Eng in Pak, Oct 7-28

[sussexpob]

Brook is gone for 317

Tried to slog sweep over the man back on the ring, but top edges it miles in the air and only succeeds in finding him....

Hell of a knock

[meninblue]

Just a hint of the odd ball keeping a little low creeping in. I guess England's tactic will be to splatter Pakistan into a jibbering wreck, and hope smashing 900 will remove all their will to resist.

Shaheen Afridi is still recovering from injury which he faced few months back. His pace has clearly dropped and not proper rehabilitation. He may miss the next test.

[meninblue]

Gets out to Saim Ayub after all main bowlers and part timers had surrendered. Part timer of part timers somehow manages to get the big wicket. What an innings 317 at sr of 98

[sussexpob]

Shaheen Afridi is still recovering from injury which he faced few months back. His pace has clearly dropped and not proper rehabilitation. He may miss the next test.

Definitely down on pace, MIB. At stages he was in the low 80s/high 70s, but to be fair to him I thought he bowled really well on this deck, and deserved more ....

When it rains, it pours.... Saim has 2 in an over!!

[meninblue]

Shaheen Afridi is still recovering from injury which he faced few months back. His pace has clearly dropped and not proper rehabilitation. He may miss the next test.

Definitely down on pace, MIB. At stages he was in the low 80s/high 70s, but to be fair to him I thought he bowled really well on this deck, and deserved more ....

When it rains, it pours.... Saim has 2 in an over!!

He could have asked for rest from some series (T20i, Frachisee T20 and ODI) which he has been playing. Without pace, i feel he will struggle as a bowler. I haven't watched any ball of this series, the observations are of other matches he is playing since comeback. Be it himself wanting to play or PCB not giving a rest, he clearly hasn't been the same bowler without pace.

[meninblue]

130 runs away from 952

[mikesiva]

England 823-7 declared

Brook 317
Root 262
Duckett 84
Crawley 78

Saim 2-101

[sussexpob]

Pope declares....

Not sure I get that declaration at all. Lead is 267 with 4.5 sessions left, feels early considering England need to win by an innings really..... 267 is too few you feel.

[meninblue]

823/7 declared England might still win as in Pakistan batsmen we believe (to collapse).

However, imo England should have looked to bat only one innings. Make their batsmen as tired as they could make them and then ask to bat with tired mind and body. Chris Woakes has batted well on 5x times less batsmen friendly wickets than this and Brydon, i guess, could have made a decent partnership with him on this wicket. Jack Leach and Shoaib should also have batted. All out England would have been better imo than a declaration But knowing Pakistan batting, there is still chance England will win even on this wicket.

[sussexpob]

Woakes castles Shafique straight away first ball.....

That ball pitched on a normal length and hit the stump a few cms off the ground. Totally died on him... Pakistan will not like seeing that.

[sussexpob]

I guess you have to put that one down as a drop from Woakes, as its looped up to him and he gets his hand to it. Full stretch and maybe difficult, but still a chance. Terrible shot from Shan Masood.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Attacking declaration. Which is a positive thing, even if the numbers might not quite match. And it moves the game on.

[sussexpob]

I guess you have to put that one down as a drop from Woakes, as its looped up to him and he gets his hand to it. Full stretch and maybe difficult, but still a chance. Terrible shot from Shan Masood.

You couldn't make this up.... Woakes drops Shan Masood off Atkinson, first ball of the next over Atkinson drops Masood of Woakes.... do they not like each other

That one is a dolly. Straight to him, above his head but its a good height. Just fumbles it in the air ...

Did Masood book an early tee off for his round tomorrow? He's batting like he wants to get out.

[sussexpob]

New ball is definitely reacting off some of the cracks in the pitch. Been a few balls that have just skidded on low.... but in both previous innings, the new ball lasted about 5-8 overs and then nothing. Pakistan just need to ride out a few overs without further loss....

[sussexpob]

29-2.... Shan Masood gone. Absolute howler of a shot that