England v Pakistan | 1st Test | Old Trafford, Manchester | 5-9 August, 2020 | Day 1 Thread

Cricket with India unlikely at this point until current Gorment in India remains, good relationship with BCCI but they need permission to play us and we need to focus on playing other teams.

We made sure the safety of players was the priority before agreeing the tour of England and thus far we are content / happy with all the facilities provided, it has been tough at times in Isolation as the WI's found but anything we require is a call away. No issue touring England, it's about solidarity and helping with the return of Cricket, a sport which relies heavily on monies.

There was no arrangement to agree with the ECB to tour Pakistan as part of our agreement to play cricket in England this summer, while England are due to tour in 2022, am hoping they agree to tour earlier. Terrorists are everywhere but we've had great success with the return of Test Cricket and the PSL in Pakistan, the word of your Jason Roys and Watsons will atest to their positive experiences, Athers chimes in and agrees how normal life is in Pakistan and some of the difficulties they had faced with no cricket at home or lucrative tours with neighbours etc

To sign of he talks about the British Asian Trust and how it is helping those in poverty, specifically Pakistan and the difficulties people have faced during Covid 19.

That's about the most I recall :yk he spoke well

Awesome, thanks.

Hurray some sunshine.
 
England bowlers bowling away, not shooting at stumps.
Which is good thing for Pakistan
 
With this ball zipping around like it is, it will be better to look to rotate the Strike rather than trying any booing drives

Taking singles is a good idea espcially with a right and left combo out there.
 
Can't afford that. The tail is long. By the time 4 wickets are down we need to have at least 220-250 runs. Shan and Babar gotta play longgg.
Not gonna happen on the first inning of first test by team Pak,that too with Shafiq not in great knick. I be happy Pak 220 to 250 for 6 against this world class pace attack on lively wicket with overcast conditions.
 
Bobby is getting there. England is in trouble if they fail to remove him soon.
 
Good bounce and pace in wicket so batsmen will get value for shots.
 
This is what you need to do in England when batting first.

You give the first session to the bowlers especially when overcast and the ball is new, bat at a touch over 2 RPO and get to lunch no more than two down.

Then you press on in the 2nd and 3rd session.
 
Poor Azhar??? He’s part of the purchi mafia

He definitely is not .... we forget now matter what happens he is still one of our best batsmen with an average of 42 and after misbah and younis we do not actually have much of a choice. He will come out of his patch ...
 
This is what you need to do in England when batting first.

You give the first session to the bowlers especially when overcast and the ball is new, bat at a touch over 2 RPO and get to lunch no more than two down.

Then you press on in the 2nd and 3rd session.

A lot of test matches are lost here in england if you bat poorly in 1st two sessions of the game. Good points made.
 
Shan already 30+ on a First Test, batting first, opening in overcast conditions, is this a win? :maqsood
 
Shot of the day so far by babar, great balance.
 
Pak 74/2

Babar looking more settled at the crease.
 
Having seen some insipid batting performances by teams like West Indies recently, our approach looks extremely professional and watch worthy!
 
Babar really turning it on right now, beautiful to watch.
 
Can't believe we have a marvellous batsman like Babar in what is a mediocre batting lineup. And to think Misbah was trying to blunt this guy out in his own playing days.
 
163 all out here. This is the last recognized batting pair out there.
 
Both of Pak's best overseas batsmen in recent times have got starts, ball is old so now need to make it count.
 
Babar is a treat to watch.

Easily one of the most aesthetically pleasing batsman going around in world cricket if not the most.
 
The Babar show has well and truly begun.
 
So many better spinners in England than Bess
Bess provides them a lot of useful runs often,and is also tight, so can do a holding job. England have a luxury of 4 fast bowlers and an all rounder Stokes to take wickets normally.
 
no swing in sun.Has started swinging in overcast.Thing with this England attack that their 3rd and 4th bowlers have looked even more dangerous.
 
Well played Shan, Babar is expected but Shan really is punching above weight, need to convert this one now.
 
this is top class batting, the bowlers have got the ball on a string, one ball comes in another goes out.
 
Doesn’t Wasim get tired talking about how to position your wrist and how to swing the ball after alllll these years?
 
We don’t have to worry about edges against the spinner. Buttler is gonna end up dropping it anyway
 
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