Cricket

summerisle said:
Australia held out in the end and the match ended in a draw, grudgingly, a good effort.
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Australia pulled off a miraculous escape in the first test in Dubai, thanks largely to Khawaja's 141 and huge contributions from Travis Head and captain Tim Paine.

Pakistan looked to have built an insurmountable position of dominance and looked all set to go one up but then came Khawaja and friends.

Australia, who normally wilt without barely a trace of fight against even the most moderate spin of any type in the subcontinent, at last found some real backbone amongst their ranks, and despite Asir Shah's marathon spell of leg breaks 4-114 to compliment the off breaks from the six wicket hero of the first innings, Bilal Asif, they held out to claim a remarkable draw.

Pakistan 482 (Hafeez 126, Sohail 110, Siddle 3-58, Lyon 2-114) and 181 for 6 dec (Imam 48, Shafiq 41, Holland 3-83, Lyon 2-58) drew with Australia 202 (Khawaja 85, Finch 62, Bilal 6-36, Abbas 4-29) and 362 for 8 (Khawaja 141, Head 72, Paine 61*, Yasir 4-114, Abbas 3-56)


http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/1162104.html
 
Malinga was the main destroyer and took 5 wickets sparking a late batting crisis and stopping England from building up an insurmountable position, but either side of that England have batted well enough and built a fairly strong total.

278-9 represents a decent effort on a tough track which is fairly two-paced, it should be defendable enough but they will need to bowl well.
 
Chris O'Connor said:
Malinga was the main destroyer and took 5 wickets sparking a late batting crisis and stopping England from building up an insurmountable position, but either side of that England have batted well enough and built a fairly strong total.

278-9 represents a decent effort on a tough track which is fairly two-paced, it should be defendable enough but they will need to bowl well.
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Just hope the rain stays away
 
toffeejack said:
yay, england win again. Seems like an awful decision to play this series now though.
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Yes definitely, the administrators blaming the modern England touring schedule and fitting it all in.

(England play hugely more away tours than any other test nation, others (India), who sit right at the top of the rankings, play the vast majority on the subcontinent, and despite losing most away tours can sit at number one thanks to most sides winning home tests nowadays.)

As for this game...

England won the second ODI by 31 runs (D/L) and go one up in the series.

Sri Lanka were 140-5 after 29 overs when the rain came, well short of the 171 required at that stage.

More incisive new-ball work from Chris Woakes and a very encouraging debut from the young and quick Olly Stone, who took his first wicket, were the main features of the Sri Lankan reply. England had infact reduced Sri Lanka to just 74-5 after 16 overs and in all kinds of trouble before De Silva and Perera fought back well, but it was all feeling well beyond them even before the weather got involved.
 
toffeejack said:
How have Pakistan not won that?
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Forget anyone who dismisses this result as not being really worthy of any notice, it was some achievement.

Australia showed the first stirrings of their recovery after the ball-tampering scandal. By drawing a game they had all but lost after the first innings, against Pakistan was a remarkable fightback and will do wonders for the captaincy of Tim Paine.

The real test of a team is how they react in a dire situation and Paine will have learned a lot about his players this week.

It's a massive result for Australia, and could easily be the makings of this younger and more inexperienced team.

Steve Smith will return at some later stage and he may now return to a far more confident team.
 

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