2nd Test England v Pakistan, Old Trafford, 22-26 July

[DiligentDefence]

Lol why are England batting again.

I expect that he doesn't want to risk having to bat 4th and to give the bowlers a rest, Not sure I agree/

[Arthur Crabtree]

Nice little 2-fer for Mo.

I presume England will just bat until the close.

[hopeforthebest]

Why are we batting

We are 390 ahead

What we going to do bat for 20 overs then declare

England have bowled 63 overs in batting conditions There are 48 more to go today, batting again is a no brainer.

[Dr Cricket]

Cook says we'll bat, very sensible.

Really how they are 390 runs ahead they just making Pakistan bat less overs to save the test.

[Making_Splinters]

Nearly 400 runs ahead, absolutely daft decision to bat again.

[Aidan11]

Cook tends to be a cautious skipper but I think there will be time to win this even with the rain around.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Ten minutes for the Pakistani slip fielders to apply butter to their hands and then back out for 40m before tea.

If England had a spinner, I might bowl. Given they haven't really, have a bat and keep the seamers fresh. Hope they don't bat on tomorrow though.

[hopeforthebest]

Sky commentators have been going on throughout this test that bowling here is harder work because the ground is so hard, now they are moaning about Cook batting again.

[Dr Cricket]

If I was Pakistan I would waste time, bowl so defensive and give no runs away.
Would bowl to 8-2 field with the ball just so wide most of the time for the batsman to hit in the legside.
Or the opposite of it and not allow them to hit in the offside.

[backfootpunch]

Why are we batting

We are 390 ahead

What we going to do bat for 20 overs then declare

England have bowled 63 overs in batting conditions There are 48 more to go today, batting again is a no brainer.

60 overs isn't that many really

Especially since we have 5 bowlers

[budgetmeansbudget]

Why are we batting

We are 390 ahead

What we going to do bat for 20 overs then declare

England have bowled 63 overs in batting conditions There are 48 more to go today, batting again is a no brainer.

Nice sarcasm, turn my post on its head why don't you!

In support of Cook's decision the forecast looks okay for tomorrow, they want to quash this talk of four day tests, and they are f@cking desperate for Ali to get some wickets bowling on a more helpful surface.

Apart from that a million and one reasons to have enforced the follow on.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Steve Waugh would have batted wouldn't he? Grind them down. He'd have batted until tea tomorrow.

[Aidan11]

Not sure Hales, Vince and Ballance would have wanted to bat again.

[Dr Cricket]

Sky commentators have been going on throughout this test that bowling here is harder work because the ground is so hard, now they are moaning about Cook batting again.

Well batting 400 runs ahead is very odd makes no sense what so ever are they seriously only going to bat for 15-20 overs.
Only Pakistan will gain anything from here.

[meninblue]

Whether England enforced follow on or not they will win. Imo it is sensible of Cook to give rest to bowlers as well as fielders even though the bowlers only bowled at most 2 spells each.