England v Pakistan - 2nd Test @ Old Trafford

Two draws in the last ten tests at Old Trafford, both against Australia and both significantly rain affected: the 2013 test I'd entirely forgotten and the 2005 test I definitely hadn't (Lee and McGrath holding England off the win for 4 overs). The three before that were all draws though. You have to go back to this one of them:

http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/engine/match/63806.html

for a draw without rain and tests aren't played like that any more. 

I'm laying the draw at 4.2 expecting it a bit longer nearer to the match aiming then to back it, for same reasons as pxb, although these sides could spoil such an approach as both will remain better with ball than bat. England should be a fair bit more threatening for Anderson's return.

I can't believe England are whining about the way Pakistan celebrated in the last game :/ They open their mouth too early without knowing anything.

As for the second test, i expect an England win. Purely for the reason that Pakistan won't play too good games in a row.

Be careful with managing your funds lads, the India test starts on Thursday as well.

And looking at the weather forecast, rain will play a role.

England are always crap at Lords. I expect 2-1 England with one draw

Forecasts to be taken with pinch of salt this far out but looks showery on Friday then fine after that. Ought to be able to make time lost up even if a session or so lost on day 1 in that case.

@Fats Sunday forecast tricky too. I think I will wait for it to rain on Day 1 to lay the draw.

Is backing the draw at 3.8 till the start of the game a good idea?

I still don't see much to worry about in the forecast, but this is Manchester and you can never discount prolonged drizzle this far out.

I was hoping to back the draw around 5, but that now looks unlikely. Same consideration as the first match - 2 better bowling than batting sides and it should move along nicely from day 3.

Still trying to work out what happened at Lord's..

Both sides took 20 wickets cheaply on what was a benign surface. England did it without Jimmy, Stokes and with little from Moeen and Finn.  The match ended inside 4 days.

Geez, we must have batted badly!!!

Injera

The Lords pitch has not been itself certainly this season. Having said that no team had scored less than 350 first up hence an England lay when Pakistan went in to bat.

With regard to the target people put up the stats for Lords batting last which were reasonably encouraging, however, the big 4th innings totals were usually chasing 550+.

Whilst not being a devil the pitch itself has lacked pace making it difficult to score runs. There was also some uneven bounce. Modern batsmen seem unable to play ( Bat ) Test Cricket anymore and failed miserably.

Whilst I was Adam Ant England could not win they got a lot closer than I thought they would. The pitch was not throwing up grenades and England could have, should have won in hindsight. Root, Bstard and Moen had brain farts. Hales was Hales, Cook got a good one. Vince didn't realise they bowled to a plan, that is why he hit half a dozen beautiful cover drives before he knicked off.

I think the batting from both teams will improve and pitches may get better for batting but if it swings or is dry then we ain't seen nothing yet!

Two bowlers are going to get the chop from the side! Fair enough two better ones are coming in but really the batting needs surgery. Moen should be given a chance to bat higher up and Rashid should come in to help him.

Anderson, Stokes and Rashid in the squad.

You'd have to say a much stronger bowling lineup.

DT

Maybe I misread the situation!

The pitch was probably better than I though! England lost this game Pakistan did not win it.

I looked at some of the matches posted for high 4th innings scores at Lords. Sometimes Lords can be a road and when that happens there are usually two high first innings scores and the teams scoring 300-400 batting second are normally chasing 500-550. Slips in around the bat, not pressure to stop the run rate almost the opposite, fielding teams encouraging the batsmen to play shots when they have no chance of winning the game.

My view was there was sufficient in the pitch for a very decent bowling attack and was not just expecting Shah to spin England out either. I expected a contribution from the the Masters of the Dark Arts and so they did. I also figured England did not have the patience or skill required to play this out and so it was.

With a bit more application and forethought England could have won this. Cook got a good one, bad luck. Hales played a rash shot but that is his game. Root really could have broken the back of the total and his brain fart really cost England maybe 50 odd runs. Those 50 runs build a lot of pressure and build a lot of confidence. Bstard ( I thought he played well ) might not have looked so under pressure throughout and maybe Moen would not have played that shot. England imho were very close. The 80 odd runs do not tell the full story.

Having said that I was supremely confident all day and knew at some point one wicket would lead to 3 or 4 and again so it proved at the end. I have repaid the remortgage on my caravan!

I guess you didn't really need to hear all that DT! Can't help myself at times. Apologies to anyone who has just wasted 30 seconds of their lives reading the drivel I have already stated before. I guess some people just like the sound of their own type and can't help saying I told you so!

Cook
Hales
Root
Bairstow
Vince
Stokes
Buttler(w)
Woakes
Rashid
Broad
Anderson

Well someone has to play instead of Buttler in that line up. I would play Borthwick but obviously England won't. The actual side will almost certainly be same top 5 batsmen, Stokes, Bairstow, Woakes, Broad, Anderson with either Ali or Rashid. Don't know where Ali should bat. Even if going for Rashid as the spinner, which I'm sceptical about, I'd still pick Ali ahead of Vince but again don't think England will.

Cook
Hales (bat properly son, it's a 5 day match)
Root
Vince (we know you like a drive but your best shot against classy lefties is the leave..)
Jonny (attack man! A few boundaries from you and Misbah would have put 8 on the rope!)
Stokes (fit to bowl now, should have batted at Lord's)
Borthwick
Woakes
Rasher
Broad
Anderson

Won't happen, but that's my team. Harsh on Moeen but he's in the team to bowl. Rasher at OT is the pick. Bat first and Borthers will like a bowl in the fourth innings.

I don't see much to worry about in the weather. Worst case we lose the 3rd session day1, but should make most of that up.

I bought one of my first girlfriends Kings of the Wild Frontier