Cricket thread

[Beebo]

Will be interesting to see if England have the patience to see this through. Ridiculous as it seems Pakistan are not completely out of this yet.

Their only real chance of a win is to bat a single innings over 750. Then the pitch starts to misbehave and England collapse.

 

[newts]

Could this be the first test match to pass 2000 runs aggregate scored?

 

[jowwy]

Couple of quick wickets just gone……

 

[Dayvo]

The grounds man need to take a long look at himself for producing a rubbish pitch.

Without knowing, of course, I’m pretty sure that the head groundsman produced the wicket that the PCB ’requested’.
(Probably) Without players being involved in match-fixing, a shirt-front wicket, providing perfect conditions for batting, would present an ideal opportunity for large sums of money to be put down on spread-betting with all the possible permutations of individual/team scores, run-rates etc.
17 years without hosting a home Test, the PCB will need some extra rupees in the coffers.
Or maybe/hopefully I’m just being cynical.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

A late flurry of wickets....by Rawalpindi standards.

 

[AndyRM]

I'll revise my opinion of the Pakistan bowling. England are managing to get a lot more out of the pitch than they did. Should be a decent win from here.

 

[Beebo]

I'll revise my opinion of the Pakistan bowling. England are managing to get a lot more out of the pitch than they did. Should be a decent win from here.

I’m not as optimistic as you.
The declaration could be a mistake, but it’s nice to see aggressive cricket.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Yes, I thought it too early as well

 

[geocycle]

I’m enjoying the positive approach up to a point. Exciting to see players like Brook come through and Root was superb. Yet again though Stokes utterly through his wicket away, he’s been pretty terrible with the bat in the matches he has captained. I also think another 50 runs would have been possible and preferable before declaring. Yes, you have to interest the opposition but a few more helps maintain attacking fields to the end. Muddled thinking amongst the bravado.

 

[Beebo]

At what point do we start to worry?
Less than 200 needed with 7 wickets left and a 5 day old pitch that is doing nothing.

 

[Dayvo]

At what point do we start to worry?
Less than 200 needed with 7 wickets left and a 5 day old pitch that is doing nothing.

Erm, about now, I reckon.
Two sessions left, 184 required with 7 wickets in hand and 65 overs remaining (@ about 3 an over) on a track that’s offering little-to-nothing to the bowlers.
It’s Pakistan’s to not win unless nerves, pressure and expectation get to them. Or the bookies….!

 

[jowwy]

That wicket was needed.......i still think its 50/50

 

[Beebo]

That wicket was needed.......i still think its 50/50

I agree.

But a declaration should never be 50/50. It should always be 75/25.

One wants to see boring declarations where they leave the opposition no chance at all, but England declared too early and bet the house on a one day show down.

 

[jowwy]

I agree.

But a declaration should never be 50/50. It should always be 75/25.

One wants to see boring declarations where they leave the opposition no chance at all, but England declared too early and bet the house on a one day show down.

i reckon theres only about 40 overs left due to the time they have been leaving the pitch each day......that means 4 an over at least

That wicket helped, but still a tough ask on that pitch

 

[jowwy]

and another one bites the dust......