RugbyRebels

Ballance recalled and Rolland-Jones in the squad for Anderson who is injured.

On reflection, probably a fair call. He provides the yang to the ying of the attacking players around him.

I imagine Ball will be in line for a debut.

Never enjoy games against this lot unless we are giving them a beasting .


Cheating feckers .



imo .

Finn bowling himself into being dropped again. So frustrating. Think Ali's position needs reviewing as well. The last 15 overs from England have been terrible and put Pakistan on top

Banquo wrote:Finn bowling himself into being dropped again. So frustrating. Think Ali's position needs reviewing as well. The last 15 overs from England have been terrible and put Pakistan on top

Only started watching about 20 minutes back, Finn has lost his talent, Ali hasn't lost what he never had though perhaps it's unfair to expect much of a finger spinner on day one, against which Ali in't delivering little never mind much.

Digby wrote:

Banquo wrote:Finn bowling himself into being dropped again. So frustrating. Think Ali's position needs reviewing as well. The last 15 overs from England have been terrible and put Pakistan on top

Only started watching about 20 minutes back, Finn has lost his talent, Ali hasn't lost what he never had though perhaps it's unfair to expect much of a finger spinner on day one, against which Ali in't delivering little never mind much.

its fair to expect him to tie and end down and certainly not go for in excess of 7 an over.

Banquo wrote:

Digby wrote:

Banquo wrote:Finn bowling himself into being dropped again. So frustrating. Think Ali's position needs reviewing as well. The last 15 overs from England have been terrible and put Pakistan on top

Only started watching about 20 minutes back, Finn has lost his talent, Ali hasn't lost what he never had though perhaps it's unfair to expect much of a finger spinner on day one, against which Ali in't delivering little never mind much.

its fair to expect him to tie and end down and certainly not go for in excess of 7 an over.

I do feel his successes as a bowler to this point, and there have been some, have been in spite of his ability and/or because people have gotten carried away trying to get after him. I know Swann has spoken well of him, and I've a lot of time for his views on cricket and especially spin, but I'm just not seeing Ali as being picked for anything but his batting.

Seems Pakistan have both started and ended the day giving up some cheap wickets, but we'll take 'em as we'd be struggling to stay in touch otherwise. Game nicely in the balance as things stand.

Digby wrote:

Banquo wrote:

Digby wrote:
Only started watching about 20 minutes back, Finn has lost his talent, Ali hasn't lost what he never had though perhaps it's unfair to expect much of a finger spinner on day one, against which Ali in't delivering little never mind much.

its fair to expect him to tie and end down and certainly not go for in excess of 7 an over.

I do feel his successes as a bowler to this point, and there have been some, have been in spite of his ability and/or because people have gotten carried away trying to get after him. I know Swann has spoken well of him, and I've a lot of time for his views on cricket and especially spin, but I'm just not seeing Ali as being picked for anything but his batting.

well, yes.

Cook dropped at first slip, a really easy chance too. 50-1, bit of a mix from Pakistan with the ball, being nice with the ball doing a bit they're a little over attacking in length and with swing the lines are too easy to score from.

Cook edging through the slips now, I guess he controlled it enough to get it down. Poor fielding though, just because there wasn't a catch doesn't mean you have to let the ball go through the slips for 4

Vince and Balance confirming what I think we all knew. In the doo-da, owing to inability to play leg spin..quelle surprise

need Moeen to justify his selection now.

Banquo wrote:Vince and Balance confirming what I think we all knew. In the doo-da, owing to inability to play leg spin..quelle surprise

Not exactly spinning much either. That said I do quite like the Pakistan bowling attack, they just perhaps need to consider not trying to get a wicket with every ball.

Banquo wrote:need Moeen to justify his selection now.

It'd still be in a manner that says drop Ballance and pick a spinner

Digby wrote:

Banquo wrote:need Moeen to justify his selection now.

It'd still be in a manner that says drop Ballance and pick a spinner

stokes back in would help a lot.

Cook, Hales, a number 3, Root, YJB, Stokes, Buttler, Woakes, Rashid, Broad, Anderson has a certain ring to it....with AN Other replacing Anderson as and when- Wood, if fit.

Watching a nervous England team trying to play spin is like watching your children ride a bike with stabilisers for the first time. Deep inside you know they are not ready for it, their feet and hands are all over the place and you know that at any second it’s going to go horribly wrong and end in tears.

Ed Dixon, Hampshire

Moeen gone, tad unlucky. Looking bad for the chaps.

Poor decision that on Ali, although we got one going for us in similar fashion when Ball picked up his first. Also that was way too long with the TMO

Banquo wrote:Moeen gone, tad unlucky. Looking bad for the chaps.

He was also looking the best Vs the spinner, hopefully he can point out to the others what he was looking at as several seemed to have no idea what was being bowled

Digby wrote:

Banquo wrote:Moeen gone, tad unlucky. Looking bad for the chaps.

He was also looking the best Vs the spinner, hopefully he can point out to the others what he was looking at as several seemed to have no idea what was being bowled

He's a very good bowler.

stupid running

Issues in the bowling unit but they still got the job done in the 1st innings, abysmal yet again from the batsman. Don't see any pressure being put on the return of Anderson and Stokes. At this point we're just lucky Pakistan are such a bad fielding side, but we should be able to get after their batting and if we can revise 1-2 of the cheap wickets given away in the first innings we'll be at least competitive over the series

Banquo wrote:

Digby wrote:

Banquo wrote:Moeen gone, tad unlucky. Looking bad for the chaps.

He was also looking the best Vs the spinner, hopefully he can point out to the others what he was looking at as several seemed to have no idea what was being bowled

He's a very good bowler.

Yes he is, though why there were so many big shots against him when they're seemingly not reading him I don't know. I get putting pressure back on the bowler, just not sure why that can't start with some singles. Be interesting to see him with some foot marks to bowl into, we looked wobbly enough on a fresh pitch offering minimal turn.

Finn rightly spitting feathers; Bairstow can't drop so many simple chances. Move him to 5 and bring Buttler and Stokes back- ironically, then Finn would likely be dropped.

Banquo wrote:Finn rightly spitting feathers; Bairstow can't drop so many simple chances. Move him to 5 and bring Buttler and Stokes back- ironically, then Finn would likely be dropped.

Was thinking exactly the same. Ballance or Vince would then drop out too, Ballance imo.