England v Pakistan

[Tee]

What a day!!!

[spud_gun]

Innings defeats for the number 1 team in test cricket? who'd have thunk it?

[Buzzo]

From BBC TMS Live feed.

"Strauss bingo time coming up soon. 'unit', 'on the chin', 'bounce back' and 'credit to Pakistan' for a full house I reckon."

[Chazza]

Avoided the Innings defeat

[Chazza]

160 all out

Ajmal with a 10 Wicket Match

[Buzzo]

All out.

Pakistan need 15 to win.

[Keith]

This is like watching Liverpooll! Substitute our poor finishing for England's poor batting....

I think covers all the emotions I have experienced in this test match

[Chazza]

Done.

10 Wicket Victory for Pakistan

They played very well, England were shocking

[Shaggy]

Shameful.

[Keith]

The two previous tests at this ground (versus South Africa and Sri Lanka) have both been draws and have produced three double centuries. Plus last time Ajmal bowled on this wicket (versus Sri Lanka) he got 1 for 167, his worst figures! So it looks like a draw then.

Note: Misbah has won the toss and inserted the opposition in both these matches and the Pakistan seamers have got wickets on the first morning. So our best chance appears to depend on winning the toss, bowling them out for 300 ish, making 600 odd and then hopefully Pakistan bottle it in their second innings.

Team news - Pakistan likely to be unchanged. Tremlett appears to be struggling with his back, so Finn looks likely to start in his place.

[Keith]

Pakistan 256 - 7

Excellent day for bowlers. We just need to mop up the lower order tomorrow and pray that our batsmen deliver.

Two interesting decisions: (1) Misbah batting when he won the toss when he has previously inserted the opposition on this pitch, and (2) England going with 2 spinners.

[Subby]

Well since I started this thread I'll stick my neck out with a few predictions

England line up with Strauss, Cook, Trott, Pietersen, Bell, Morgan, Prior, Broad, Swann, Anderson and Finn. I think it pretty well picks itself as I think Flower will give the nod to Swann over Panesar, despite the latter's performance in the warm up game.

Match prediction really depends on England's batting. Whenever a new series starts I always feel that the batting looks brittle and too dependent upon Cook, but then they proceed to rattle up scores in excess of 500!

So recent (England Test) history would suggest either a draw or an England win. If the pitch offers any help to the seamers then England should win, but if it doesn't then I don't have enough faith in Swann's current form for him to pick up the necessary wickets to deliver the win.

so then....how's your next prediction going to go


side note...wouldn't say england "won" the first day today but they didn't do too bad. Certainly not as bad as the last dismal affair lol

[Keith]

so then....how's your next prediction going to go


side note...wouldn't say england "won" the first day today but they didn't do too bad. Certainly not as bad as the last dismal affair lol

See post 85 - Got most of that wrong too!

[Keith]

Pakistan 257, England 207 - 5

Anderson and Broad did the business and removed the last 3 wickets for virtually nothing, then after the early loss of Strauss, Cook and Trott put England in the driving seat at 166 - 1.

Unfortunately Ajmal is now making the ball talk and all the batsmen are struggling.

It will need a monumental effort from England's remaining batsmen and then the bowlers tomorrow to turn this game back around, as England have to bat last on this pitch.

[Buzzo]

Monty