compelling. I have loads to do and can't drag myself away.
Can we get this in short singles?
Maybe I'll go and do the lawn now.
Great match though. Brilliant
Well done, Amir!
Well done to ****stan.
I'm afraid Hales is not a test opener as long as I've got a hole in my arse and at present Moeen is not worth his place as a batsman or bowler. Some thinking to do for England, particularly as the next game is Old Trafford where it really does turn and is an abrasive surface for the reverse swing lads.........
Well that was an extraordinary tense day of cricket - you know you are watching something special when every run is applauded. Well done ****stan.
I can remember back to 1992 when Wasim and Waqar absolutely captivated me as a 14 year old lad who liked to bowl fast left arm. It was towards the end of twenty years of West Indies trying to knock everyone's heads off and everyone else trying (and failing) to do the same. Then along come ****stan who surprised everyone by bowling at the stumps. Well, sort of. Wasim in particular liked to bowl halfway down with the new ball, but when it got old - just fantastic. The first real innovation in bowling since the googly in my opinion. England got sour about it because, frankly, they tried it and couldn't do it. The 1992 ****stanis also had Mushtaq who bowled the best unpickable googly I can remember.
Add to this some abrasive batting and captaincy from the likes of Amir Sohail, Inzamam and Javed Miandad and they were just box office. A strong ****stani cricket team is always good for the game and draw people into watching.
[img] http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/wasim-akram-bowling-for-****stan-in-sharjah-1991-picture-id115567759 [/img]
[img] http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/oct-1991-waqar-younis-of-****stan-bowling-during-the-sharjah-in-picture-id1527327 [/img]
Peter Oborne's Wounded Tiger: A History of ****stan Cricket was pretty well reviewed and is on my long term reading list.
Two spinners this match? Who will they drop? Broad? Unlikely I'd have thought. One of the underperforming batsman then. Vince would seem most likely as Balance has only had one match back. I think they might drop Ali for Rabid. Ali could do with working on his batting, after all that was why he was brought into the team originally.
Very much looking forward to the test . Will be interesting to see how England respond.
Cooke said yesterday that Rashid would only play if they opted for 2 spinners.
Rashid not in 11.
Anyone else watching/listening? Wondering whether they'll pick up the pace and go for a declaration in the 500s, but then I had a flashback to 2006 in Adelaide.
Following TMS text. Watching Le Tour. Drinking cold lager. Fighting jet lag.
La vie est belle!
Similar here CFH - down in Buenos Aires, so it's red wine & a lovely steak tonight! Tomorrow morning will be a training ride with the locals at the velodrome, then watch the finish of the tour.
Water slides in the garden, sky on the iPad . Brilliant from Root and really enjoyed woakes too. Let's get 3 wickets before the close today 🙂
I hope so, else there'll be increasing mutterings about bowler choice and a draw.
That's 2
Listening at work. ****stan struggling with the massive task of chasing 589 mentally I think.
And that's 3!
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😀
Outstanding from Woakes , so so good
Just caught a glimpse of the score in a bar on my way back to the hotel.
Follow on, or bat again? Think I'd get in and bat. Cheekily fast 200, then skittle o'clock.
I think I d be having PAK follow on the next innings and probably the next two after that just to make the point 😉
Again just caught the scorr and what!
Rain possible, so you'd have to enforce follow on.
Hadn't seen the forecast!
Tomorrow looking ok.
Back to Back tests influences the follow on decision these days imho.
Morning, Dan!
So, batting again? A wise choice. Hopefully.
Not sure I'll be staying up too much longer. Maybe until the Tour finishes, but no more! The again, roads outside are gridlocked, and the locals are convinced that the horn solves everything. Noisy, even up on the 36th floor!
Please say the 36 th floor is the penthouse suite
There are, I am ashamed to report, floors above. I do have a cracking harbour view towards Causeway Bay and the old Kai Tak however. Will try and wrangle a photo for you.
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Here you go! Taken earlier this morning.
Looks like England are going to roll ****stan over pretty quickly now, but I still think this will be a good series. My new favorite ****stani cricketer is this guy. He won't go down in history as the most beautiful or gifted bowler, but he gives everything his all, including batting and fielding, and loves to get stuck into the oppo. A captain's dream player.
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Finn is inn for Edgbaston.
Not the best of starts! ****stan will be happier at lunch, I'd say.
Good start by ****stan. With Stokes out and Finn in the batting is a lot weaker and it was already the weakest part of their game. Vince and Ballance have to do something today.
Nip and tuck - another excellent day's test match cricket.
evenly posed by the score but missed it all
Early breakthrough!
3rd ball 😀
Ooooops 4th ball (sneaky edit)
4th
am I being dense? where's the 5 live sports extra TMS link?
am I being dense? where's the 5 live sports extra TMS link?
Missing for me as well. Not even on the schedule. 🙁
[url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/player/bbc_radio_five_live_sports_extra ]http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/player/bbc_radio_five_live_sports_extra[/url]
RM.
Cheers 🙂
