England v Pakistan 2020.

[bigfluffylemon]

It would help Bess if Buttler could keep. Apparently by scoring 50 in the last game he bought himself the rest of the summer...

Good fightback by England, but the pitch seems pretty tough. I reckon they'll fall 50-60 short of a probable 250 target. Batting does not look deep.

Archer has really been struggling. Anderson seems to have been bowling tightly but without reward. No doubt after 12-3 and 60-4 they'll tinker with the bowling though.

[alfie]

I am always reluctant to discuss selection while a match is still in progress...events can make one look a bit silly.

But : I largely agree with DFM. A proper number three - Crawley , since Denly has left the bubble - thus allowing Root/Stokes/Pope to play as the engine room at 4-6 , is really the most important change (Stokes seems fit enough to bowl !)
However I have a nagging fear that Buttler's horror days keeping to Bess might lead to his having to relinquish the gloves to Foakes...and , given Ed Smith's project priority , that this would then lead to re-installing Jos as the number six bat ; with the knock on effect being no Crawley , and either Root and Stokes remaining in their present (unsuitable) positions or Pope being prematurely elevated to three. I do not think that would be a good idea but can we not all see it happening ?

As to the bowlers I suspect wear and tear will be a main consideration. Broad and Woakes are the clear form men at present , but , as West Indies found out , sometimes you need to give your stars a rest or they won't last the distance. If they are considered OK , they both play for me and worry about match three later ; but no doubt the medical staff will have an input. Archer looks to me in need of a rest - he's not bowling at ninety , and Wood is well rested if they are desperate for real pace. Jimmy has looked oddly out of sorts in this game , though he's not had the best of luck in his new ball spells ; and Curran waits in the wings. As long as Stokes takes no harm from his slightly surprising intervention late yesterday and is fit to bowl I reckon any combination of three fast bowlers and a spinner could be viable , to be honest.

But if they don't get the batting sorted out it might not matter much what they do with the bowlers. The attempt to chase down (260 ?) will be interesting...

[Durhamfootman]

However I have a nagging fear that Buttler's horror days keeping to Bess might lead to his having to relinquish the gloves to Foakes...and , given Ed Smith's project priority , that this would then lead to re-installing Jos as the number six bat ; with the knock on effect being no Crawley , and either Root and Stokes remaining in their present (unsuitable) positions or Pope being prematurely elevated to three. I do not think that would be a good idea but can we not all see it happening ?

well, yes..... of course. Never underestimate the arrogance of people like Mr Ed or indeed the futility of seeing the bleeding obvious with the knowledge that the people in charge refuse to even acknowledge it

[sussexpob]

That ended quick.....276 the target. Pakistan 70-30 favs for me

[Arthur Crabtree]

Focusing so much on Buttler missing Masood as the difference between the sides misses a bit of the point I think. Pakistan dropped chances, but no one punished them by scoring 150. Their bowlers created another chance.

It would be consistent for England to change their entire attack for the next match as that's what they did against WI (or planned to until there was an injury). It feels risky either way, but leaving out Broad and Woakes in particular would be difficult. Stokes hasn't been bowling much so maybe he doesn't demand a rest. If they change the whole attack except Bess, that leaves:

Burns
Sibley
Crawley
Root
Stokes
Pope
Buttler
Curran
Bess
Wood
Robinson

Anyway, 277 to win. I suppose Pakistan should win, but it's not so many that England can't dream.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Feels humid where I am. Good bowling weather.

[sussexpob]

Ball hasn't so far done much.

[sussexpob]

As I posted that Abbas gets one to jump and seam.

[sussexpob]

Abbas has Sibley chasing air so far.

[sussexpob]

Abbas gets burns....ball seams back and that it

Been a weird ten overs, the ball has taken a few overs to get moving around, but it's seaming and now the occasional one is taking off.

[alfie]

They've lasted longer than the first innings at least ...

Fast bowlers aren't going to get a lot of help from the conditions today. Spinners might.

Don't know how that odds robot sees it at the moment but obviously Pakistan are firm favourites...more so now as Burns is gone.

Thought that might have been a bit high. But apparently just clipping the top so it's one down . Bit of pressure on Root , to state the obvious...

[sussexpob]

Yep. The game is going to be won and lost on the spinners you feel, although there is stuff off the pitch for the seamers

[Arthur Crabtree]

Sounds like batting isn't easy, but twenty overs down and fifty up, great start for England.

[sussexpob]

Yeah England would have taken your hand off to be in this position this morning.

[Durhamfootman]

today has to be Honest Joe's day. I doubt that anything else will do. Today is the day he needs to demonstrate the quality that has been missing from his game for a while. Score a ton and win the game, Joe.

No pressure