back excellently today but it's a hard place to start, especially for lower order batsmen and if we want a 100 run lead then someone needs a good solid ton. A collapse is easy on this wicket.

 

[Baz]

A collapse is very easy in this tour, it's happened pretty much every match, the first session of a new day always sees wickets fall so we all know there is still a long way to go.

Not sure what the situation with Stokes is, he isn't bowling again this test match but will he be able to bat even if he just swings from the hips?

 

[blademan89]

Saddler i think you could be the most negative man in history who does nothing but expect the worst constantly.

 

[Saddlerrad]

Saddler i think you could be the most negative man in history who does nothing but expect the worst constantly.

Seen it too often not to rule it out. I'm the best jinx in the history of sport, if your team needs a win or you want to win a bet - ask me my thoughts on it and I'll give you an easy 3 points! It's a hard wicket to get started on and you don't go anywhere quickly - you could easily be 240-4 tommorrow and 270 all out 12 overs later. Just have to be careful.

 

[blademan89]

Seen it too often not to rule it out. I'm the best jinx in the history of sport, if your team needs a win or you want to win a bet - ask me my thoughts on it and I'll give you an easy 3 points! It's a hard wicket to get started on and you don't go anywhere quickly - you could easily be 240-4 tommorrow and 270 all out 12 overs later. Just have to be careful.

I agree but have a bit of faith. Weve played very well in this series and certainly deserve a draw out of it. 1 bad morning cost us but we still were only 20 mins away from a draw just as we were only 10/15 mins away from a win in abu dabi. I reckon we will get to 300 and end up chasing around 100 to win in the 4th innings of which we will get with 7 wickets lost, thats my prediction anyway. A 1-1 draw is more than a respectable result and will give us confidence going to south africa.

 

[Who Needs Mourinho]

Great innings from Taylor, but it begs the question as to why he hasn't played all 3 games really doesn't it? It's been quite clear from the outside that Taylor's probably our best player of spin bar Root and with England adopting the horses for courses policy in this part of the world, it seems like a huge mistake not to have played him before. He's also given himself a strong tick of playing in the 4 tests next winter in India, even if we don't play him much over the home summer.

England need him or Bairstow to bat long tommorrow. Let's not get carried away, we battled back excellently today but it's a hard place to start, especially for lower order batsmen and if we want a 100 run lead then someone needs a good solid ton. A collapse is easy on this wicket.

Every England supporter said as much, as well as being an excellent player of spin he also came into this off the back of some excellent one-day performances. The question should have which one of Bell, Bairstow or Hales missed out not Taylor.

Hopefully he can carry this sort of form outside the subcontinent as at only 25 years old he has plenty of time to impress.

 

[Super_horns]

Taylor out pretty quickly only adding 2 shame.

6 down in effect.

 

[Baz]

Patel is showing you can score at a good pace when you want to. 45 run lead with 4 wickets in hand IF Stokes bats.

 

[RavenBish]

Stokes will only be able to block so unless Patel is smacking sixes at one end, you won't see him this innings id have thought.

 

[Saddlerrad]

51 run lead. Needs to double at least. Poor from England this morning.

 

[Saddlerrad]

Patel bowled, 53 the lead. We had the chance to bat these out of the game and instead, they are right back in it. A poor morning costing us again.

 

[RavenBish]

Shut up Saddler, Christ's sake.

 

[Saddlerrad]

Shut up Saddler, Christ's sake.

I'm right though.

We played well to get a lead, don't get me wrong. But we had the chance to bat these out of this game by getting 125+ ahead, but we lost wickets relatively easily this morning and they are back in the game for me.

No positivity allowed here.

 

[Saddlerrad]

Hafeez given out caught behind, but it was over turned on review.

 

[hodge]

It's like reading JJH talk about City

 

[Saddlerrad]

It's like reading JJH talk about City

If only the terminator was a cricket fan. I'd seem thoroughly cheery.

 

[Baz]

Now 59/0. The lead is almost wiped out. We need to bowl Pakistan out for under 300 to be in with a shot of winning this match.