The Cricket Thread

[Savage Henry]

Just back from a rain interrupted day. Despite the low scoring, or perhaps because of it, it was a terrific day's play on another excellent test wicket. Pakistan are the worst fielding team I can remember.

[capybara]

Just back from a rain interrupted day. Despite the low scoring, or perhaps because of it, it was a terrific day's play on another excellent test wicket. Pakistan are the worst fielding team I can remember.

They have always been erratic,some brilliant players over the decades that i have watched test cricket. But never a team. Now cricket politics will see them relegated to also runs.

Just a thought will there minds be elsewhere?

[MB]

Just back from a rain interrupted day. Despite the low scoring, or perhaps because of it, it was a terrific day's play on another excellent test wicket. Pakistan are the worst fielding team I can remember.

The wicket is a bit slow, but is still providing a decent test for both sides. Pakistan's fielding was among the most woeful I've ever seen during a test match. If the ball continues to swing and seam tomorrow, I can't see Pakistan's batters lasting very long. Such a shame for them as their bowling attack looks more than decent.

[Andy Dufresne]

82-5 this will be all over today i think.

[Tam O'Banter]

The wicket is a bit slow, but is still providing a decent test for both sides. Pakistan's fielding was among the most woeful I've ever seen during a test match. If the ball continues to swing and seam tomorrow, I can't see Pakistan's batters lasting very long. Such a shame for them as their bowling attack looks more than decent.

My club's fielding yesterday was better than Pakistan's and we have guys in their 40s and 50s playing.

[MB]

My club's fielding yesterday was better than Pakistan's and we have guys in their 40s and 50s playing.

I believe you. I coach U14 or U15 cricket and they field better than Pakistan did yesterday.

It's good to see Pakistan putting up at least some resistance this afternoon, though the ball is not swinging nearly as much today. There's even a chance the game might last until the fourth day!

[Tam O'Banter]

I believe you. I coach U14 or U15 cricket and they field better than Pakistan did yesterday.

It's good to see Pakistan putting up at least some resistance this afternoon, though the ball is not swinging nearly as much today. There's even a chance the game might last until the fourth day!

Looks like you spoke too soon, 7 down now. The new ball should rip through the tail.

[MB]

Pakistan end the day 291/9 with a lead of 112. They even have a very slight chance of recording a victory, though England would have to bat very poorly indeed for that to happen. The annoying thing for England will be that they still have to take the final wicket tomorrow. Umar Gul has it in him to hit a few lusty blows: a lead of 150+ would be very interesting indeed. You have to admire the fortitude of the debutante keeper, Haider, ably backed up by Ajmal. The wicket is still doing something and England will not find it easy chasing a total in excess of 150, particularly with Asif, Amir and Ajmal looking good in the first innings. Cook will be under pressure and it's about time he started to score some runs again. If he continues this run of poor form, he deserves to be dropped for the Ashes. I think Trott could open the batting when Bell returns.

[Fuctifano]

Pakistan end the day 291/9 with a lead of 112. They even have a very slight chance of recording a victory, though England would have to bat very poorly indeed for that to happen. The annoying thing for England will be that they still have to take the final wicket tomorrow. Umar Gul has it in him to hit a few lusty blows: a lead of 150+ would be very interesting indeed. You have to admire the fortitude of the debutante keeper, Haider, ably backed up by Ajmal. The wicket is still doing something and England will not find it easy chasing a total in excess of 150, particularly with Asif, Amir and Ajmal looking good in the first innings. Cook will be under pressure and it's about time he started to score some runs again. If he continues this run of poor form, he deserves to be dropped for the Ashes. I think Trott could open the batting when Bell returns.

Well done to Pakistan for finally showing some nous and fight. England will almost certainly still do it, but if Gul was fit and they could have added another 30-40 it could have been very tight- might still be but with only 2 pacemen in the attack you'd think not.

Bit worrying for England how average their quicks looked when it didn't swing, which will be the case for the majority of the time in Australia.

[capybara]

Can Jimmy Anderson bowl as well with a Kookaburra ball?

[MB]

Can Jimmy Anderson bowl as well with a Kookaburra ball?

His record overseas suggests not. There is a massive discrepancy between his figures at home and abroad. The kookaburra loses its hardness much earlier than the duke ball. The duke also has a more pronounced seam and cloudy/humid conditions in England are unlikely in Australia. I think Anderson could prove to be largely ineffective in Australia, though the taller bowlers (Broad and Finn) may perform pretty well. Swann will no doubt continue to pose a threat, particularly at the SCG.

[btb]

Well I expected Enland to finish it today so I was surprised when I saw the score at Stumps. Like Fuctifino I expect England to win it tomorrow, Pakistan's First Innings debacle is just too much to recover from. Another great performance by Swann (those idiots who thought he was gonna be a flash in the pal must feel foolish now ) but the England selectors must be worried about Broad finding himself up before the beaks again - you've got to wonder how he'll react if Australia hit 500+ over a couple of scorchers down under this winter.

[Reynard]

Can Jimmy Anderson bowl as well with a Kookaburra ball?

You don't get swing anywhere near as much down there. Anderson won't be as effective. Broad isn't a good bowler. Swann will be relied on and hopefully one or other of the quicks can tie up and end for him. n spite of how well England have bowled in this test series so far, I have doubts about all but Swann in Australian conditions.

[Cowden til i die]

What exactly happened with Broad? I only caught the end of an interview and Botham was ripping into him about his attitude at times.

[MB]

What exactly happened with Broad? I only caught the end of an interview and Botham was ripping into him about his attitude at times.

Botham was correct to deride Broad as petulant and childish. He has been acting like a spoilt brat for some time now, and I hope he has learned a valuable lesson.

For the incident in question, Broad fielded the ball off his own bowling and then proceeded to throw the ball back at the batsman, Zulqarnain Haider, hitting him on the shoulder. A half-hearted apology followed with Broad briefly raising his hand. There was another incident when he appealed for a caught behind, which was not given, and he didn't even look at the umpire when so doing. He has done this a number of times and has been warned about it. He shows little respect to both the opposition and the match officials. He's also the first to have a go at his fellow players if one of them mis-fields.

[MB]

Cook will be under pressure and it's about time he started to score some runs again. If he continues this run of poor form, he deserves to be dropped for the Ashes. I think Trott could open the batting when Bell returns.

Given today's events, I'd consider promoting Trott for the next test and let Cook strive for some form in county cricket. My only two concerns are that Trott has performed well in the problem No. 3 position, and who could replace Cook? Carberry could open, but I'm not convinced. Bopara at 3 and Trott to open? Given the alternatives, perhaps it's easy to understand why the selectors have persisted with Cook!

[Reynard]

Given today's events, I'd consider promoting Trott for the next test and let Cook strive for some form in county cricket. My only two concerns are that Trott has performed well in the problem No. 3 position, and who could replace Cook? Carberry could open, but I'm not convinced. Bopara at 3 and Trott to open? Given the alternatives, perhaps it's easy to understand why the selectors have persisted with Cook!

I'd give Cook the rest of the summer to sort his form. He is a class player and I think he has been fannying around with technique too much rather than just concentrating on getting himself some batting time at the crease. If he continues to fail then they will need to do something but I would give him a couple more tests to see. The openers will need to be in good nick for the ashes tests so hopefully Cook can get some runs before then as I think he is a quality opener. The Australians were pretty good at sticking with players they believed in when the lost form and I think England should stick it out a bit longer with Cook.

[die hard doonhamer]

When is Bell due back? I think when he comes back I'd put him in at 3 and move Trott up to open, assuming Cook fails to gain form in the next 2 tests.

[Yoss]

Bell won't be back for either of the remaining Tests.

I'd stick with Cook - we've just had two tests on swinging pitches with bowlers well able to exploit those conditions, it was never going to be a time for opening batsmen to make hay. I'm more worried about Pietersen.

[Reynard]

Bell won't be back for either of the remaining Tests.

I'd stick with Cook - we've just had two tests on swinging pitches with bowlers well able to exploit those conditions, it was never going to be a time for opening batsmen to make hay. I'm more worried about Pietersen.

I'd stick with Cook as well. And I'd alsostick wth Pietersen, he is struggling at the moment and should have been out long before he was when he finally made that score in the last test but he is too good a player to not pick. He will get big scores in due course and he could click at any time. He might as well click in the test team as for his county. As I said before, he is similar to Gower in that the defensive side of his game isn't a massive priority so there will be times like this where he isn't scoring runs. But I just wouldn't drop the guy, there's nothing much to be gained from it right now. The test team is winning even though it is carrying both him and Cook really although Pietersens runs did make a difference in this test. The wickets have helped the bowlers massively in these two tests anyway.