creeeeeeeekeeeeeet

[Worthy4England]

Oof 82-6...well, well. It's like watching posession football. 90% farting about an 10% game!

[Worthy4England]

Not unexpected from COP last night, but that's a chunk of result. Nice wrap up from Leech.

[BWFC_Insane]

Not unexpected from COP last night, but that's a chunk of result. Nice wrap up from Leech.

I was going to post can’t be many times a side have conceded over 500 in the first innings and won by an innings…turns out that’s the first time it’s happened in test cricket. Quite remarkable. One of Englands most stunning performances and results Id say. Pakistan aren’t very good. But still. Pretty unbelievable to score over 800 then bowl a side out for a low score on a flat road.

[Worthy4England]

Not unexpected from COP last night, but that's a chunk of result. Nice wrap up from Leech.

I was going to post can’t be many times a side have conceded over 500 in the first innings and won by an innings…turns out that’s the first time it’s happened in test cricket. Quite remarkable. One of Englands most stunning performances and results Id say. Pakistan aren’t very good. But still. Pretty unbelievable to score over 800 then bowl a side out for a low score on a flat road.

Indeed - Looking at their batting yesterday, you wonder how they managed 550 in the first innings. But pressure does strange things and you don't need worldies when they're in that position, just put it in a decent place, which is what we did and watched them make the mistakes (probably Abdullah excepted as he got a bit of a shooter)

[Worthy4England]

That'll teach me. Figured the 2nd test would start today, a week after the first, only to find it's already in it's second innings! Looks pretty finely balanced with maybe just a shade of upper hand for Pakistan as it seems to be a turner, looking at who's picked up the wickets...

[BWFC_Insane]

That'll teach me. Figured the 2nd test would start today, a week after the first, only to find it's already in it's second innings! Looks pretty finely balanced with maybe just a shade of upper hand for Pakistan as it seems to be a turner, looking at who's picked up the wickets...

It’s not finely balanced they are using the same pitch as the first test which is now breaking up and has inconsistent bounce. Reckoning was chasing 200 was max you’d have a realistic chance of.

Ultimately it probably comes down to the amount of chances we put down. Plus I think the middle order misread the game in the first innings and went too aggressive. It was ok for the openers to get us going but as it got tougher to bat we didn’t really dig in enough.

[Worthy4England]

That'll teach me. Figured the 2nd test would start today, a week after the first, only to find it's already in it's second innings! Looks pretty finely balanced with maybe just a shade of upper hand for Pakistan as it seems to be a turner, looking at who's picked up the wickets...

It’s not finely balanced they are using the same pitch as the first test which is now breaking up and has inconsistent bounce. Reckoning was chasing 200 was max you’d have a realistic chance of.

Ultimately it probably comes down to the amount of chances we put down. Plus I think the middle order misread the game in the first innings and went too aggressive. It was ok for the openers to get us going but as it got tougher to bat we didn’t really dig in enough.

Ahhh - we weren't 36-2 when I posted that - but a point well made - that's probably why it was like a shirt front in the first test...

[Worthy4England]

And so it panned out - A loss on a wicket the diametric opposite from last week's as you predicted mate.

[TANGODANCER]

Kept an eye on the game, but I'm way beyond comment on developments. That's cricket for you. It would be pointless any other way.

[BWFC_Insane]

And so it panned out - A loss on a wicket the diametric opposite from last week's as you predicted mate.

They didn’t plan to use the same pitch. It was meant to be one two squares on. But think they looked at it knew it was another road with grass on so would hold together and knew England would fancy it.

So they changed to use the same pitch and picked like a thousand spinners. Clever move and definitely sorted out our weakness.

In fairness though it only worked because they won the toss. Whoever batted first was always likely to win.

Still think inspite of all that if Root and Smith didn’t have butterfingers we probably would have won.

[Worthy4England]

Yeah - it's interesting. I'd have liked to have caught some of it. Sounds like enough roller on it to last maybe a day, then into a lottery.

[Worthy4England]

Oh dear...ssems to be a bit all or nothing at the moment. Aussies not going to be quaking...

[BWFC_Insane]

Oh dear...ssems to be a bit all or nothing at the moment. Aussies not going to be quaking...

Can’t play on slow turners. Not sure that has much bearing on Australia. Though I can’t see anything beyond a shellacking down there. Heard a lot of very optimistic talk on TMS about our fast bowling attack and how it will do done there but remain to be convinced.

[Worthy4England]

Oh dear...ssems to be a bit all or nothing at the moment. Aussies not going to be quaking...

Can’t play on slow turners. Not sure that has much bearing on Australia. Though I can’t see anything beyond a shellacking down there. Heard a lot of very optimistic talk on TMS about our fast bowling attack and how it will do done there but remain to be convinced.

Yeah, I know they're not the same pitches, but you could deffo say we didn't bat great on them outside of 1 innings...I think we're loitering in 6th in the test table vs Aussie 2nd to India? And I've not heard the "B" word for quite a while, although test 1 probably closeish. 800+ at 5 an over..

[BWFC_Insane]

Oh dear...ssems to be a bit all or nothing at the moment. Aussies not going to be quaking...

Can’t play on slow turners. Not sure that has much bearing on Australia. Though I can’t see anything beyond a shellacking down there. Heard a lot of very optimistic talk on TMS about our fast bowling attack and how it will do done there but remain to be convinced.

Yeah, I know they're not the same pitches, but you could deffo say we didn't bat great on them outside of 1 innings...I think we're loitering in 6th in the test table vs Aussie 2nd to India? And I've not heard the "B" word for quite a while, although test 1 probably closeish. 800+ at 5 an over..

Yeah the whole thing is starting to look a bit fraught. Initially the idea of clear headed positive cricket without recrimination was a good one. Then it got to a point where people wanted us to play more ‘sensible cricket’ so it was modified to be aggressive and positive when we can.

But I think test one suited us as the pitch was a road so the only way to possibly win was to score quickly. It was easy. No real thought or decision. Given stokes and McCullum’s imperative to force a result no matter what.

However test two on the same pitch suddenly meant that ‘be aggressive when it makes sense’ required more judgement. And generally we failed that. Though bowling and dropped catches maybe a bigger issue.

Test three it fell apart on a pitch that was designed to be tricky. It was a pitch where you had to play shots when you could and be aggressive but you had to time it. There were times to dig in. First innings smith and Atkinson blasted their way to a recovery but you could sense the situation started to change as Pakistan started to man the ropes and bowl more like you would in a one dayer. Atkinson went with a not great dismissal and then the danger was baked in. Smith 9 from 100 carried on trying to play and also got out to an expansive shot when he could have nurdled the strike for another 30 or 40 before maybe going again if conditions dictated. Maybe cost us the game irrespective of how well he played.

But that’s an example it goes pretty much throughout the team. They can’t read the rhythm and adjust batting accordingly.

[Worthy4England]

Yeah, I think back in the day some of the middle order were maybe better able to pace an innings. Thinking of people like Robin Smith, Allan Lamb and the like, but it was probably (don't have figures to hand) more akin to 2.5 per over to maybe 4...rather than 2 to 7.

[TANGODANCER]

England 155-3 win and go two up on the W.I. Good start.

[TANGODANCER]

Sat up for the B,B,C, commentary last night. Cracking game and Windies won with one over left. They had it sewn up at one stage, then, bang, bang, bang, we got three wickets in three balls to drag it back. We just ran out of time at the death, but it was so close. Great cricket.

[MattySlug]

Cricket is on now Australia - India from Perth, WA
I got to see first wicket out in both free to air TV Coverage as well as Hindi Language on the Kayœ Sports Streaming App through PS4.
Now just have had it on App through Phone the SEN Sports Radio Aussie Stations.

[Worthy4England]

Gotta say, what a great bowler Bumrah is. I take no enjoyment watching the Aussies get beat.