SeasideKurt
Well-known member
Pakistan have won the toss and chose to bat? Probably so their spinners can use the 4/5th day pitch.
Pakistan have won the toss and chose to bat? Probably so their spinners can use the 4/5th day pitch.
Makes sense, OT is renowned for spin. We need to capitalise on any rustiness their batsmen may have. Weather looks good for the next 5 days so it looks like another result on the cards. I have a good feeling Jimmy and Broad will do some damage this morning.
Does Stokes lack class as well?Our openers' lack of Test Match class has shown this afternoon.
Does Stokes lack class as well?
Stats say otherwise so back in your box basil.Very droll. I just don't think those two are up to it, and a couple of decent scores against a second tier team won't convince me otherwise.
I've never understood the need to take a good player out of his comfort zone and ask him to do something unfamiliar.Not just saying this because of today's knock, but Stokes is a place too high for me at 4.
Can you show me the stats against a non second tier team?Stats say otherwise so back in your box basil.
You should choose a different topic to waste my time reading. Because you and Basil are far far off the mark.BRR2 is correct in saying the opening pair are useless. Keaton Jennings was better than either and he's as dull as dishwater.
This Ollie Pope is looking good. Maybe even good enough for a try out in the 1st team.
I always think that our bowling attack has to get us into winning positions because the the batsman don't do it nearly often enough. And take Anderson and Broad out of that attack and it is long on potential and short on actual achievement. And we still don't have a plausible, match winning spinner.
He is looking infallible and is pulling England out of another fine mess.Ollie Pope looks like a young Ian Bell when he's batting.
They also both have fantastic averages in first class cricket. So there is lots more to come. Sibley is only 24 ffs.Basil, you are becoming the new suicideshed, coming on here to crow when one of your prejudiced views is confirmed by events but ignoring the far more frequent times that you are wrong.
In the same post where you were knocking our batsmen during the WI series you said this;
I noticed that you didn't come on here after a good bowling display by the bowling unit as a whole and tell us that you might have been a bit hasty in your previous comments. Woakes has been the standout bowler of the summer for me - a real threat with great control (and of course Broad has been excellent as well). If Buttler was a better keeper we may have been chasing only 200 or so and Bess would have had three or four scalps.
As for the openers, Burns is a limited player but he does have the mental side of opening sorted out. Sibley is one for the future who will IMO have a long England career ahead of him. He is young enough to learn and can occupy the crease for long periods. These two are the best we have at the moment.
This has the potential to be a great series, the teams look reasonably well matched and there is great talent on both sides.
He owes England some runs after his mistakes, regardess of what he does here Foakes should play in th enext gameBy the way, if Buttler lasts till lunch I'll never mention his position in the team again.
Abbas is bowling some lovely lines. Which is helping the other bowlers bowl decent lines too. It's a battle. I reckon as the sun comes out and the ball gets older it'll be easier but might be too late by then. We need a 150 + from the last 6 wickets.He owes England some runs after his mistakes, regardess of what he does here Foakes should play in th enext game
To be fair, he is scrapping along with Pope, it took him 40 minutes to score his first run this morning. If these two last til lunch it will be a great achievement - they are under the cosh right now.
It's possible that Buttler could be retained as a batsman if Stokes is able to bowl in the next game, but which bowler would be dropped? Very hard to decide and none of them deserve it but probably Anderson for me.
Broad should be batting higher up the order219 all out