England v Pakistan A Warm Ups.

[Arthur Crabtree]

I suppose Mahela can teach the slip a thing or two about fielding off spin.

Root does field at slip off the quicks, when there are three slips. Which might never happen in this series. But first slip against the spin could be there nearly all day.

[Arthur Crabtree]

How about Bell?

[hopeforthebest]

They're so short of bowlers they've had to resort to Bairstow.

Someone at cricinfo couldn't tell the difference between Bairstow & Stokes.

I was thinking the ame thing, must be the ginger hair.

[Aidan11]

Next game Thursday. Another two-day effort.

[ianp1970]

If we have to bowl 90 overs in a day, then half will likely be taken by Ali, Rashid and Root. Jimmy and Broad to bowl say 6 in each session, leaves 9 to be bowled by someone else. Using that premise then these 10 are definitely in:

Cook
Ali
Bell
Root
Bairstow
Stokes
Buttler
Rashid
Broad
Anderson

The extra slot could be filled by:

Hales (1)
Taylor (5)
Patel (8)
Plunkett/Wood/Finn (10)

Depending on which part of the team needs bolstering.

[Arthur Crabtree]

I'm sure that's right. But I don't like the look of that team.

[Slipstream]

So are we going to see Finn, Hales, Patel, Plunkett and Tayor in the next game in place of Wood, Broad, Anderson, Root and Bairstow?

[Arthur Crabtree]

Farbrace says England could easily have won, in the last meeting between the sides, the 3-0 whitewash under Flower.

And he thinks the conditions will be different from in the Ashes.

[Arthur Crabtree]

So are we going to see Finn, Hales, Patel, Plunkett and Tayor in the next game in place of Wood, Broad, Anderson, Root and Bairstow?

Plunkett and Finn for Anderson and Broad? Hales and Taylor for Cook and Root?

[Slipstream]

Cook would want to try out his new partner.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Not sure that matters. Unless they've got absolutely no intention of considering Hales (I suspect they haven't with Patel), Hales should get a knock. Cook is the only player who has batted in UAE before /and/ made runs in the first game. So he is the best candidate to drop out if they genuinely want to consider options, which is what they say. It sometimes feels like England is all about Alastair Cook, but surely he doesn't have to try on his opening partner, like a pair of gloves? Though, perhaps he does.

[dan08]

Amir has 26 wickets at an average of 9 in the qualification round of their first-class tournament. Wouldn't be surprised if we see him in the limited overs squads.

[Aidan11]

Early wickets for Finn and Ali.

[Aidan11]

42 runs scored in 29 overs.

[Aidan11]

47/5 now.


Finn's current figures - 7.3-5-2-4.