Re: England v Pakistan, 3rd Test , The Oval, Aug 18-22, 2010

by Lara Lara Laughs Thu 19 Aug 2010, 19:31

Haven't read the thread but I assume there's a lot of whinging about the quality of the batting which is fair enough if you're in analysis mode but my overriding feeling is one of happiness at a lovely, tight, closely contested game with good cricket from both sides and a fair balance between bat and ball. Top stuff,

It must be horrible to be a cricket fan from the sub-continent when you see what a proper cricket pitch looks like.

by PeterCS Thu 19 Aug 2010, 19:43

There's a terrific amount of whingeing.

Mainly about people not RTFT.

by Guest Thu 19 Aug 2010, 19:48

PeterCS wrote:There's a terrific amount of whingeing.

Mainly about people not RTFT.

What does that mean??

by Lara Lara Laughs Thu 19 Aug 2010, 19:58

As usual, I have no idea what you're talking about Peter. Seems a strange way to live, revelling in being deliberately vague and unpenetrable.

by DJ_Smerk Thu 19 Aug 2010, 20:09

Lara Lara Laughs wrote:As usual, I have no idea what you're talking about Peter. Seems a strange way to live, revelling in being deliberately vague and unpenetrable.

Are you sure?

by Basil Thu 19 Aug 2010, 20:09

Lara Lara Laughs wrote:As usual, I have no idea what you're talking about Peter. Seems a strange way to live, revelling in being deliberately vague and unpenetrable.

A bit like being a Labour MP then.

by Lara Lara Laughs Thu 19 Aug 2010, 20:28

Impenetrable! Poo.

by PeterCS Thu 19 Aug 2010, 20:44

If you have come across the common computer-related term RTFM (Read the F****** Manual!!), it's hardly that impenetrable ...

by Allan D Thu 19 Aug 2010, 21:07

We would have been even shorter had it not been for Prior and Broad. ashamed

by Allan D Thu 19 Aug 2010, 21:16

Jontyh wrote:
Allan D wrote:
skully wrote:MoYo looks in pretty fair touch, but you just get the feeling that a Pakster implosion is just around the corner.

Swanny thinks so. 43rd England player to take 100 Test wickets (or more).

Decent average, too: 28.39 at the moment.

6th in the list of all-time England 'offies' Only needs another 93 to overtake Jim Laker in the top spot:

Career Test wickets taken by England right-arm spinners

by beamer Thu 19 Aug 2010, 21:40

Don't think there's much chance of us getting back into this unless Pakistan completely self-destruct in the second innings. I sense it's going to be try and set them something a bit testing and hope the conditions favour our bowlers.

Big innings for Cook, at his age it's not last chance in terms of his career but probably is for his Ashes participation this winter. The pressure's building on KP, Strauss and Colly in terms of lack of runs as well - Ian Bell must be enjoying this series, it's certainly no longer the case that he and Morgan are fighting for one place...

by skully Thu 19 Aug 2010, 22:26

Good to see a bit of steel for a change from the Paksters. Solid partnership between MoYo, who looks a bit of a shadow of his former immenseness as a bat, and young Azhar Ali.

I expect England to pile on 400 and the Paksters to capitulate to Swanny in I4.

by Henry Fri 20 Aug 2010, 00:01

This could be the loss that England needs before the ashes. Having said that, i'd fancy the Paksters to capitulate if they have to chase anything more than 200.

Pakistan have the basis of an excellent side. Young Azhar Ali looks a technically well equipped young player, whilst Yasir Hameed has always threatened to become an very good batsman, and Umar Akmal has a heap of talent. Then there's their bowling, and they seem to have rediscovered their ability to produce excellent young pace bowlers at will.

by PeterCS Fri 20 Aug 2010, 00:30

Psychology is a strange thing in sport. Or "momentum", as it's often called.

On the face of it - and despite the pisspoor loss of the skipper - England should be well in this, with not many runs to make up and Pakistan batting last.

However, it "feels" like England are struggling. Twenty or ten years ago, they would be odds-on to capsize; of late they have tended to give themselves more of a chance in such circumstances.

I guess the balanced reading is that the first session tomorrow may well be decisive. If Kev takes another for the team [ironic graemlin], that might set the trend for a biggish loss. If Trott is resilient and someone else sticks around, the Poms could bat their way to a total with some decent prospect of nickin it.

by Henry Fri 20 Aug 2010, 01:34

If we can get a lead of 200, i'd fancy Swanny to cause some havoc.

by skully Fri 20 Aug 2010, 02:33

Absolutely Trev. The Paksters will melt like butter in the sun.

by tac Fri 20 Aug 2010, 04:32

skully wrote:Absolutely Trev. The Paksters will melt like poms in the sun.

by PlanetPakistan Fri 20 Aug 2010, 05:15

Top innings from Azhar Ali(helped by Yousuf's presence), its amazing how Azhar now looks like a BETTER prospect than Umar Akmal.

PAK are certainly ahead in the game BUT the team is so poor under pressure that they can lose from any situation.