England v Pakistan, 1st Test, Lords, 14-18 July, 2016

Curse of the England number 3.

In the balance. Vince has looked pretty good, certainly puts the bad ball away. Yasir hasn't bowled very well. WTF is he not bowling with the slope?

I think Yasir took all of his first innings wickets from the pavilion end?

Still highly unlikely that England will get near this target.

Henry wrote:I think Yasir took all of his first innings wickets from the pavilion end?

Still highly unlikely that England will get near this target.

Not a huge target but runs on the board important as wickets tumble. Could be one of those innings where the batsmen tease but then get out. Still, Lord's has had a recent tendency to play truly right into the fifth day so England isn't battling a minefield.

Poor from Vince after lunch. Bairstow's batting can now undo his keeping errors.

Welly well, a couple of round-the-wicket dismissals of lefties by Yasir changes the complexion.

Awful stuff from Moeen. Shirley he'll be chopped now?

skully wrote:Welly well, a couple of round-the-wicket dismissals of lefties by Yasir changes the complexion.

Awful stuff from Moeen. Shirley he'll be chopped now?

He's not doing himself any favours. He bowled a bit better in the second innings I thought. I suspect he'll hang on to his place but he's dancing on thin ice.

100 runs and 4 wickets.

Terrific match.

Meanwhile, there is the Tour and the golf going on as well. I'm never getting to sleep tonight.

Oh well Johnny, we'd be home by now if you could keep.

The fat lady is on her way to Lords

Yeah that's that.

Well played Pakistan, thankfully it's a four test series and looks like it could be a cracker too.

We've been fortunate that having Johnny behind the sticks has been papered over by it not costing us any tests but now that it has done we can't keep playing him as a keeper just to keep him happy, he has been given plenty of time to prove that he is up to the job and he has proven time after time after time that he isn't. Was only a matter of time where we lost a close test due to his keeping.

Basil wrote:The fat lady is on her way to Lords

She's out of the cab and she's clearing her throat.

This has been a great match...

FWIW...Here's Johnny's keeping balanced the woeful Stanlander fielding in the Poms' first dig.

Basil wrote:

Basil wrote:The fat lady is on her way to Lords

She's out of the cab and she's clearing her throat.

And bursts into song......

Aye, anyway - very well played Pakistan. This could be a cracker of a series. Looking forward to a day out at the first day at Edgbaston on 3rd August

Basil wrote:Aye, anyway - very well played Pakistan. This could be a cracker of a series. Looking forward to a day out at the first day at Edgbaston on 3rd August  

hope you have a great day...your mob need a more even spread of contributors.

It's only Vilks and me now

Basil wrote:It's only Vilks and me now

and Mudge!!!... was referring to your team - not FB contributors

That too! Stokes in for Finn and Jimmy in for Ball will be a start. Mind you, Ball has far from disgraced himself.

Basil wrote:It's only Vilks and me now

Indeed, nearly more Aussies than poms on this thread!

Congrats Pakistan, Well Played England. Takes two team to make a good test match. Nice of Misbah dedicating the win th Edhi (A great humanitarian who recentely passed away)..

Looking forward to 2nd test... Things will get more difficult for Pakistan with Stokes and Jimmy coming back and venues moving up north...

Well played to the Wackies and Yasir. I thought Woakes and Johnny might get them home, but when Iron Gloves missed a straight one is was all over.

Well played Pakistan!

Where are Petey and Danny? Their comments and those of Jay and JKL are missed.

Wonderful test and I echo the support of Miserable's dedication of the win to the memory of a great human being.

The friends I am staying with in Costa Rica lived in Pakistan for 6 years. From them I have learned a lot about the incredible richness and complexity of life there.

Maybe this is partly reflected in the cricket Pakistan plays and the ability to quickly regenerate from nadirs.

In Miserable and Imran they have produced two wonderful leaders - the contrast between the two almost mirror some of the crazy contradictions of the country.

A stay in Stanland is now on my bucket list.

good game
deserves more than 5 desultory pages. wtf are all the bloody poms?