England vs Pakistan | 3rd Test | Southampton | Aug 21-25, 2020 | Day 1

[MMHS]

I think the first part, or at least my point about spinners in the UAE being comfortable to bowl long attritional spells, could equally have to do with those spinners having stronger FC credentials as much as the conditions being familiar.

The second point is more about cricketing acumen and experience - fully agree. The point about height was simply that all else equal, a taller bowler will at least have one more favourable variable in dead conditions.

UAE is one of the reasons for current state of PAK cricket - it has taken the core essence of PAK cricket .... and created a monster - Misbah ul Haq.

(@Slog - yes, they are not associate level YET, but in an universe of 10-12 Test playing nations they are now at 7/8 - that’s closer to associates than their contemporaries in Test world half of whom doesn’t even bother for this version and started playing Test cricket in last 3-4 decades - indeed an achievement which you may disagree but stop tagging me next time when PAK saves a Test courtesy to rain)

 

[Yk313]

Where is rain now that we want it to flood Ageas? *

 

[King_Kohli]

Will all these PP members ever see Pakistan in top 3 test teams for at least 2 years?


I am not seeing this to happen for at least next 20 years.

Pakistan team is mediocre in everything just like our country situation.

20 years is too long.
Get rid of all 30+ non performing players and coach.
Pick 21-25 age group players and give them chances continuously, you will see results in 2-4 years.

 

[Mueez]

Man this is so depressing...

 

[sharmaji]

Given this is a batting track, I am afraid one of Azhar, Asad Shafiq and Fawad Alam will score a 100 and cement their place for the next series.

 

[Shoaibbtt]

Pakistan should have played Faheem Ashraf instead of Fawad Alam. A full time 5th bowling medium pace, pace option is vital in SENA conditions with nothing in it for the pacers and spinners. Atleast by playing a 4th seamer, the bowlers could have been used in short sharp bursts in all their spells. Our team management just never learns and continues to apply the UAE formula in SENA conditions.

Yea go take a look at Faheem's batting in tests, he's garbage

 

[Yk313]

UAE is one of the reasons for current state of PAK cricket - it has taken the core essence of PAK cricket .... and created a monster - Misbah ul Haq.

Sadly true. Doesn’t look like he’s moving soon.

 

[sweep_shot]

Looks like Crawley (out of all players) has almost batted Pakistan out of the game.

Great innings!

England are looking good for 400.

 

[sweep_shot]

Current partnership: 157 runs (40.3 overs).

 

[Robert]

Why do you guys call him 'creepy' ?

Creepy-crawly. Means a bug or spider or centipede.

Not that he bats like one..... more like a young Greg Chappell.

 

[Hasan123]

Andy Flower was available when Misbah was appointed. That just shows the ambition and cricketing knowledge of the PCB.

 

[King_Kohli]

Playing with 4 bowlers in SENA is worst tactic.

 

[Mueez]

Fawad injured?

 

[Afhan Ali]

20 years is too long.
Get rid of all 30+ non performing players and coach.
Pick 21-25 age group players and give them chances continuously, you will see results in 2-4 years.

Who are these 21-25 mighty talented players?

Naseem/ Hasnain/ Hasan/ Shadab/ Faheem/ Musa/ Azam Khan / Omair Yousaf?

All these are mediocre.

 

[Yk313]

Given this is a batting track, I am afraid one of Azhar, Asad Shafiq and Fawad Alam will score a 100 and cement their place for the next series.

Nah, I think those days are gone. More worried that they might score a “nice looking” 40, get out softly and get praised in the post match presser as having looked good but been unlucky.

 

[tauseef_mahmood]

England have this in their pockets

 

[ahmadharis1]

If we don't get a wicket with 10 overs with the new ball we are donezo

 

[Prince of Pakistan]

Andy Flower was available when Misbah was appointed. That just shows the ambition and cricketing knowledge of the PCB.

Really expected Wasim Khan to be more pro active. I guess he couldn't withstand the influence from above.

 

[Titan24]

All future opposition can thank us for allowing the English selectors to stick with Butler. Would be fun to watch when he comes down under and gets absolutely battered.

We gave a fresh life to his test career in 2018 as well.

 

[sweep_shot]

England have scored 57 runs in the last 10 overs. Wow!

 

[castortroy]

If we don't get a wicket with 10 overs with the new ball we are donezo

We were done after 250

 

[Robert]

Playing with 4 bowlers in SENA is worst tactic.

Depends which four bowlers.....

 

[Hasan123]

Really expected Wasim Khan to be more pro active. I guess he couldn't withstand the influence from above.

Wasim Khan would have seen the influence Andy Flower had on the England team as Wasim has been involved with county cricket.

 

[castortroy]

Today's bowling has been unacceptable for a team 1 down in the series

 

[Mueez]

That was a good ball by Shaheen.

But summed up the day of Pakistan.

 

[King_Kohli]

Who are these 21-25 mighty talented players?

Naseem/ Hasnain/ Hasan/ Shadab/ Faheem/ Musa/ Azam Khan / Omair Yousaf?

All these are mediocre.

I am sure you will get better youngsters than Azar, Shafique and some other mediocre.

 

[tauseef_mahmood]

this partnership is the one that will define the match.

 

[b.lesner]

Depends which four bowlers.....

No they simply aren't good enough

 

[sweep_shot]

Shaheen is leaking runs with the new ball.

 

[castortroy]

SSA with more no balls

 

[MMHS]

Given this is a batting track, I am afraid one of Azhar, Asad Shafiq and Fawad Alam will score a 100 and cement their place for the next series.

That will be great actually- PAK can save this Test there after. Scary thing will be one of them scoring a hundred and then Babar/Shan failing ..... and PAK losing.

 

[b.lesner]

shaheen bowling no bowls

 

[Faisalabadimunda]

Wth is happening

 

[castortroy]

SSA and Naseem.


The hype lol

 

[ahmadharis1]

2nb
4lb
2nb
3nb
4

hurray for new ball

 

[coy0607]

At this rate, England can pile up 500 by Lunch tomorrow. Don't think they will need more than that in this match

 

[Hadi Rizvi]

Andy Flower was available when Misbah was appointed. That just shows the ambition and cricketing knowledge of the PCB.

Dean Jones was interested too.
We went with Misbah.

Some people really should be choked.

 

[castortroy]

SSA and Naseem.


The hype lol

Amir and Raees more threatening than these 2

 

[sweep_shot]

Crawley is on 167*. He can reach 200 today at this rate.

 

[Faisalabadimunda]

15 of 3 balls disgracefull shamefull

 

[Mueez]

Looks like Shaheen is furious.

And is getting a phainty.

Inexperienced bowling...

 

[HappyWarsFan]

What the hell is Shaheen doing lmaooo

 

[b.lesner]

nothing to do with bowling its poor Captaincy who bowls spinners and keeps both long on and long off at the boundary someone please.


Zak Crawley hits a sweep shot and square leg goes to the boundary

 

[Maliq_Mudasir]

What happened to SSA?

 

[Nikhil_cric]

The bowlers you mentions are perhaps the two biggest exceptions that defy the trend. The reason why they made it to the top is simply because they had exceptional bowling skills with the new and old ball.

The importance of height is very much evident in Australia's side who currently have the best pace attack in the world right now. The average height of their 3 pacers (Cummins, Starc and Hazlewood) is 6"5 and the shortest is Cummins at 6"4.

Agreed. Steyn combines sustained high average pace, aggression(effective bouncers) and skill(massive late swing) in a way that precious few short bowlers can. Everything else being equal, release height is extremely important.

 

[Adnan_Ilyas]

when is this torture going to end? one of them needs to lose there wicket

 

[Mueez]

What the hell is Shaheen doing lmaooo

His heads gone.

 

[Hasan123]

Dean Jones was interested too.
We went with Misbah.

Some people really should be choked.

Don't care about Dean Jones. Andy Flower is a world class coach and proven at international level. How you go with Misbah ahead of Andy Flower is mind boggling.

 

[castortroy]

Crawley has treated this attack like a club attack

 

[MMHS]

I am really thankful to you.

Because after 1st test lose, I didn't see the 2nd test and was not seeing this test as well but unfortunately I watched 8 overs when England were 140/4.

Poms were 114/4 I think - but that was just the start of their batting; could have gone to triple that score. Test cricket is two innings game - still PAK can make a come back here with second ball tomorrow morning; but problem is ENG already has a sizeable score on board - best PAK can hope one s 350.... still that’s too many and Poms have scored that quickly enough to cover for a session or two rain ...

 

[Titan24]

At this pace Crawley will be targeting Lara's record.

 

[sweep_shot]

305/4.

66 runs came from last 10 overs.

 

[castortroy]

Most overhyped pak attack ever

Someone like Amir is levels ahead of these 2

 

[Prince of Pakistan]

Creepy-crawly. Means a bug or spider or centipede.

Not that he bats like one..... more like a young Greg Chappell.

I see. Is he called that by his team mates as well?

Some of his offside shots remind me of Micheal Vaughan as well.

 

[coy0607]

SSA and Naseem.


The hype lol

Think they've been overbolwed at this point. Clear dip in quality and discipline in this innings.
They had 9-10 fast bowlers in the squad, why weren't these 2 rested for this match. What's the point of having Waqar with the squad.

 

[King_Kohli]

Ovs Left: 9

 

[MMHS]

Need to try Naseem with 2nd ball - Abbas might ask Rizwan to come up here, late in a day of 90 overs ....

 

[HappyWarsFan]

Even a bunch of Irish club cricketers would bowl better here.

 

[Titan24]

Shaheen needs to try these full yorkers more often, surprises most batsmen when he gets it right

 

[castortroy]

Think they've been overbolwed at this point. Clear dip in quality and discipline in this innings.
They had 9-10 fast bowlers in the squad, why weren't these 2 rested for this match. What's the point of having Waqar with the squad.

2 play 3 of the same bowlers for 3 test is a joke

 

[TeamPak95]

Just checked the score. Is this just bad bowling/strategies by Pak bowlers or bad captaincy by Azhar??

 

[sweep_shot]

Crawley has broken Southampton's record (highest individual Test score by any batsman).

 

[sindhiboy]

The England selectors are absolute geniuses for picking Crawley and overlooking his very low fc average of 30

 

[castortroy]

Naseem should never have played today

 

[TheInaudibleParadox]

Corruption and nepotism paying off again I see for Pak cricket.

 

[sindhiboy]

Has anyone realized that Crawley has a much higher strike rate than Butler?

 

[Hasan123]

England will get over 400.

 

[sharmaji]

Haha but I feel Asad Shafiq is due a customary 75 per series. Nevertheless, it'll be good if any of these guys can score well to save the test.

But the management has to take a serious call before the next test series whether they want to carry on with these guys any longer.

Nah, I think those days are gone. More worried that they might score a “nice looking” 40, get out softly and get praised in the post match presser as having looked good but been unlucky.

 

[Prince of Pakistan]

Think they've been overbolwed at this point. Clear dip in quality and discipline in this innings.
They had 9-10 fast bowlers in the squad, why weren't these 2 rested for this match. What's the point of having Waqar with the squad.

That's exactly what I told [MENTION=135038]Major[/MENTION]. You can see that they are tired especially Naseem.

 

[OldWarHorse]

Pakistan just havent been disciplined once Butler came in. This is match over now.

 

[Indiafan]

Think they've been overbolwed at this point. Clear dip in quality and discipline in this innings.
They had 9-10 fast bowlers in the squad, why weren't these 2 rested for this match. What's the point of having Waqar with the squad.

How can they be over bowled when Pakistan bowled one innings in last 9 days before this match? Naseem bowled 5 overs in last 9 days. First test was played after 3 months of rest

 

[Manunited18]

Full credit to this pair, scoring at a good rate as well

 

[sharmaji]

I completely agree with you.

Also, Babar needs to start scoring big 100s and this test would be a good start.

That will be great actually- PAK can save this Test there after. Scary thing will be one of them scoring a hundred and then Babar/Shan failing ..... and PAK losing.

 

[sweep_shot]

Pakistan just havent been disciplined once Butler came in. This is match over now.

Butler reminds me of old Shahid Afridi. He can unsettle the opposition and take the game anyway.

 

[Hadi Rizvi]

Tomorrow, it really is Babar or bust.

Turn off your TVs/iPads/Live streams when Babar gets out.

 

[Prince of Pakistan]

Wasim Khan would have seen the influence Andy Flower had on the England team as Wasim has been involved with county cricket.

Yea but Wasim took a typical PCB like decision. Didn't expect that from him. Thought he would really use his network in the UK to get some professionals in the Pakistani set up.

Instead we get amateurs who haven't really coached before or not that successfully.

 

[Indiafan]

That's exactly what I told [MENTION=135038]Major[/MENTION]. You can see that they are tired especially Naseem.

How can a bowler be tired after bowling 5 overs in last 9 days?

 

[JattMaula]

2 play 3 of the same bowlers for 3 test is a joke

Many bowlers have placed 4/5 tests per series. Pakistan bowlers bowled only 43 overs in second test of this series.

 

[tauseef_mahmood]

we have waited too long for this wicket ....

 

[Mueez]

Tomorrow, it really is Babar or bust.

Turn off your TVs/iPads/Live streams when Babar gets out.

To be honest I don’t have any hopes from Babar too.