Cricket fred

[Banquo]

pray for rain people

[Banquo]

4 th innings will be .....challenging

[Galfon]

Problem is if they throw caution to the wind, there isn't any at the moment.
If Brocher can get us to 250-ish with a thrash, there might still be a game.

[Banquo]

Batting has been dire all innings bar Pope and a bit from Buttler, but grim since lunch. Its diffcult but not a minefield.

[Banquo]

At least the last wicket tried, and good for Broad again. Bowlers have to properly concentrate and put Pakistan under some pressure, its not an easy wicket.

[Banquo]

Stokes spotted bowling in the nets.

[Banquo]

weird start but a wicket anyway!

[Banquo]

Root off damaged hand

[Banquo]

Anderson bowling well, poor from Stokes. Is he better in the gully? I think so.

[Banquo]

Anderson looks like he's lost his rag. Root has the field wrong and the slips too close together. So obvious, so frustrating.

[Banquo]

well this is going well. Neither containing nor taking wickets. Also slightly worried to hear Archer say this isn't a pitch to bowl fast on....wtf

Really lazy and sloppy. Root needs to give em a rocket, Jofra looks like he is going through the motions. Now Bess is on- big moment for him- and he's done well, spooked Abid into a sweep; credit to Root there. Now they need to get some intensity and wobble the Pakistanis.

[Big D]

well this is going well. Neither containing nor taking wickets. Also slightly worried to hear Archer say this isn't a pitch to bowl fast on....wtf

Really lazy and sloppy. Root needs to give em a rocket, Jofra looks like he is going through the motions. Now Bess is on- big moment for him- and he's done well, spooked Abid into a sweep; credit to Root there. Now they need to get some intensity and wobble the Pakistanis.

Archer, or specifically the way he is being handled is a conundrum.

He probably needs the new ball but is bowling 2nd change. He often gets flogged for long spells making it impossible to consistenly ramp up the speed even if he could be arsed.

Silverwood and Root (and JA) need to decide what they want him to be and let him get on with it. If that ends up being white ball cricket only then fine.

[Galfon]

True, though it's unusual to become a fully-fledged test paceman overnight; bit of a dilemma atm as he is probably worthy of a luxury tag.
The yeomen have done a bit thankfully, but already 230-odd will be a stiff ask on this track and the Pak. bowling.

[Banquo]

Sums up Roots captaincy and Jofras current approach. Very poor.

[Stom]

I would so drop him right now. And I don’t mean for one test, I would not pick him this summer until he can show he has the mental application to succeed.

And also that England know what they bloody want from him.

[Stom]

And now, bouncer at the guy with a test 100, full deliveries at the genuine tail enders. Wtf

[Banquo]

I would so drop him right now. And I don’t mean for one test, I would not pick him this summer until he can show he has the mental application to succeed.

And also that England know what they bloody want from him.

Think the dilemma is that they want different things from him depending on who else is fit. He certainly seems to not be certain what he is doing, if being kind.

32 more runs is hardly the end of the world, but it’s the way they got them and the change In momentum...

[Galfon]

ffs..2 gone for 10 runs..pendulum swings back towards Pak. These two need to keep it steady.It will be good win
if achieved.

[Banquo]

ffs..2 gone for 10 runs..pendulum swings back towards Pak. These two need to keep it steady.It will be good win
if achieved.

Tricky now. Leggy in the groove

[Galfon]

The top-order decide to convene back in the shed.

[Banquo]

Entertaining stuff

[Digby]

We're not so much playing catchup as playing behind the game, and it's not working. Fair play to Pakistan, they're thoroughly outplaying us.

200 runs from the top 6 across 2 innings isn't going to do other than lose a lot of games, though the hope hasn't been killed off yet

[Galfon]

Nearly home and hosed now..buttler & woakes show their mettle as pitch behaves itself.
Never in doubt

[Banquo]

Oh joss so nearly bit unlucky tbh. Rather he was there with the tail really

[Banquo]

Nearly home and hosed now..buttler & woakes show their mettle as pitch behaves itself.
Never in doubt

Good jinxing work