Cricket

Glad Jimmy made it after being let down by so many dropped in this match. it would have been cruel to wait for possibly a whole year with big doubts over any winter tours being possible anywhere.

A debt of gratitude to both sets of tourists is due, but practicalities and reality probably dictate that an already full fixture list makes any change or extra tours highly unlikely. We're due to tour Pakistan in 2022 and that may be the first opportunity for one of the first division of teams (England, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa - India won't go) to return to the actual country rather than their long term temporary home in the UAE.

We should just shelve the idiotic world test championship commitments with all it's ridiculous unfairness and highly dubious worth, that could free up some time, but unfortunately that's just never happening.
 
England's second T20 v Pakistan is live on the BBC on Sunday. The first cricket on the beeb in decades now.

Fwiw, I think T20 cricket (especially the big overseas franchise leagues) suffers for having no crowd a lot more than test match cricket

The BBC won't be too happy it's basically, (with a few changes - see asterisk below *), the 'reserve' white ball team without the majority of the 'stars', so the one that played the ODi's against Ireland again. Presumably with all the Covid precautions it couldn't be other than the case but a pity the first free to air BBC match will be missing most of the big names and possibly even less reason to bother watching it. Manchester's weather looks the most likely winner of the three results possible in Friday's first T20 game, with a washout looking a distinct possibility.

Allbeit a T20 white ball series and not an ODI one, watch the broadcasters try to pretend it's the odi world cup team only minus one or two big names, and not the vast majority of the team, in fact 7 from the eleven in Wood, Archer, Woakes, Stokes, Root, Buttler and Plunkett with only the captain, openers and Rashid remaining.

(*) Squad details and changes to the odi squad vs Ireland games...

Joe Denly is back in the fold after a back injury curtailed his involvement in the Ireland series. James Vince has been dropped after struggling in those exchanges, while Dawid Malan makes the cut.

Chris Jordan returns after injury, Lewis Gregory is back in and there are places for Liam Livingstone, Reece Topley and Pat Brown in the reserve list.

England squad: Eoin Morgan, Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Tom Banton, Sam Billings, Tom Curran, Joe Denly, Lewis Gregory, Chris Jordan, Saqib Mahmood, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Jason Roy, David Willey

I thought Billings, Willey and Topley (despite only one appearance) were the reserves who impressed against Ireland. There were also impressive performances from Morgan, Bairstow and Rashid amidst less impressive ones too. Banton disappointed before finally making an impression and showing something of the talent he has shown at county level.
 
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Tbf I should say Saqib also bowled with real pace at times and was also one you could see progressing if he carries on making the strides needed. One the selectors are looking at as someone who could be in contention for the 21/22 Winter ashes if he can prove himself.
 
Chris O'Connor said:
Tbf I should say Saqib also bowled with real pace at times and was also one you could see progressing if he carries on making the strides needed. One the selectors are looking at as someone who could be in contention for the 21/22 Winter ashes if he can prove himself.
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You think he's definately a bowler they'd have half an eye on for that Ashes, but also the trip to India. Reminds me a fair bit of Simon Jones.
 
Walken said:
Don't want to wax lyrical about it as if its some world war one sacrifice, but how good have the windies and Pakistan been as tourists in tough circumstances, fabtastic stuff and why we love sport
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I thought they both did themselves proud really, as you say in largely very unfriendly conditions-cold and overcast.

Yesterday in particular it would have been easy for them to fold in the 2nd innings. They batted it out well. I hope teams start to go and tour Pakistan again. One of those iconic sides to me, who produce so much unorthodox talent.
 
catcherintherye said:
Yesterday in particular it would have been easy for them to fold in the 2nd innings.
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Pakistan showed admirable resistance after losing early wickets in their first innings, especially their skipper Azhar and the splendid keeper Rizwan. However with the (underprepared) wicket flattening out and doing very little to help seam or swing once over the new ball I wouldn't go overboard about yesterday. I would have thought on that wicket with an old ball and not starting until after 4.5 ish when it was virtually pointless as regards any prospect of a result, except for Jimmy's 600th of course, it would have been exceptionally difficult indeed to fold.

I also think bowlers having to bowl after a follow on are never as potent or effective, even with a night's rest in between, the stiffness of the previous day's work or having mentally to start all over again can tell especially if the pitch proves largely unresponsive as the game progresses. Captains nowadays rarely enforce unless there's absolutely no choice. Past captains in the studio always seem to want to but not those on the field. The Aussies never do.
 

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