Cricket

[Blue Shoes]

My bowling attack would be Archer, Woakes, Broad, Stokes & Bess.

I like bess, but it's totally pointless picking him if they're not going to trust him. May as well use root as the spinner.

I'd be happy with that team above or maybe curran instead of woakes. Would quite like them to drop broad again and see him strop his way to another man of the series ha

 

[Connor]

Unchanged, Pakistan choose to bat first though it looks like a bowling day

 

[ToffeeTim]

Unchanged, Pakistan choose to bat first though it looks like a bowling day

Playing 2 spinners so had to bat. England much weaker batting second as well, especially when a batsman short.

 

[Chris O'Connor]

Root would have batted too, looks the obvious decision. Pakistan go big and with England's huge tail this looks a great chance. England need to make use of any help today as their batting looks so brittle.

A batsman light and a huge risk - I think he copped out of the right decision - fancy Pakistan strongly now. Poor selection could prove costly and mirror the last series.

England bat last and they have two spinners with hot weather after today.

When we're 4 down we're really one wicket from being all out.

 

[Alan Whittle]

There is as much interest in cricket in Ireland as there is in Russian philosophy.

“A word, aptly uttered or written, cannot be cut away by an axe.” Nickolai Gogol.
Howzat.

 

[ToffeeTim]

Root would have batted too, looks the obvious decision. Pakistan go big and with England's huge tail this looks a great chance. England need to make use of any help today as their batting looks so brittle.

A batsman light and a huge risk - I think he copped out of the right decision - fancy Pakistan strongly now. Poor selection could prove costly and mirror the last series.

England bat last and they have two spinners with hot weather after today.

When we're 4 down we're really one wicket from being all out.

England will need to bowl them out today or I would not fancy their chances.

The weaker batting line up relies a lot on one of Bess, Woakes or Broad getting a decent score of 50 or more. 2 genuine no.11s in Archer and Anderson makes it a very long tail

 

[Chris O'Connor]

England will need to bowl them out today or I would not fancy their chances.

Exactly, Bess at eight when he's a ten at best really, Archer, Broad and Anderson are all number elevens but someone has to bat nine. Even Woakes at 7 although he can bat is desperately out of form with the bat. Almost like five number elevens.

These aren't the West Indies, Broad won't come off every time, it's asking for defeat.

 

[ToffeeTim]

Exactly, Bess at eight when he's a ten at best really, Archer, Broad and Anderson are all number elevens but someone has to bat nine. Even Woakes at 7 although he can bat is desperately out of form with the bat. Almost like five number elevens.

These aren't the West Indies, Broad won't come off every time, it's asking for defeat.

Looks like the Pakistan keeper is batting 6 as well with the 2 leg spinners at 7 and 8. So maybe both sides are going to be weak in the lower order.

 

[Chris O'Connor]

Looks like the Pakistan keeper is batting 6 as well with the 2 leg spinners at 7 and 8. So maybe both sides are going to be weak in the lower order.

They should have dropped Bess if they were that concerned but I suspect it was same again as he couldn't face making a hard decision.

I really think it's a poor selection and they absolutely have to skittle them today or they've lost it on day one and possibly the series too - a selection they couldn't really afford and shouldn't have taken the easy option.

 

[catcherintherye]

A good toss to lose for England you feel.

 

[catcherintherye]

They should have dropped Bess if they were that concerned but I suspect it was same again as he couldn't face making a hard decision.

I really think it's a poor selection and they absolutely have to skittle them today or they've lost it on day one and possibly the series too - a selection they couldn't really afford and shouldn't have taken the easy option.

I think there's a bit of that with England. The first game was probably Archer or Wood and went with both. Wood made sense to play at OT and didn't. I'm not sure they really know who there best side is currently, Crawley to me doesnt deserve to be dropped.

If you're giving them the benefit of some doubt it would be that Bess is 23, and is very impressive at 23 and it's a long term pick. As I said before, they probably want him to (continue) to show stuff with the bat.

I'd have simplified it. Crawley for Bess for me, play your best 4 bowlers. It's a problem if they are all quick, but Stokes can bowl so youre ok.

 

[catcherintherye]

Anderson has bowled beautifully again this morning.

 

[ToffeeTim]

Anderson has bowled beautifully again this morning.

Not convinced he should be playing. Picked on reputation rather than recent performances.

They've not pitched it up enough from what I hear on the radio.

 

[Connor]

Not convinced he should be playing. Picked on reputation rather than recent performances.

Tim?

 

[ToffeeTim]

Tim?

Just feel he's not bowling with as much threat recently. Was OK in the Manchester test he played, but not good in Southampton.

I don't like the balance of this team with Woakes at 7. They made the easy selection decision to keep all the bowlers.