Pakistan finish Day 3 on 137/8 against England, lead by 244 runs

[MenInG]

An intriguing and possibly match-defining day's play in the offing - England can take the match back or Pakistan will end up on top - which will be it?

 

[marlonbrowndo]

Got a little carried away in the last 30 min or so. Hopefully we tighten it up a bit

 

[Mueez]

Need to get this pair out in the first hour.

 

[PakPremi]

England mini all rounders are quite capable of scoring 100 runs between them, and with one of Pope or Butler scoring a century could become a close match. However, I think Pak have the momentum and with Yasir, Shaheen and Abbass all bowling well enough Pak willskittle them out to get a reasonable lead , perhaps 70 to100.

 

[Mueez]

Pakistan should try to bowl them out under 200.

It’s difficult but not impossible.

 

[James]

Oddly enough after England were absolutely steamrollered yesterday by a stellar Pakistan team, the best way now for England to get out of this mess and have a chance of winning (or at least restore some pride) may be for them to follow on, and to set Pakistan a small but tricky target on this dry pitch in the 4th innings.

More likely is that England will make it past the follow-on target but still finish at least 100-150 runs short of Pakistan, at which point Pakistan will only need to bat for another 60 overs in order to finally wipe England out of the game and give them an impossible 4th innings.

Test matches are never over until they are over, and all sorts of extraordinary things can happen in Test cricket — but currently there is no doubt that Pakistan deserves to be in its great match position and England deserves to be in its awful one.

 

[Usman Chadda]

Pakistan need to keep the pressure on, as Pope and Buttler were looking really comfortable out there for the last 30 mins of the day's play. Buttler specially can be destructive and change gears effortlessly. Pope hasn't been trouble at all.

Need both of them in the shed quickly

 

[TrentDevil]

Need to bowl them out before Lunch ideally

 

[Corridor of Uncertainty]

Roles:

Azhar - Strongly dry up runs. Make England earn every run. Don't go all-out aggressive and give away easy boundaries. Plus, you are up there with the best on DRS reviews. Stay vigilant.
Shaheen - Just repeat yesterday.
Abbas - Repeat yesterday. Also, don't bring keeper up unless nothing else is working.
Naseem - Be the enforcer. Go all out fast. Focus on bouncers, yorkers and all the arsenal of a fast bowler. Short bursts. Also wait for ball to reverse and get stuck in.
Yasir - Do less with the ball because pitch is doing a lot on its own. The less you do, the more dangerous because you will keep control of what happens.
Shan - Be ready. You will be called upon if conditions are favorable for a bowl. Work out plans.

 

[Rajdeep]

[MENTION=1842]James[/MENTION] - What purpose does Bess serves? Sub-continent players are brought up playing spinners 10 times better than him. What is the point of playing him against Pakistan?

England should have played Sam Curran who is a very handy all rounder in home conditions. Good lower order bat and would have given variety in Eng bowling with left arm seam.

Agree?

 

[Shaddy86]

Roles:

Azhar - Strongly dry up runs. Make England earn every run. Don't go all-out aggressive and give away easy boundaries. Plus, you are up there with the best on DRS reviews. Stay vigilant.
Shaheen - Just repeat yesterday.
Abbas - Repeat yesterday. Also, don't bring keeper up unless nothing else is working.
Naseem - Be the enforcer. Go all out fast. Focus on bouncers, yorkers and all the arsenal of a fast bowler. Short bursts. Also wait for ball to reverse and get stuck in.
Yasir - Do less with the ball because pitch is doing a lot on its own. The less you do, the more dangerous because you will keep control of what happens.
Shan - Be ready. You will be called upon if conditions are favorable for a bowl. Work out plans.

Shadab?

 

[Forward Defensive Push]

I expect us to take a lead of 120 odd and start batting in the middle of the second session. Need to focus on singles as we did in the first innings and solidify our position in the match with a lead of 270 with 7 wickets in hand by the end of the day.

 

[Ab Fan]

The only concern for Pakistan will be that Yasir is leaking a lot of runs, if you allow Pope and Buttler easy runs, they would love taking them and the more they score, they will feel comfortable. The good part is that today morning, pacers can easily inflict a couple of wickets more and then we are into tail. Get them under 200. A lead of 130-140 is spot on for Pakistan.

 

[Pakhs]

Yasir is giving away too much runs recently thats been his problem last 2 years.

 

[wrongun]

Oddly enough after England were absolutely steamrollered yesterday by a stellar Pakistan team, the best way now for England to get out of this mess and have a chance of winning (or at least restore some pride) may be for them to follow on, and to set Pakistan a small but tricky target on this dry pitch in the 4th innings.

More likely is that England will make it past the follow-on target but still finish at least 100-150 runs short of Pakistan, at which point Pakistan will only need to bat for another 60 overs in order to finally wipe England out of the game and give them an impossible 4th innings.

Test matches are never over until they are over, and all sorts of extraordinary things can happen in Test cricket — but currently there is no doubt that Pakistan deserves to be in its great match position and England deserves to be in its awful one.

Unlikely though that Pakistan- with playing two spinners in the attack & winning the toss- would choose to enforce the follow on.

 

[Markhor]

Pakistan's mission is to wrap England's innings up as cheaply as possible and start batting again this afternoon. Pope looks assured, Buttler can take the game away in quick time while Woakes, Bess and Broad are no mugs with the bat.

The forecast is for hot weather today and tomorrow so ideal batting conditions and a chance for Pakistan to pile on the runs before reinserting England on a wearing, turning pitch.

 

[Corridor of Uncertainty]

Shadab?

Woah, I forgot Shadab.

Shadab - Focus on off stump and just outside off to be the perfect foil for Yasir - who is wicket to wicket. this will also help in controlling runs at his end. Plus pitch will do a lot for him.

 

[marlonbrowndo]

Unlikely though that Pakistan- with playing two spinners in the attack & winning the toss- would choose to enforce the follow on.

Yeah there’s no way

 

[Abdullah]

Got a little carried away in the last 30 min or so. Hopefully we tighten it up a bit

Not really we didn't. Just Shah was not up to the mark
We need the 3 quicks to do the business in session one.

Hopefully Shaheen and Abbas can nip one out early and then Naseem and shadabs googlies / and bowling into the rough to Jimmy and broad should see us through without much workload on Shah. I just can not trust him yet

Humongous first spells from Shaheen and abbas

 

[JibranAnsari]

Pakistan wont be able to dry up runs , yasir and shadab both give away runs. Naseem isnt economical either , the only way today is to get early wickets.

 

[AamchiMumbaikar]

Pak is winning unless Pope/ Buttler score a magical 100.

 

[MenInG]

Weather set fair....

 

[Major]

REALLLY exciteddd, cant wait for play to start.

 

[PakPremi]

Yasir although started badlybut got in good toward the end. I hope he can maintain the control today,wickets will then come.

 

[Usman Chadda]

Yasir although started badlybut got in good toward the end. I hope he can maintain the control today,wickets will then come.

He was rubbish yesterday. Atleast one bad ball every over. He needs to calm down and stick to his strengths.

 

[MenInG]

NASSER HUSSAIN agrees with Bumble that it is indeed a 'crucial day three', and England in particular need this partnership to flourish...

"It is [crucial]. And obviously this partnership between Buttler and Pope.

"It's a big day anyway for Buttler - he had three costly errors with the gloves - and everyone will want him to get some runs, for his confidence. Pope looks a class act, he came in under pressure yesterday at 12-3 and played beautifully.

"I think it's a first-innings pitch, so England have to get as close to Pakistan as they can, then they're in the game. But if they have a deficit of about 100, you're out of the game, you're batting last and then this pitch will turn.

 

[MenInG]

NASSER HUSSAIN agrees with Bumble that it is indeed a 'crucial day three', and England in particular need this partnership to flourish...

"It is [crucial]. And obviously this partnership between Buttler and Pope.

"It's a big day anyway for Buttler - he had three costly errors with the gloves - and everyone will want him to get some runs, for his confidence. Pope looks a class act, he came in under pressure yesterday at 12-3 and played beautifully.

"I think it's a first-innings pitch, so England have to get as close to Pakistan as they can, then they're in the game. But if they have a deficit of about 100, you're out of the game, you're batting last and then this pitch will turn.

So Nasser says 100 run lead could win us this game?

 

[James]

[MENTION=1842]James[/MENTION] - What purpose does Bess serves? Sub-continent players are brought up playing spinners 10 times better than him. What is the point of playing him against Pakistan?

England should have played Sam Curran who is a very handy all rounder in home conditions. Good lower order bat and would have given variety in Eng bowling with left arm seam.

Agree?

Yep, Bess is a passenger and I don’t rate him.

Either Leach or Curran would offer more with bat and ball. Even Moeen Ali would!

 

[MenInG]

Legspinners; Pakistan have two of them, while we've added a third into the mix as SHANE WARNE takes a look at this day three surface...

"It looks a fantastic pitch; it's hard, dry and we've seen some great carry. It looks like it's going to spin big - the spinners will have a lot to say.

"As a spinner, you want to plant the seed in a batsman's mind that it's doing a lot, because then your natural variations come in when one doesn't spin as much and they're not sure what line to play at.

"Yasir Shah did that brilliantly and there was enough encouragement with some of his deliveries yesterday that he's going to cause the England batsmen some issues.

"He maybe got a little bit too excited, though, a little too impatient and he started to rush everything he did."

 

[James]

Unlikely though that Pakistan- with playing two spinners in the attack & winning the toss- would choose to enforce the follow on.

Yes I agree.

We are pretty much screwed. lol

 

[MMHS]

Match deciding morning - if PAK can get them 7 down by lunch, it's over for Poms.

 

[90MPH]

Looking at the weather forecast will mean this pitch is going to crumble so any lead over 100 will be massive for Pakistan.

England have a long batting line up so they still have a chance to get close to the score but someone like Pope will need to score over 100.

Yasir needs to be more accurate today. The pitch is helping him so he doesn’t need try too hard.

 

[Usman Chadda]

Pope looks really good, must say

 

[watson367]

Shaheen should stay Over the Wicket. Changed ends too many times yesterday.

 

[MMHS]

Pope reminds me so much of Ian Bell. Good player and drafted at the right age. Excluding Tests, his FC average must be over 60. I think, ENG should drop Root to No. 4 and develop Pope at long term No. 3.

 

[castortroy]

Yasir better not bowl his filth today

 

[Amjid Javed]

2 early wickets needed here.

 

[Omer2002]

I wouldnt have started with two seamers...its a flat wicket now..sun will be beaming through...pace is down from our bowlers already..going to be hard work i think spinner needed to tie up at one end

 

[Invincible Gujjar]

Ollie Pope is quite talented and he might score big today.Need to get him out soon.

 

[watson367]

a lot depends on how yasir and shadab bowl

 

[castortroy]

If butler bat's for the first hour he may take the game away

 

[kingusama92]

Pope reminds me so much of Ian Bell. Good player and drafted at the right age. Excluding Tests, his FC average must be over 60. I think, ENG should drop Root to No. 4 and develop Pope at long term No. 3.

I couldn't put a finger on it, but Ian Bell is a great comparison.

 

[Yk313]

Good ball

 

[Amjid Javed]

Shaheen and abbas bowling well, but its down to rest of bowlers to bowl just aswell.

 

[Markhor]

Tidy start. ENG batsmen looking more watchful this morning.

 

[Yk313]

SSA is bowling great areas (line & length both), if he gets slightly more shape it will help.

50 for Pope.

 

[watson367]

close!!

 

[Mueez]

Pope will get out soon!

 

[topspin]

Fantastic 50 by Ollie Pope.

 

[Markhor]

Well done Ollie Pope. Came in with top order dismissed against a fired up attack, and looked assured for the most part.

He will go up to 3 in the next 12-18 months.

 

[watson367]

so many rules in favor of batsmen. why check front foot aswell?

 

[Amjid Javed]

Pope lucky twice

 

[watson367]

didnt carry england getting very lucky here

 

[Firebat]

Wasim Akram ringing the bell this morning:

 

[Deewana Mastana]

Rizwan is a bit too far back for Abbas even the slips especially when he bowling 75-77mph.

 

[Firebat]

That full inswinger from Shaheen to Pope looking very dangerous...

 

[Markhor]

We are praising Pope but he has gotten away with some inside edges too.

 

[Mueez]

Shaheen has become so threatening with his inswinger. The Banana Swing which Amir used to be a master at.

 

[asadee]

3 lucky inside edges

 

[castortroy]

Pitch looking pretty flat

 

[Mueez]

I want Naseem Shah to clean bowl Pope.

 

[Yk313]

Rizwan is a bit too far back for Abbas even the slips especially when he bowling 75-77mph.

Agreed

 

[Yk313]

Shaheen has become so threatening with his inswinger. The Banana Swing which Amir used to be a master at.

Quite a few inside edges

 

[Yk313]

Still quite overcast. Was there any reverse on offer against Windies? At OT?

 

[Mueez]

Quite a few inside edges

Yeah! Kudos to Waqar and Shaheen who are working on this prospect of bowling.

 

[Firebat]

32 of Abbas' 68 Test wickets have come with deliveries that would have hit or clipped the stumps.

 

[watson367]

I heard Naseem is an effective old ball bowler. Hope its true

 

[Kashur_Kalkharab]

Abbas shouldn't be removed straight away, at least 10 on trot. Bring in naseem after saheen and then yasir replaces abbas and saheen replaces naseem... Keep attacking.

 

[Zeshan547]

England trying their best but Pak need to keep up the intensity and discipline, wickets will come and one will most likely follow many inshaAllah.

 

[Mueez]

I heard Naseem is an effective old ball bowler. Hope its true

In his short career he has bowled better with the old ball... so let’s hope!

 

[the Great Khan]

this is going to be a classic day of test cricket, i can see this pair giving us some major problems. They are both looking watchful and the pitch will get flatter. We need to open on end up and we are into the English tail. Pope is key but we need to get Buttler out. He seems determined today.

 

[ARK Rafay]

With this 30 overs old ball. I would like to see Naseem come and bowl in the right area. His pace and a movement if possible can get Paid a wicket here.

 

[Firebat]

142kph Naseem's first ball of the morning. Already warmed up it seems.

 

[marlonbrowndo]

Just dropped short

 

[Zeshan547]

They are again staying too deep. This can be costly miss.

 

[Firebat]

Luckyyyy lucky Buttler

 

[Mueez]

No wayyyyy

 

[Invincible Gujjar]

He nearly got him.No need to worry. He will get him

 

[watson367]

just short

 

[Major]

ohhh didnt carry