England v Pakistan 2020.

[Durhamfootman]

17 runs later, Afridi will be glad that over is.... well, over!

[alfie]

Afridi intent on ruining his own figures

That was possibly the worst first over with a new ball I've ever seen !

Abbas is bowling well ; but England are going to finish today very well placed unless something dramatic happens in this last six or seven overs.

Has been an excellent partnership by these two

[Durhamfootman]

200 partnership puts England in control of the match and the series

Lets hope now that Crawley can go on to his double and Buttler his single

quite the turnaround from 127-4

[Gingerfinch]

I don't rate Buttler as a test keeper/batsman but he's been getting important runs. How's his actual keeping been?

[Durhamfootman]

poor!

just as well he's found some runs. In fairness he's looked pretty fluent in the last couple of knocks, from what I've seen on the highlights. He certainly seems to like playing Yasir Shah.

After the Pakistan first innings at OT where he made a lot of mistakes with the gloves, handing control of the game to the opposition and following on from some dismal batting against the WIndies, it was probably only the unlikely England win (and his role in it) that saved him.

still he lived to fight another day and now he looks confident with the bat in his hand. Who knows, that confidence may spill over into his glovework . We can but hope

[Durhamfootman]

I thought Crawley looked imperious on the highlights

[The Professor]

Since the 19th July, Buttler has scored 267 Test runs at an average of 89. That player can stick around.

Decent odds on England getting 500+ and batting once.

[DiligentDefence]

I thought Crawley looked imperious on the highlights

Saw pretty much all of his innings. Was very good from the start and just one or two iffy shots. Really good innings.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Since the 19th July, Buttler has scored 267 Test runs at an average of 89. That player can stick around.

I suppose that given his problems as a keeper, that puts some pressure on Pope. But it is a small sample.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Feels like a significant innings from Crawley. That's a lot of runs in a day.

[alfie]

Since the 19th July, Buttler has scored 267 Test runs at an average of 89. That player can stick around.

I suppose that given his problems as a keeper, that puts some pressure on Pope. But it is a small sample.

The way Pope has been done by Yasir in the last couple of innings does suggest he may come under pressure with Asian tours up next. I don't think anyone really believes Buttler has the gloves because England think he is their best keeper : it was a way to keep him in the side while seeing what Pope , Sibley and Crawley could do in the aftermath of the Ashes series. Logically he should contest (and on current form , occupy ) the number six batsman spot rather than try combine two roles , one of which will tend to suffer. And that would make Pope's position difficult.

But as you say , small samples. Up to the 19th July Buttler's figures were rather less exciting - he was a walking wicket in SA. The tricky part about making any changes before the tours of Sri Lanka and India (if they take place) is that nobody will have any more red ball cricket on which to judge before they set out ...

[alfie]

Will be interesting to see if Crawley can go on to 200 and beyond today. That innings yesterday was outstanding. Quite apart from the aesthetics - and he played some lovely strokes - what struck me was that it displayed a maturity somewhat unexpected in a young man who had only three first class centuries before the day. Suggests a bright future...but we'd better not big him up too much lest we strike him with the curse that has afflicted one or two young bats in recent years who have scored an early hundred and never managed to repeat it...I'm sure we all have the list of names.

I'm more hopeful with this lad though.

[sussexpob]

I think you can sum up Crawley's innings in the first few overs. Twice he got a rank ball, twice he gave it the treatment it deserved. Twice he got a good ball, twice he was lucky to survive. I thought that Yorker he edged to the boundary had bowled him initially.

Pakistan's bowling effort was the worst I've seen in a while. Zero prolonged pressure, way too much rank crap. For Crawley he just needed to keep aware of the good one and punish the rubbish....which he did.

There is nowt wrong with that. Taking you opportunities as they come and batting big when the bowling isn't great isn't an easy skill. As the root conversation yesterday kind of proves....all the great batters fail a lot, but the greatest batters get a score on the board and turn it huge.

So in the end you have to take your hat off to him. He's at least proved he can play. I'm not totally convinced he's shown in tough periods of bowling he has the technique to stand up to it, but make enough scores in good times like this, you'll have a long career

[sussexpob]

As for Pope, I'll repeat the earlier observation; he's not a good starter. Takes a while to pick up the line of the ball it seems and looks weak at the create early. But once he gets in he looks miles and away the best prospect I've seen in an England shirt for some time. He's 22 and averages around 40, dropping him would be sheer insanity. He will come good, and when he does the sky is the limit for him. He could be world class.

Worth noting he got two absolutely unplayable balls last test. Both ones that bounced out of nowhere and no one is surviving them unless they get lucky. Sometimes the luck ain't there.

Burns is the main concern. If you keep getting out to the exact same type of delivery then youre done in test cricket. I'd be looking elsewhere, I think Pakistan have opened up that technique and Australian bowlers will be frothing at the mouth to get at him.

[Durhamfootman]

Feels like a significant innings from Crawley. That's a lot of runs in a day.

there must have been a lot of runs scored in that last session yesterday