England v Pakistan, 3rd Test, Ageas Bowl, 21-25 August, 2020

Will Southampton give us decent weather this time?

At least the players should be freshened up, given so little play was possible in T2.

Well, about twice as much play was possible as we actually got... which could have got us somewhere close to a result.

Forecast still looks a bit mixed, particularly for day 1, but nothing like the previous Test at this stage. Though fortunate they’re not starting today.

Cheers beams.

Will Fawad Alam get another go after that duck he waited for for ten years?

Flexible start times agreed for this Test in the event of lost time to weather.

I wouldn’t fancy batting at 10.30am in murky English conditions in late August (remember the old red-ball NatWest Trophy finals?) but with evening light at a premium at this stage of the season and no travel implications for spectators at the moment, it makes sense.

Have teams been announced yet?

All over bar the shouting on day one?

Big Dog wrote:All over bar the shouting on day one?

Looks like it. Seems a very good toss to win. With a score of 500+ on the cards if Jeeves and Creepy go on with it and Woke chips in.

Geez, at 4-127 it looked grim for England on Day 1 but Crawley and Buttler had other ideas.

Unbroken 200+ stand is useful!!

So 200 for young Zak and 100 for Joss looks inevitable.

It's depressing reading.

Odd summer weather.

Congrats to Buttler on his maiden Test ton as a keeper and his 2nd in all.

Looks like England won't have to bat again.

Wow, Crawley and Buttler went on with it (all sorts of records achieved with their stand), then Jimmeh put the icing on the cake with a blistering new ball spell to have the Wackies reeling.

Where's three days of unrelenting rain when you really need it?

Paks capitulating yet again.

good for their bank balances, perhaps

Looks a good chance of major rain interruption on Monday and Tuesday but the game might be over by then.

Creepy Jr is a lovely batsman to watch.

Jimmeh gets no. 4 in this innings and no. 597 in career.

Wackies need 384 to avoid the FO.

And they follow on but don’t get chance to start. Tuesday looks a washout so we’re hoping for enough play tomorrow to bowl them out again. And for Jimmy to make 600... it could yet be his final Test given there’s no guarantee of any winter action for England. But I don’t expect he will call it a day voluntarily until he’s past Apple at least.

Here's hoping for enough Pakistani resilience +/- rain to force a draw.

You haven't been betting on pakstergames have you?

Never; but my preference always is to see the English cricket team lose; if I can't have that my next best is for them to be (narrowly) frustrated when they are bidding for a win.