England v Bangladesh, 2nd Test, Manchester, June 4-8, 2010

The Bangers still haven't avoided the follow-on . Will Strauss want to enforce it with 3 days available (although rain expected on Tuesday)? Another wicket falls. Follow-on a possibility. Shahzad looks a prospect. May need to cancel his winter job.

Dello wrote:Shahzad up around and over 90 mph pretty consistently. Maxed at about 92 mph.

Not tearing up any trees, but there's something there to work with that England are seriously lacking: pace.

Looks better than his country stats suggest. Also seems to be able to aim at the wicket, which seems like it could be useful.

Yeah, first few overs up to his first wicket ball I was thinking TAYPOC but there's something there.

And Swann back in the wickets with 5. So, follow on or not? Guess they have overnight to decide...

Rumours of Swanny's demise have been greatly exaggerated.

10 wickets in a session. Horrendous stuff from Bangladesh though England did bowl well also. Suddenly our bowling options not looking so threadbare eh?

You do feel once you get past Tamim, that Ravi Bopara could bowl out the Bangles though.

Like beamer I was thinking TAYPOC about Shazhad. Just got it to reverse a bit perhaps in that second spell. It helped that the Banglas were missing straight balls however.

Good to see Swanny back on form.

Nice to see bell filling his boots again

seems like a BRILLIANT spell from Shahzad...

any highlights?

Swann's 5-fer only the 8th by an England off-spinner at OT - a ground notable for being helpful to spin. Previous instance was Peter Such's 6-67 against Oz in 1993 on his Test debut.

To enforce, or not to enforce the follow-on - that is the question:

For

Our bowlers should be fresh - they only bowled 54 overs between them and will have had a night's sleep.

Bangladesh might be shell-shocked, and could collapse in a heap.

Against

Suppose Bangladesh bat well and set us 200 or so on what will be a raging bunsen by day five. Squeaky bottom time.

I'd rather bat all of tomorrow and perhaps a bit of day 4 (if we last that long!). Would rather put the game out of reach than risk a chance of losing it (small chance maybe but despite their numerous woeful performances I do feel that they have the talent in the squad to beat us in the not too distant future and I don't want it to be this test!),

Doesn't matter too much though, I still think we will win whatever option we take, though for my nerves I'd rather we didn't have a run chase .

I would bat again. The challenge of getting 300 in a day against some good spinners on a turning 3rd day wicket, then have 500 to defend in 2 days - no way you can lose from there.

The only way England could lose this game (England won't lose this game) is Tamim fires again, Shakib weighs in with 96 and Bangladesh's spinners cause havoc on the 4th / 5th day.

PlanetPakistan wrote:seems like a BRILLIANT spell from Shahzad...

any highlights?

Yeah, they didn't have the speed gun on the C5 highlights but he looked slippary. Bowled a cracking yorker that almost got Tamim when he was batting really well, and then his second wicket (inswing) and third wicket (outswing) to castle the batsmen were cracking deliveries.

Seems to have that Goughy / Si Jones style bubbly personality and aggression about him too (i.e. is not Steve Harmison).

Gary 111 wrote:

PlanetPakistan wrote:seems like a BRILLIANT spell from Shahzad...

any highlights?

Yeah, they didn't have the speed gun on the C5 highlights but he looked slippary. Bowled a cracking yorker that almost got Tamim when he was batting really well, and then his second wicket (inswing) and third wicket (outswing) to castle the batsmen were cracking deliveries.

Seems to have that Goughy / Si Jones style bubbly personality and aggression about him too (i.e. is not Steve Harmison).

Definately reminded me a bit of Simon Jones today, and he seems to have a cracking yorker in his armoury.

Gary 111 wrote:I would bat again. The challenge of getting 300 in a day against some good spinners on a turning 3rd day wicket, then have 500 to defend in 2 days - no way you can lose from there.

The only way England could lose this game (England won't lose this game) is Tamim fires again, Shakib weighs in with 96 and Bangladesh's spinners cause havoc on the 4th / 5th day.

Why are you denying Shakib a century? Barsteward!

I'd bat again but the way they wanted to restrict the Banglas below 220 makes you think they'll put em back in.

Would they stick Aus back in on this pitch? Not a chance.

Good Lord, I go to bed with the Bangers humming along at 0-95 and Tamim giving the Poms a dusting and get up to see they've fallen in a complete heap.

Not sure why I'm surprised.

But nice to see Tamim managed his ton.

Gary 111 wrote:

PlanetPakistan wrote:seems like a BRILLIANT spell from Shahzad...

any highlights?

Yeah, they didn't have the speed gun on the C5 highlights but he looked slippary. Bowled a cracking yorker that almost got Tamim when he was batting really well, and then his second wicket (inswing) and third wicket (outswing) to castle the batsmen were cracking deliveries.

Seems to have that Goughy / Si Jones style bubbly personality and aggression about him too (i.e. is not Steve Harmison).

He was up over 90mph probably every fourth or fifth ball, 92 being his quickest. Didn't look like he was straining to achieve it either. Naturally slippery.

Bit of late movement, skiddy trajectory, bats @ 32 - why the f*ck have we been picking Tim Bresnan?

Shazza could end up being quite decent.

I remember Saj Mahmood having a cracking spell in his first Test too, which also featured plenty of pace, late swing and stumps akimbo - that was pretty much as good as it got for him in an England shirt, though, so I'll hold fire on the bigging up for now...

How farkin disappointing was that from the bangers . . whenever you think they might just turn a corner . . . shite

tac wrote:How farkin disappointing was that from the bangers . . whenever you think they might just turn a corner . . . shite

Where have I heard this statement before?

Dello wrote:
Bit of late movement, skiddy trajectory, bats @ 32 - why the f*ck have we been picking Tim Bresnan?

first spell was distinctly non-threatening. What can you really tell from a 4 over second spell against Bangles who like batting legside of the ball?

As for his batting, Bres can actually construct innings. From first looks Shazzer is a bit of a hitter but not much more - pretty brainless shot with a guy looking for a ton the other end.

Fantastic to see Swanny taking a bagful, and even better to see Tamim still scoring. What a guy.

Tamim played well, but it was pretty brainless bowling first up.

So should we be quaking in our boots about Swanny running through in Aus in Ashes?

Good effort (of course a Michelle is good), or just poor opposition (once Tamim was removed)?