Pakistan vs England Test Series Thread

[Happiness]

Starts on Thursday

[Jumping Jack Flash]

No Mark Wood for the first test but subcontinent pitches are a fast bowlers graveyard. Thankfully it’s on TMS and not the dreadful TalkSPORT so I can listen while I work.

[Happiness]

No Mark Wood for the first test but subcontinent pitches are a fast bowlers graveyard. Thankfully it’s on TMS and not the dreadful TalkSPORT so I can listen while I work.

Could have done with Jofra Archer and Mark Wood in tandem. That would be legendary in a Test Match on a dead pitch.

[mr.bluesky]

Starts on Thursday

And here was me thinking cricket is a summer sport. 

[Dipper]

No Mark Wood for the first test but subcontinent pitches are a fast bowlers graveyard. Thankfully it’s on TMS and not the dreadful TalkSPORT so I can listen while I work.

That’s a great point. TMS all day every day for me too.

[Jumping Jack Flash]

The England squad have been hit by a virus with half of the 16 man squad affected. The ECB are in talks with the PCB about delaying the start by 24 hours. Apparently if the test was due to start today then we would not have been able to field a competitive side and the test would have been postponed.

[Seasoned Vet]

Anyone remember the infamous karachi test in 2000.
Thorpe and Hussain chasing down 170 odd in near darkness.

2005 was a great series as well Shoaib Akthar in his prime

[Happiness]

The England squad have been hit by a virus with half of the 16 man squad affected. The ECB are in talks with the PCB about delaying the start by 24 hours. Apparently if the test was due to start today then we would not have been able to field a competitive side and the test would have been postponed.

Really?

[Bertiebeenthere]

A decision will be made tomorrow whether to postpone by one day or start tomorrow

[Happiness]

A decision will be made tomorrow whether to postpone by one day or start tomorrow

Thanks. I read on the news after the earlier post. Half the squad seem to be ill. Hopefully the game goes ahead without unnecessary delay.

[Dipper]

Anyone remember the infamous karachi test in 2000.
Thorpe and Hussain chasing down 170 odd in near darkness.

2005 was a great series as well Shoaib Akthar in his prime

I do.

Didn’t Thorpey have a great time with the bat also?

[Happiness]

Anyone remember the infamous karachi test in 2000.
Thorpe and Hussain chasing down 170 odd in near darkness.

2005 was a great series as well Shoaib Akthar in his prime

Yes watched it live on TV.

[Jumping Jack Flash]

The test started on time

[Jumping Jack Flash]

England have started well with their 100 coming up in the 14th over. I’m really enjoying the positive approach that they’ve had since Stokes and McCullum took over as captain/coach.

[ifajs71]

Awesome start by England. Positive batting from the first over

[Jumping Jack Flash]

174-0 off 27 overs at lunch, remarkable batting from both openers.

[Happiness]

Brilliant by the Two Openers so far.

[Jumping Jack Flash]

Crawley given out LBW on 99 but overturned on review.

[radioman33]

286/3  radio5livesportsextra saying there’s a lot of runs out there..

[timsussex]

from BBC sport

England reach 303 -3 so Pakistan need 306 from their 50 overs to w...-oh hang on a minute this isnt an ODI

[Jumping Jack Flash]

506-4 off 75 overs, an astonishing display from England with four centurions. England become the first side in history to score 500 in a day. They lost 15 overs due to the light so if they’d have bowled the days full compliment of overs then they could have got 600!

[mr.bluesky]

It will still probably end in a draw. That the problem with cricket, play for 5 days then call it a draw 

[Bertiebeenthere]

Unless England can bowl them out for about 200 and get them to follow on it's looking like a draw to me unfortunately.
If England can score at 6+ an over, so can Pakistan, my logic says.

[timsussex]

assuming |England can bat till mid afternoon should have 750+ Then follow on will be 550 &  have 3 1/2 days to get them out twice - still a tall order

The real disgrace is the 15 overs lost today due to ??????   bad light ????  they have floodlights for Gods sake and happily play day/night ODIs

once upon a time the umpires would offer the batsmen the light and I would be pretty sure Stokes would have stayed on

[Jumping Jack Flash]

This test is a nailed on draw already, the pitch is a road. If their attack struggled in home conditions imagine how our attack will struggle in almost alien conditions.

[Bertiebeenthere]

Exactly

[Bertiebeenthere]

assuming |England can bat till mid afternoon should have 750+ Then follow on will be 550 &  have 3 1/2 days to get them out twice - still a tall order

The real disgrace is the 15 overs lost today due to ??????   bad light ????  they have floodlights for Gods sake and happily play day/night ODIs

once upon a time the umpires would offer the batsmen the light and I would be pretty sure Stokes would have stayed on

I'm not 100% sure but I think they have to switch the lights on before it gets dark, so the lux levels don't suddenly increase

[houseboot]

England 657 & 264-7 Dec

Pakistan 579 & 42-2 (+ Azhar retired hurt) chasing 343


McCullum & Stokes have changed traditional Test match tatics

[jackdaw]

It’s a generous declaration given the pitch, wouldn’t be surprised if Pakistan win, even after their bad start.

It’s very unlikely to be a draw now.

[mikecee]

Is it just me or is anyone else sick to death of that fucking trumpeter?

[king tarzan]

England 657 & 264-7 Dec

Pakistan 579 & 42-2 (+ Azhar retired hurt) chasing 343


McCullum & Stokes have changed traditional Test match tatics

At least they are trying to bring life in the match
PCB crying like bitches that no one wants to tour, and when they do they produce pitches a cat and dog wouldn't even want to shit on let alone play test cricket on

[houseboot]

England WIN by 74 runs!

[king tarzan]

England WIN by 74 runs!

They deserve too!!
Yes yes 👍👍👍🥊🥊🥊👊👊👊

[Seasoned Vet]

Great game
Brilliant captaincy
Field placings on a slow low track was exceptional

[timsussex]

This test is a nailed on draw already, the pitch is a road. If their attack struggled in home conditions imagine how our attack will struggle in almost alien conditions.

Exactly

Oh ye of little faith

must admit I was worried at lunch today

[timsussex]

Here is the BIG question

Will other sides (esp India and Australia) follow suit ?

My bet is Pakistan and probably SA  will play even slower so as to make it more difficult for England and aim to make a 5 test series into 4 draws and then win the one where England inevitably fail with the bat

To some extent that was Englands plan against the all conquering Aussie team of early 2000's

[gonewest]

2nd Test starts Friday, can't wait but I wonder what Anderson etc think about running in to bowl after only 3 days rest!

[mikecee]

2nd Test starts Friday, can't wait but I wonder what Anderson etc think about running in to bowl after only 3 days rest!

No guarantee Anderson will play if Mark Wood is available.  Because of his age Anderson has to be managed.

[timsussex]

No guarantee Anderson will play if Mark Wood is available.  Because of his age Anderson has to be managed.

Agreed, he bowled 46 overs, thats more than Stokes or Robinson - my real worry is can Stokes manage Stokes workload as he bowled the longest spell of the seamers 11 overs.

Incidentally Anderson and Robinson picked up all 3 possible bowlers awards in the match - which is a bit tough on Jacks whos 6 wickets in an innings on debut is only bettered by 7 men  inc Laker, Bedser, Bailey and John Lever

[radioman33]

Pakistan Just lost a wicket = 158/4 bowled Leach 100 test wickets ,close match now.

[Dipper]

The Crawley run out was hideous.

[Bertiebeenthere]

So was Pope's

[Jumping Jack Flash]

That was a decisive day in the test and in the series. I think we already have enough runs in the bank, I suspect they will bat on tomorrow and aim to score more fast runs before declaring around lunchtime tomorrow. The first session should be pretty entertaining, shame it starts at 5am our time!

[timsussex]

yes probably 80-20 or better on a win even now another 100 and declare before lunch gives 95-5 or better and a decent chance of a win within 3 days

[Seasoned Vet]

Setup nicely for a 4th day finish
First hour tomorrow will be critical
Ball is 65 overs old will we see it reversing in the first session

[Jumping Jack Flash]

A nail biting session where the test seemed to be slipping away from us but two quick wickets from Mark Wood has swung the test back in our favour. They need 64 runs, we need 3 wickets.

[mikecee]

A nail biting session where the test seemed to be slipping away from us but two quick wickets from Mark Wood has swung the test back in our favour. They need 64 runs, we need 3 wickets.

Great spell from Mark Wood  has turned this match England's way.

[lillythesavage]

Great spell from Mark Wood  has turned this match England's way.

Got to give them a lot of credit, twice risking a loss and turning it to a win instead of boring draws, They are certainly backing themselves.

[Jumping Jack Flash]

Ben Stokes becomes only the third England captain to win a series in Pakistan, our record there is poor so the performances in both tests are very impressive.

[radioman33]

Listening earlier on 5live it seemed like Pakistan were cruising to a win,then the wicket of Skakeel changed things dramatically.