England vs Pakistan | 1st Test | Lord's, London | May 24-28, 2018 | Day 1 | Match Thread

[MenInG]

So its here!

Sarfaraz Ahmed and men pitted against the might of England playing at home.

Rahat Ali vs Hasan Ali the Only change expected from team that played the Test against Ireland but Hasan hand injury could allow Rahat place in the XI

 

[adil_909]

Thunderstorms expected on days 4 and 5. I would bowl first if I win the toss and let England use up time. If we go out there and get bowled out in half a day then game could be over in 3 days. If they bat first we can aim for a draw if last two days are washed out!

 

[DonJee]

Raining at the moment in St John's Wood! a week of sunshine and it started raining on the day!

 

[Markhor]

Met Office says there'll be rain also this afternoon and through the night.

Weather will be better for the next four days.

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/mobile/forecast/gcpvhhdht#?date=2018-05-29

 

[ahmedwaqas92]

God Damn It! I wait for this series for TWO YEARS and all we get is rain

 

[imshally81]

Unfortunately .... but 2-0 on cards....

 

[Send1983]

Lol at 2 match series and one will be affected by rain.

 

[imshally81]

Met Office says there'll be rain also this afternoon and through the night.

Weather will be better for the next four days.

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/mobile/forecast/gcpvhhdht#?date=2018-05-29

Weather is fine....

 

[the Great Khan]

will probably be cloudy and overcast so I hope we bowl first and put them under massive pressure..if not we could be skittled out for 90 odd..

 

[AFM]

Sky sports news just showed the pitch. It's really green

 

[the Great Khan]

Sky sports news just showed the pitch. It's really green

will be an unashamed seamer by the looks of things..to get some english smiles back..they cannot afford to lose this match and a good win is required..we are ripe for the taking..

 

[AFM]

will be an unashamed seamer by the looks of things..to get some english smiles back..they cannot afford to lose this match and a good win is required..we are ripe for the taking..

But it could backfire on them

 

[the Great Khan]

But it could backfire on them

doubt it..they have players like cook and root who are brought up to play on surfaces like this and will knuckle down..unfortunately we have people like haris and co who are new to all of this..I am keeping expectations very very low..My hope is we give them a fright and dont fold like babies..but..

If you can search find the match we played here in 2001 where inzi and yk made runs on a seamer..while england smashed us around a bit..I can see it going the same way..

 

[AFM]

doubt it..they have players like cook and root who are brought up to play on surfaces like this and will knuckle down..unfortunately we have people like haris and co who are new to all of this..I am keeping expectations very very low..My hope is we give them a fright and dont fold like babies..but..

If you can search find the match we played here in 2001 where inzi and yk made runs on a seamer..while england smashed us around a bit..I can see it going the same way..

Boult and Southee destroyed them in similar conditions just a few months ago.

 

[AFM]

Ian Botham: "Sri Lanka beat India in Sri Lanka"

What?

 

[Robert]

Boult and Southee destroyed them in similar conditions just a few months ago.

NZ don’t have green mambas anymore. Not like in Hadlee’s day.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Overcast conditions . Losing the toss isht a had thing there . Its tough but id like to see Pakistan bowl first since England were 50 odd all out not long ago

 

[Robert]

Sky sports news just showed the pitch. It's really green

Good. As long as England remember how to bowl on it. Most Southern England tracks are dead these days.

 

[babajee]

So hyped

 

[asifp]

Green top - imagine if Amir can bowl like its 2010

 

[IMMY69]

Overcast conditions . Losing the toss isht a had thing there . Its tough but id like to see Pakistan bowl first since England were 50 odd all out not long ago

Yeah maybe good to lose the toss.
It’s rained all night and so outfield is bound to be wet which will affect the ball. Also a little chilly at the moment so although it’s cloudy moment the cold won’t help swing.

Conditions getting better though and it should warm up nicely. So could be humid afternoon which is ideal for swing.

Decisions decisions

 

[AFM]

Perfect bowling conditions. The pitch will fatten out later. Defo bowl 1st.

 

[Markhor]

Perfect bowling conditions. The pitch will fatten out later. Defo bowl 1st.

Yeah I'm bowling first too here. Don't trust our batting first up on a fresh, green tinged deck.

The pitch will flatten out under the baking hot sun forecast on the weekend and that's when we need to making hay with the bat.

 

[imshally81]

Time for Toss...

 

[imshally81]

England win toss and bat

 

[IMMY69]

England win toss and bat first!!!

 

[marlonbrowndo]

Damn. England batting first. Good for us

 

[KingKhanWC]

Pakistan bowl , good luck Cook

 

[imshally81]

England 1 Alastair Cook, 2 Mark Stoneman, 3 Joe Root (capt), 4 Dawid Malan, 5 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 6 Ben Stokes, 7 Jos Buttler, 8 Mark Wood, 9 Dom Bess, 10 Stuart Broad, 11 James Anderson

 

[babajee]

No Rahat :

 

[Asif321]

thank god Hassan playing

 

[marlonbrowndo]

Just had Sehri here in Toronto. Normally stay up till Sehri then sleep right after but gotta watch this.

 

[imshally81]

Pakistan 1 Azhar Ali, 2 Imam-ul-Haq, 3 Haris Sohail, 4 Asad Shafiq, 5 Babar Azam, 6 Sarfraz Ahmed (capt & wk), 7 Shadab Khan, 8 Faheem Ashraf, 9 Mohammad Amir, 10 Hasan Ali, 11 Mohammad Abbas

 

[AFM]

No Woakes. Surprising.

 

[Hitman]

Good luck to Pak fans. Enjoy the match. I'll be watching it on TV as well.

 

[marlonbrowndo]

Glad to see Hassan in

 

[MenInG]

6

 

[ahmedwaqas92]

Pakistan make only 1 change, Hasan Ali for Raha Ali

 

[KingKhanWC]

Yeah maybe good to lose the toss.
It’s rained all night and so outfield is bound to be wet which will affect the ball. Also a little chilly at the moment so although it’s cloudy moment the cold won’t help swing.

Conditions getting better though and it should warm up nicely. So could be humid afternoon which is ideal for swing.

Decisions decisions

Root decides, now up to Pak bowlers to hit the fuller lengths , get it to swing & move .

 

[Robert]

Brave by Root. Bat first, set up the shape of the game.

 

[marlonbrowndo]

This is the team I would have played as well. Maybe Fakhar in for Asad but it’s the best possible 11 so no excuses

 

[marlonbrowndo]

What is the weather like for the rest of the day? Any chance of rain?

 

[dauntless]

pe jao mundyo tut ge!! england ki vaari aa gi

 

[Deewana Mastana]

Do not think Haris Sohail is a No.3 test bat.

 

[IMMY69]

Root decides, now up to Pak bowlers to hit the fuller lengths , get it to swing & move .

To be honest i’m more worried about our catching then our bowling ��

 

[Markhor]

What is the weather like for the rest of the day? Any chance of rain?

50% chance of rain around 2-3pm and also through the night.

Baking hot on the weekend.

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/mobile/forecast/gcpvhhdht#?date=2018-05-29

 

[marlonbrowndo]

50% chance of rain around 2-3pm and also through the night.

Baking hot on the weekend.

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/mobile/forecast/gcpvhhdht#?date=2018-05-29

Shouldn’t be any long interruptions right?

 

[babajee]

Hasan Ali brings energy to this Pakistan side - fact.

 

[Robert]

Glad the Invisible Horse is on the field.

 

[Markhor]

To be honest i’m more worried about our catching then our bowling ��

Foreign wicketkeepers especially struggle to adjust to Lord's, Sarfraz needs to be on it today.

Not sure whether Azhar should be in the slip cordon as he's had some howlers there.

 

[pakistani pride]

Good luck to Pak fans. Enjoy the match. I'll be watching it on TV as well.

Thanks mate.

Lets hope Amir and Abbas can take some early wickets.

 

[AFM]

Wasim Akram thought it was a bat first toss decision.

 

[Deewana Mastana]

It is getting warmer and sun will be coming out.

First 30-40 mins might offer something after that a batting paradise.

 

[Markhor]

No Rameez for this series.

 

[imshally81]

Dominic Mark Bess... the only spin option (Off Spinner) for England...
His first class bowling average is 22.49

 

[KingKhanWC]

It is getting warmer and sun will be coming out.

First 30-40 mins might offer something after that a batting paradise.

It’s going to swing the most in the first session . 2-3 wickets up front or Pak will be chasing the game for the rest of the match

 

[AFM]

No Rameez for this series.

Good. Wasim may not be the best commentator around, but atleast he commands respect. The English pundits just had a giggle about Inzi being the selector given the new fitness culture in the Pakistan team. Wasim defended him saying he's doing brilliant work. Rambo would have laughed and added some more jokes.

 

[AFM]

It’s going to swing the most in the first session . 2-3 wickets up front or Pak will be chasing the game for the rest of the match

I'm expecting 10

 

[KingKhanWC]

Dominic Mark Bess... the only spin option (Off Spinner) for England...
His first class bowling average is 22.49

He plays for Somerset , very good for spin bowling down there .

 

[AFM]

Both W's present. Waqar doing TMS radio commentary.

 

[Markhor]

Nothing like the first morning at Lord's at the start of the summer.

Let's get us some early wickets on the board.

 

[dauntless]

chal paaii amir aa gya time

 

[babajee]

Will Abbas open or Hasan

 

[Zeshan547]

Will Abbas open or Hasan

it should be Abbas, he is not as good with old ball as Hassan is,

 

[Square Drive]

Just had Sehri here in Toronto. Normally stay up till Sehri then sleep right after but gotta watch this.

Same! Let's do this!!

 

[Smudger]

Watching it at 3 in the morning

 

[Robert]

It’s going to swing the most in the first session . 2-3 wickets up front or Pak will be chasing the game for the rest of the match

Root says it looks damp on top but dry underneath and will crack up and they don’t want to bat last against the spinners after three hot days.

Test cricket is the best! So many different situations to adapt to in one match.

 

[babajee]

Will Abbas open or Hasan

Abbas.

 

[Hitman]

Thanks mate.

Lets hope Amir and Abbas can take some early wickets.

I'm looking forward to see Hasan Ali bowl. Nothing better than watching Cook dismissed cheaply

 

[Markhor]

Watching it at 3 in the morning��������

Good commitment to the cause !

 

[Hitman]

Watching it at 3 in the morning��������

3:30 in the evening here

 

[Smudger]

w3:30 in the evening here

Where?

 

[Hitman]

Where?

India.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Nerves out the way , time to hit top of off

 

[AFM]

Azhar at slips

 

[Markhor]

That's the line.

 

[dauntless]

need wickets! come on!

 

[GLORY OF '92]

Need at least 3 before lunch otherwise looking at 400

 

[KingKhanWC]

Root says it looks damp on top but dry underneath and will crack up and they don’t want to bat last against the spinners after three hot days.

Test cricket is the best! So many different situations to adapt to in one match.

Over the last decade or so it’s been very flat 4th innings . Hopefully he’s right so we get some drama on days 4/5.

 

[Anuj25]

England might have a good start but will loose this match.. Their jinx at Lord's will prevail