4th Test England v Pakistan, The Oval, Aug 11-15

[hopeforthebest]

Yasir has almost got out about 10 times this morning

Such an annoying player to bowl to

Do you mean laid out by angry England players 10 times.

[hopeforthebest]

Well done Finn, I had a feeling in my water that this might be a Finn type wicket. He and Woakes have some pace and that back of a length delivery that rises up on a batsman.

[sussexpob]

I don't know why I bothered watching that first hour, I've jinxed them.

I think I'll switch off, and Pakistan are bound to be 4 down by lunch.

Yasir has used up at least 5 lives this morning.

Thanks Budget

[budgetmeansbudget]

It looks less easy with Woakes bowling. I'm always surprised when Hales is fielding in a close catching position, he's a serial dropper behind the batsman.

Your bias is cringeworthy at times!

[backfootpunch]

Are they standing too close or something


Two drops off woakes now

[hopeforthebest]

Woakes has decided he can only take wickets by bowling straighter and hitting the stumps which makes it easier for the batsman. Clearly there's little point in getting an edge.

[hopeforthebest]

It looks less easy with Woakes bowling. I'm always surprised when Hales is fielding in a close catching position, he's a serial dropper behind the batsman.

Your bias is cringeworthy at times!

Nothing biased about it, Hales is a terrific out fielder but he's dropped a number of important catches when fielding close behind. Just look up the records.

[Dr Cricket]

Hearing loads of drop catches, catching been very poor this series.
Not many good slip catchers in the cricket world at the moment only really stokes is good, the rest all drop more than they catch.

[backfootpunch]

Another drop

Three in the session

[sussexpob]

Another drop

[hopeforthebest]

Starting to look even more easy batting as the ball gets older and the catches go down. Steven Finn used to be brilliant at taking catches off his own bowling but that's the second he's missed this series. It always amazes me how quick bowlers can react to so quickly to take those catches.

[Aidan11]

The scorecard suggests it's been hard work but reading some of the posts above it looks like we're making it hard ourselves.

[sussexpob]

To be fair to Anderson, I think that one goes through the channel of a 4th slip, and he does well to get his hand there to make it a potential chance. Sometimes they stick, but to call it a "drop" is a little creative. Hearing Geoff Boycott say a club level crickter would get that..... HA!!! The bloke needs to be put in a hospital

The others should be taken.

[hopeforthebest]

England showing no energy in the field except when arguing with the Pakistan batsmen. Pakistan go to lunch in a very good position.

[hopeforthebest]

To be fair to Anderson, I think that one goes through the channel of a 4th slip, and he does well to get his hand there to make it a potential chance. Sometimes they stick, but to call it a "drop" is a little creative. Hearing Geoff Boycott say a club level crickter would get that..... HA!!! The bloke needs to be put in a hospital

The others should be taken.

I think in his pomp Anderson would have taken that but in recent years he's been a reluctant slip fielder and only appears because there's no Stokes.