England Cricket 2016 - Sri Lanka & Pakistan

RORY65 said:
Have Pakistan got an all-rounder that they could bring in? I know that may weaken the already vulnerable batting further but it's a lot of overs for the 3 pace-men, regardless of Yasir bowling so much, in comparison to England who have so many bowling options. I guess the other option is that Hafeez will have to bowl a reasonable amount if his ban is overturned.
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Don't think we have any all-rounders in the squad. The last decent all-rounder was probably Razzaq, and that's going back a while. Hafeez could be a decent option if the ban is overturned but he's not going to be a genuine threat in Tests.

The bowling isn't half bad. It's the batting which is a big concern IMO & they need to do something in the second innings. Hafeez & Younis in particular need to offer more resistance.
 
I'm not one for knee jerk reactions but it's clear as day Hales doesn't have the technique to play test cricket. If he's not bowled through a gap big enough to drive a bus through then he's playing away from his body on almost every dismissal. Any half decent attack will suss him out straight away.

I'd give Vince a bit longer but Hales and Ballance need to go.
 
G-manc said:
I'm not one for knee jerk reactions but it's clear as day Hales doesn't have the technique to play test cricket. If he's not bowled through a gap big enough to drive a bus through then he's playing away from his body on almost every dismissal. Any half decent attack will suss him out straight away.

I'd give Vince a bit longer but Hales and Ballance need to go.
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I think Hales and Vince are more vulnerable. Problem is we aren't blessed with a lot of good openers to partner Cook at the moment. Not really sure who they would bring in for Vince/Ballance either to be honest.
 
G-manc said:
I'm not one for knee jerk reactions but it's clear as day Hales doesn't have the technique to play test cricket. If he's not bowled through a gap big enough to drive a bus through then he's playing away from his body on almost every dismissal. Any half decent attack will suss him out straight away.

I'd give Vince a bit longer but Hales and Ballance need to go.
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What case can you make for Vince you can't make for Ballance? Ballance has played pretty well since being back in without the scores.
 
johnny boy said:
I think Hales and Vince are more vulnerable. Problem is we aren't blessed with a lot of good openers to partner Cook at the moment. Not really sure who they would bring in for Vince/Ballance either to be honest.
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I agree there's a lack of other options which could be his saving grace but i just don't see he has the technical ability in the long term. It's not a temporary form thing that he's likely to play out of, he's just not good enough. He even gives chances in the odd score he gets.
 
NinjaFletch said:
What case can you make for Vince you can't make for Ballance? Ballance has played pretty well since being back in without the scores.
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I know Ballance started his test career off well but he has poor footwork for test level - that's just my personal opinion whereas I think Vince has tons of ability - he just needs to make some mental adjustments in terms of his shot selection.

Looking at the length of England's batting when Finn doesn't play, i don't think you'd necessarily have to select another batsmen. For instance Rashid can bat a bit and would give us another bowling option.
 
Djemba-Djemba said:
What a stupid decision to bat again
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Stokes & Anderson have just recovered from injury. Giving them an extra 20/30 overs of cricket to recover & prepare isn't a terrible idea.

Plus there's still two days left. It's not like the game is over tomorrow with heavy rain predicted throughout.
 
ha_rooney said:
Don't think we have any all-rounders in the squad. The last decent all-rounder was probably Razzaq, and that's going back a while. Hafeez could be a decent option if the ban is overturned but he's not going to be a genuine threat in Tests.

The bowling isn't half bad. It's the batting which is a big concern IMO & they need to do something in the second innings. Hafeez & Younis in particular need to offer more resistance.
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I agree that the 4 bowlers you have are terrific, I just wonder if the 2 tests without a proper gap in between was too much for a 4-man attack. I suppose if there is no all-rounder then there's not much that can be done because the batting is poor enough without taking a batsman out. Even if Hafeez only holds up an end it means that the fast bowlers are coming in to the attach fresher and with a bit more edge.

Younis and Hafeez are definitely the main two who need to step up, they've been really poor in this series so far but at least we know that they are capable (Younis particularly) in comparison to Masood who just looks hopeless.
 
Tommy said:
Stokes & Anderson have just recovered from injury. Giving them an extra 20/30 overs of cricket to recover & prepare isn't a terrible idea.

Plus there's still two days left. It's not like the game is over tomorrow with heavy rain predicted throughout.
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They only bowled what? 15 overs? And the constant breaks in play would have helped them rest anyway. And they can't say they're shocked it was drizzly in Manchester.

I still think we'll win but the great Australian side would have made us follow on in the same situation.
 
Djemba-Djemba said:
They only bowled what? 15 overs? And the constant breaks in play would have helped them rest anyway. And they can't say they're shocked it was drizzly in Manchester.

I still think we'll win but the great Australian side would have made us follow on in the same situation.
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I'm not saying it's the right decision. When I woke up to an England second innings, I was disappointed, but unsurprised.

Just saying there's an argument to be made for it.
 
Tommy said:
I'm not saying it's the right decision. When I woke up to an England second innings, I was disappointed, but unsurprised.

Just saying there's an argument to be made for it.
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We should still win anyway so it's not going to be some terrible error.

But it was a needlessly defensive thing to do and pointlessly wasted time. Pakistan weren't going to chase down 391 but whatever. It's done now. Hopefully they smash it around for an hour tomoz and then declare.
 
Tommy said:
I'm not saying it's the right decision. When I woke up to an England second innings, I was disappointed, but unsurprised.

Just saying there's an argument to be made for it.
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It's a really weak argument to be fair especially as one of the arguments e.g. give Vince and Ballance another knock may not even happen since Root came out at 3.

On a side note, Ponting rarely enforced the follow on. But it's a massive difference bowling for the 2nd time in 40 degree weather in Australia and overcast conditions in Manchester.
 
How the feck are England developing all rounders after all rounders? Stokes and Woakes are quality.

Broad's batting has deteriorated quite a lot though, looked a promising batsmen.
 
KM said:
How the feck are England developing all rounders after all rounders? Stokes and Woakes are quality.

Broad's batting has deteriorated quite a lot though, looked a promising batsmen.
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Worry not, we have got Jaddu and Binny. The next Sobers and Imran :devil:
 
G-manc said:
I agree there's a lack of other options which could be his saving grace but i just don't see he has the technical ability in the long term. It's not a temporary form thing that he's likely to play out of, he's just not good enough. He even gives chances in the odd score he gets.
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I do agree we need to look at the batting order, if Cook or Root don't make runs we are vulnerable - we just don't have a lot of other options. Westley at Essex is rumoured to be the one who may be called up next.
 
Call Buttler to the test team. Ridiculous talent.
 
Samid said:
That's the most rawkish thing I've read all year.
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Isn't it just, very entertaining! I mean I'd have expected the follow on and I wanted it, but I can understand the reasons why they may not have done it.
 
Lead of 532. Already more than enough. At max, bat 5-6 more overs, go into T20 mode and get 50 odd runs and declare.
 
KM said:
Call Buttler to the test team. Ridiculous talent.
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He is but he was dropped from the test team because he wasn't making any runs.
Not sure he isn't just a top one day player.
 
Is there a reason they're still batting? Just pointless now.
 
Padding personal stats, maybe :eek:
 
DiseaseOfTheAge said:
Bullying. Pakistan don't want to be out there.

I'm convinced not enforcing the follow on is about the next two tests and not this one.
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Aye i think this is psychological, not that Pakistan are psychologically strong in the first place, batting and fielding is nowhere near the standard required to beat England in England.
 
There we go! Surprised they didn't go for an easy century each... Would've only taken an extra 20/30 minutes.
 
Pakistan will lose this but hope to see some sort of fight and pride with the bat, if only there were 6 batsmen with Misbah's attitude and application in the lineup.
 
We'll crumble under the pressure. I think this will be over by the end of the day.

I hope though they show some fight. Especially Hafeez & Younis who have done feck all so far.
 
Joe Root is something else. I think (already) he is the best English batsman I've seen in my life.

KM said:
Call Buttler to the test team. Ridiculous talent.
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He has an average of 30 in first class cricket for a reason.
 
The worst thing about this match for Pakistan is that it isn't even a difficult wicket to bat on, if you you apply yourself it's a fecking road. Root and Cook and even the lesser England bats like Woakes showed this.
 
NinjaFletch said:
Joe Root is something else. I think (already) he is the best English batsman I've seen in my life.
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Was just thinking this, watching him at the end there. His ability to score so quickly and look secure doing it isn't something I've seen before in the England team. Combine that with concentration and determination to make big scores and he's a level above anything we've seen.

His back better hold up...
 
KM said:
Call Buttler to the test team. Ridiculous talent.
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Not really. Don't mistake an unorthodox approach to batting as super talent. His initial call up to tests wasn't based on merit but 'talent'. Didn't do well and hasn't done too well in FC since being dropped. Very good for ond day only at this moment.
 
DiseaseOfTheAge said:
Was just thinking this, watching him at the end there. His ability to score so quickly and look secure doing it isn't something I've seen before in the England team. Combine that with concentration and determination to make big scores and he's a level above anything we've seen.

His back better hold out...
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Bit early yet to say he's better than KP or even Cook, if he continues this form over a 10 year period he will be right up there, and not just the best England bat but one of the best of all time.
 
I wouldn't be so dismissive of Buttler based on his low average or his initial Test form. The talent and most importantly the mentality is clearly there to see.

He's nowhere near good as Bairstow with the bat in the long game but I think we need a batsman like Bairstow in the top 5 that it wouldn't surprise me if Buttler gets another shot.
 
2mufc0 said:
Bit early yet to say he's better than KP or even Cook, if he continues this form over a 10 year period he will be right up there, and not just the best England bat but one of the best of all time.
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Cook's the one I think he looks better than. Pietersen's well below both of them, in my view.
 
FlawlessThaw said:
I wouldn't be so dismissive of Buttler based on his low average or his initial Test form. The talent and most importantly the mentality is clearly there to see.
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Perfect mentality for ODI's and T20. Not for First Class cricket, thus far.
 
FlawlessThaw said:
I wouldn't be so dismissive of Buttler based on his low average or his initial Test form. The talent and most importantly the mentality is clearly there to see.

He's nowhere near good as Bairstow with the bat in the long game but I think we need a batsman like Bairstow in the top 5 that it wouldn't surprise me if Buttler gets another shot.
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I don't think he couldn't do it. I question whether he wants to. I'm sure a guy as good as Buttler could work out a way to score test runs, but on the other hand he hasn't played a first class game since he's been dropped and he was dropped for a very good reason.

Unless he scores runs in first class cricket (or alternatively his keeping becomes so good you can play him on merit of that) he shouldn't be near the side. Talent only gets you so far.
 
DiseaseOfTheAge said:
Cook's the one I think he looks better than. Pietersen's well below both of them, in my view.
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His numbers might not be the same (even though they are impressive) KP's performances in big games stand out and more of match winner than Cook.
 
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