Cricket

Really stupid especially if you consider how the bowling has performed recently. Light saved him.

Add in 28 wickets falling over 5 days of cricket and the fact that one team in the history of test cricket has been bowled out in <15 overs, just completely pointless.
 
Really stupid especially if you consider how the bowling has performed recently. Light saved him.

Add in 28 wickets falling over 5 days of cricket and the fact that one team in the history of test cricket has been bowled out in <15 overs, just completely pointless.

Come on, the match was always going to end as a draw at the time of the declaration. There was never going to be more than 8-9 overs with the light situation if you've watched any cricket in Pakistan the past month or so. Claiming the light saved him is daft.
 
Come on, the match was always going to end as a draw at the time of the declaration. There was never going to be more than 8-9 overs with the light situation if you've watched any cricket in Pakistan the past month or so. Claiming the light saved him is daft.

All I said was the declaration was pointless, all you’ve done is reinforce that view to be honest. Pakistan were never going to win that match and it wasn’t a show of any intent at all, it was a bit stupid and you could see by the body language of the players and staff that they were a bit baffled by it all by the end of the match.

All they’ve done is made New Zealand feel a bit better about themselves.
 
I agree with @Annihilate Now! that it was more pointless than anything else. Light was always going to make it around 10 overs and neither side is winning there.
Still it made a really dull test match interesting for a short period.
 
Shafique and Masood's poor form continues. We need a big score from Babar and Imam here to have a chance of winning the test.
 
Well played Saud Shakeel - maiden test 100.
 
How come there are so few fans at the Pakistan v NZ test match? Its held in a city of 15 million with free entry to the game. What gives? Are NZ really that small time they dont interest the cricket fans there?
 
Pretty embarrassing stuff from Pakistan at the end of today's play. Credit to NZ for trying to engineer a result.

Babar's tactics really do confuse me - not sure what he's trying to achieve other than drawing each and every test?
 
Pretty embarrassing stuff from Pakistan at the end of today's play. Credit to NZ for trying to engineer a result.

Babar's tactics really do confuse me - not sure what he's trying to achieve other than drawing each and every test?

Caught a bit of the end of play - :lol:

Aside from the usual deficiencies with Pakistan, the pitches are not good enough. Ramiz Raja made that point before he got ousted but he’d been around enough to make a change.

Great to have cricket back in the country, but they might as well stick to white ball cricket if the pitches are going to be how they’ve been in the last couple of Test series.
 
Sarfraz needs to hog the strike and just blitz it to be honest. It’s been a miserable return of test cricket to Pakistan. I’d rather lose trying to win than draw (or lose) trying to bat the day.

This is our last test for ages so w can at least go out with a bang if possible.
 
Terrible review. Impact was miles outside line.
 
Boooo!!!

Babar can smile but 3 home Test series played over the last year, 0 games won. Plenty of things for Pakistan to sort out.
 
Shame it’s finished in a draw. A result either way would have been interesting.


Boooo!!!

Babar can smile but 3 home Test series played over the last year, 0 games won. Plenty of things for Pakistan to sort out.
Agree - not sure he should be kept on as red ball captain…but not sure who else we have that can do it?
 
Shame it’s finished in a draw. A result either way would have been interesting.



Agree - not sure he should be kept on as red ball captain…but not sure who else we have that can do it?

I think Imam’s pretty settled in the side & has experience so perhaps he could be an option.

I doubt they remove Babar as captain. He’s a terrific player, but I don’t like him as captain in any format tbh.
 
Someone in this thread said it best -- the most form an in form player has been. GOAT tier batting.

I don't know if you can even call it form anymore, he's been doing it for a long enough period to suggest that this is his level. One thing I noticed is he didn't bat in the V in this latest innings, he's figured out how to feel comfortable playing unorthodox shots on a regular basis. Think you will see many other players adopt a similar approach with time.
 
Myself, Dad and brother all got tickets for the 4th test of the Ashes at Old Trafford, day 5 for Christmas. To say I'm excited is an understatement :drool:

Went to the match England v South Africa at Old Trafford last year in July and even though the weather was atrocious it was a fantastic day. Unusual a Scotsman being fond of cricket I suppose :lol: but the 3 of us love it.
 
I've always been a fan of Steven Smith. IMLTHO he is the greatest test batsman I've seen in my 50+ years of watching cricket but a step below as a white ball cricketer (especially T20). However, it appears he is trying to change my opinion on that as well. After returning to the Sydney Sixers in the BBL he has been phenomenal. Two successive centuries with a brilliant 125 not out for his latest effort.

To be continued (I hope).......
 
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Not sure they’ll make 400 now but currently India looks a cut above everyone in ODIs
 
Anyone watching the SA-England game and worried Archer might have lost a bit of pace? Seems to be bowling high-80s now rather than low-90s.

Could just be easing himself back in though...
 
Gary Ballance becomes the 2nd player to score a Test century for 2 different countries