btb

Would be the second highest winning total in a fourth Innings IIRC.

Shows how much I know! Test firmly in India's favour.

I'd disagree with you over that and more importantly I reckon Alastair Cook would too, we're approaching 80 overs and of the spinners only Rashid's had a decent bowl - Ali's just been brought on for a pre new ball cameo. Turning into a mirror image of the First Test when England finished the first day on 311/4. As ever in the subcontinent it'll probably be a runfest until the last two days and we see how much the pitch deteriorates. I find something comforting that apart from the run rate being closer to 3.5 rather than 2.5 this Test probably isn't that different from many of those played 30/40 years ago. ******************* Edit - Ansari gets a bowl too as Cook's not taken the new ball straight away it's turning into one of those quiet passages you get in Test matches with the batsmen looking to go in, not out (I'm sure there's a joke in there). Ooops, there's the 300 up! Second Edit - Cook should have had a gully in for the nightwatchman - 7 balls before close of play and obviously looking to protect Kohli from the last over. Missed a chance to go in almost evens, gully in now for Broad but there's no way Ashwin will be looking for a single in the final over.

Great result for cricket! Bangladesh were already a danger in the shorter formats but it's great to have another country capable of competing in Tests. No doubt a mid-May Test at Headingly is being pencilled in for retaliation even as I type............

I'm not so sure the questioning at the inquest is that misguided, Hughes' weakness facing shortpitched bowling was well known as far back as his international career began. England certainly targeted him this way in the 2009 Ashes series and after losing his place two Tests into that series he was always on the fringes of the Australian team. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/international/theashes/5751588/The-Ashes-England-bowlers-will-target-Phillip-Hughes-with-bouncers-warns-Simon-Katich.html For me he was the archetypal player who was going to get injured by a bouncer - not quite top class as a batsman, aggressive in the way he played the game so the he was more likely to try and attack his way out of this type of bowling than use evasive tactics (Mike Gatting and Phil Simmons are two others that spring to mind). Obviously what happened was a tragedy that no-one wanted but if the alleged sledging did occur it was pretty tasteless. How far to you go to win?

Cans of worms being opened at the Inquest into Phillip Hughes death. http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/story/1061630.html http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/story/1061224.html

Well, that was a bit of a turnaround!

Important pair for Pakistan as there's not much batting to come. If Pakistan are to take their lead to 100 or beyond then these guys are gonna have to do most of the work. Ahmed taking the piss out of Ali in the final over before lunch. Big spells for Anderson & Woakes (presumably) when the Test resumes............ ************ Meanwhile far, far away Sri Lanka look to have the edge on Australia on their homeland.

With Pakistan having seen off the new ball it could be a long slog in the field for England.

England 75/3 - an opperchancity for Vince & Balance?

England are where you wanna be in a Test Match - 397/4 off 108 overs, seen off second new ball and with Pakistan's bowlers flagging (they've just brought on Azhar Ali) England's plan must be to score quickly and get Pakistan in shortly after Tea (to state the bleedin' obvious!). 427/5 at lunch - ideal situation for England if they can post 500+ and use Anderson, Broad & Woakes in short, hostile spells.

Couldn't have gone much better for England today, Cook gets a century to mute the faint whisperings that it's been a while since Abu Dhabi, they're currently at 264/3 off 71.4 overs, a pretty brisk run rate and Pakistan don't look to have much bowling strength outside their core 4 at this level.

England win toss, bat first, and go for Ali as their spinner. They're currently 60/1. If they can prolong the Innings then they will force Pakistan to go outwith their core 4 bowlers who did all the bowling in the First Test where neither of England's two Innings lasted 80 overs.

It's always been the case that a keepers batting ability has been a factor in selection, go back to current England keeper Jonny Bairstow's father David who was selected ahead of Bob Taylor on occasion due to his superior batting. Jimmy Binks in the 60's only made a couple of Test appearances due to being a poor batsman. It'll be interesting to see how batsmen being shoe-horned into the wicketkeeping role will fare long term - there are a few special ones (Knott, Marsh Gilchrist) but even a good batsman-keeper like Alec Stewart's average dropped significantly when he went behind the stumps and there is a table somewhere on cricinfo that shows that during his period as a wicketkeeper many of his best scores came when England batted first. Still it's no good taking the Truman Line (weren't like this in my day) cricket like all sports evolves and who knows what it'll be like 20 years from now - maybe in a world of unlimited leisure we'll have gone back to timeless Tests.

Finished work with Windies on 107/6. Decided not to listen to the climax on the drive home - prob'ly just as well as I'd no doubt have ended up in a ditch somewhere along the M77. I don't like cricket - I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

England poised to make big total with their strong batting line-up...... ETA - Which Buttler has confirmed with his 46 ball century breaking his own record for quickest ODI century for England. ******************** In other news "he who must not be named" has called dropping Bell for the SA tour pathetic - talk about the kiss of death,

Few sights better than a genuine quick in his pomp!

106/2 - two quick wickets, that's the beauty of Test cricket. Pipped to the post...... ******************* No matter what has happened in the shorter forms of the game the ebb and flow of Test cricket remains close to what it always has been, or at least since I've been watching it which going back to the late 70's. We should be going into Day 4 with all four possible results easily imaginable.

Only Anderson & Broad (Rashid hasn't bowled enough to say either way) of the England bowlers showing much in the way of control. Pakistan's tactics will be to pick off the spinners, wear down the seamers and hope for a deteriorating pitch on the last day.

The depth of England's batting could be a key feature as their tail is confined to just Wood & Anderson whereas Pakistan have collapsed in all three Innings so far this series - I was prepared to overlook Pakistan's first Innings at Abu Dhabi as them going for quick runs but the subsequent two collapses came with little in the way of mitigating factors.

Draw - bad light stopped play.

FFS - I go to the shops with Pakistan at 150-odd/5 and I come back and they're 173 all out leaving England 99 to make in what should be 19 overs (confirmed) albeit with light an issue - bet all those folk taking easy money on the draw are regretting it now! Alastair Cook - after a tumultuous period between losing the Ashes (and KP) down under and the captaincy of the one day side he's rediscovered his technique and made a complete comeback. Currently twelfth on the all time Test run scorers list he's not yet 31 and as long as he's only got Test cricket to focus on I don't see anything except a serious injury stopping him going all the way to the top.

I see Ricky Ponting & Graeme Smith are both backing KP's version of events - mischief or the truth?

Cycling's Big Four (Contador, Froome, Nibali & Quintana) have been challenged to compete in all three Grand Tours next year - interesting but I don't really see it happening! http://www.bbc.co.uk...ycling/29543397