Pakistan v England 3rd Test

Runs on the board!

Might have been a puff of dust David but he was beaten by the flight. Don’t usually see flight from Leach!

Another wicket and the market will break. A couple of decent batsmen at the crease but I am seeing dust

Not sure I'd have canned Atkinson after he's snaffled a wicket and is offering control.

However - in Stokes, we trust.

I've not seen much of him but Saud looks to have all the time in the world against slow bowling

Yes I trust Stokes too.

I am not happy with batting application at times but in the field England are awesome. Stokes is an excellent Captain. They talk about Brearley but he had Botham, Willis and Gower

Sajid Khan, who added six wickets to the nine he took in Multan last week, denied that the wicket made life easy for the bowlers. “There were some good balls, but also poor shots from them,” he said. “Wickets don’t get given to you here. You have to vary the pace, use the crease, and that’s how I got my wickets.”

WD, must disagree about England's fielding. In the second test they probably dropped more catches than in any other England match.And re Brearley he replaced Botham as captain against Australia when Botham had been winless as a captain and was out of form.As soon as Brearley returned as captain Botham flourished. Brearley was a brilliant brilliant captain without being a great player. A lot of what he displayed  on the pitch would be so helpful in our 5 day tests .

Yeah,

Apologies. The fielding has been patchy in the heat. I actually meant the way Stokes handles his troops and has plans like the umbrella field.

Lest we forget we were absolutely bloody useless before he took over. 30/3 and 40/4. Terrible against spin. Toothless on a flat deck. He has lifted these guys into Champions.

I am with you about the way Test Cricket should be played. I thought Smiff and Atkinson read the situation superbly. The others did not. It was a shocking batting performance.

I would like to see some of these players practice with a 2lb 10 ounce bat

india looking like a home series defeat on the cards , new zealansd 259 , india 96 -6

Still wonder whether we missed a trick taking off Gus after one over, as Saud Shakeel walked to the crease.

He's averaging >80 against spin in the past three years...

Finely poised.

Grubbers were relatively regular yesterday, absent today.

I'd take England at 2.5, over Pakistan at 1.7, if I were pushed.

Big shame no-one was here pushing me

This is the key partnership/wicket - Pakistan's two best batters...

Lovely stuff from Rehan.

Bosh, Rehan on fire!

Spin either way foxing them.

If only I could borrow your punting stones, WD - drinks and Rehan have flipped this in fifteen minutes

In other news, India (featuring a batting lineup so deep, they've Washington Sundar at nine) collapsed again.

A pair of brilliant Tests, for two successive weeks!

Tad disappointing they're running concurrently.

Given the paucity of Test cricket - even if they have to be crammed into a window nowadays - surely they could operate them something like Tues-Sat and Thur-Mon, rather than same start day AND time...

Morning Apt,

Yes, sorry. I would have pushed you if we were 2.5!

I backed NZ at 5.6!

Same scenario as here. Spinning pitch. I am backing the team batting first. Players get to see a lot more spin bowling these days.

Not seen what has happened thus morning but get ready for a little punt. New ball soon. Pakistan to bat last

Not sure if I should cash out or double down

Morning fella,

I, too, am hopeful for the imminent harder ball.

This session has been a grind and, as such, I'm really struggling to concentrate.

You missed Rehan bowling some blinders.

Alas, he's come back since lunch a tad wild...

On the plus side Noman is looking tired and sore ( back ). Might affect him tomorrow

Yeah, too many singles!

I wanted to see the kid bowl. Will look on highlights.

On the plus side Noman is looking tired and sore ( back ). Might affect him tomorrow

Ooooh, good spot. Hadn't picked that up.

Think the draw is a great price to trade got 150/1. Probably wrong but it's such a big price can't do much damage with a huge return. If England can bat for a couple of days could be interesting. We'll done with the NZ price WD although it's hard to see India batting as bad again with 3 days left. Anyone see Western Australia go from 52  for 2 too 53 all out ! And the single run was a wide , unbelievable

Can't keep at this rate of shouts without wickets beginning to tumble...

Can't keep at this rate of shouts without wickets beginning to tumble...

Mystic Meg

Holding my nerve. The pitch does not look demonic. England do need to apply the lessons of their first innings and post a solid total. The pitch looks like dying but am sure it will spin more.

Decides the series - which team finds a way to play the new ball in their second dig.

Saud and Noman - in a decidedly different way - have been Pakistan's Jamie and Gus.

That the quandary of the hard spinning ball is so prevalent is made no easier to solve by the fact I do not believe blocking 'til 30 overs is the answer...

England would be 46/4 instead of 115/5

Gargantuan for India to get out of their hole, already 280 behind with six NZ wickets remaining

Wheels falling off here.

It is not about blocking it is about not swinging wildly across the line. Plenty of runs available. Play straight, take singles get eye in and wait patiently

superb innings. best of the series for me

England will shorten from 3.

I don’t think they will bat as badly second time but one need to wrap this up which they do not look like doing

177-7 to this , like someone pointed out earlier, eng struggle to take the tail

Both spinners are struggling physically ( Pakistan ). Ok they will rest up tonight but if may affect them tomorrow.

England really up against it

Doh

Where was Atkinson hiding? Obvious change up an hour ago!

Criticize the bowlers all you want but in the context of the game this is one of the great tail wags , that 8th wicket stand was magnificent   

Oh magnificent batting

I think England keg them take too many easy singles before the onslaught though.

Losing money here but really enjoying the game!

Where was Atkinson hiding?

I'll bang the drum forlornly one last time...

Saud averages 88 v spin and 34 v pace in Tests.

We took off Atkinson after one over, in which he got a top-order wicket, as Saud came in to start his innings.

Obviously, no-one knew he was going to make a ton, but it absolutely had to be worth at least five or ten deliveries of pace first up...

Ah well, game on!

Fascinated by what is to come in this third innings

Good to see Pakistan play like this

I talk to a lad from Sainsbury’s and we can’t even have banter before the last Test anyway. At least he can show some pride now not apologies

Apt

An early wicket and they will be all over us like a rash.

30-0 and the market changes again and I will walk away with a small loss hopefully

Opening with Saim Ayub surely means your call on their primary spinners' fitness could be spot on...

I got lucky with a 3.5 top up just before the wickets. Hoping tk get close to my money back

YES!

If we are smart we will milk this guy rather than batter him

80kph

Do not get out to this pie chucker play straight and wallop the wide ones

Commentators have not picked up on strains to the two spinners. Asking why this guy is bowling!

I do g have a problem with Duckett sweeping on length. He knows what he is doing. The rest need to start playing straight

Hilarious from the commentators

This is ok from them both as long as they pick the right length and line

Two glorious Duckett sweeps and market already losing it's lay-England nerve...

Throughout majority of second day, any movement has been sideways, as opposed to a decent chunk up'n'down on day one.

As such, sweeping far less risky right now than it was in first dig.

That is, of course, if you possess the requisite skill to sweep

Poor shot

He really is not very good on the front foot!

Got a feeling for Root and Stokes this innings. Both technically good at this.

Shocking from both openers!

Shocking from both openers!

Love the variety Sajid offers up, just check out the pace (kph) of those five balls...

93 : 76 : 89 : 78 : 87

Decides the series - which team finds a way to play the new ball in their second dig.

Early days yet but it might not be England

Bat till close

Heavy roller

Bat 19-15 overs tomorrow and we still have a ball game.

These two just need to keep rotating the strike and whittle away at the lead. Then tgd pressure is reversed

10-15

Not much faith in Pope tbf

Just like that

Good bowling tbf but you need a plan in Test Cricket and he dies not have one that is working. He is a slow starter but has looked at sea

Play to your strengths!

This is why I tend towards the 'get rich or die trying' approach, especially when you are out of comfort zone.

Three pokes out in front, three wickets.

The variety is wonderful from the two Pakistan spinners, making England batters look clueless

Commentators covering it but he misjudged length combined with poor technique

I am with Gower though

So stupid as they have come off now!

Traded out at 36, nice profit .Same old England can't defend

Yes

Where did they get them from!

Perfect tandem

England must tire them out tomorrow. They are already tired.

Playing devil's advocate

Everyone would be spitting feathers if we'd lost two on the boundary and one dancing down...

But we'd be 55-3, not 24-3.

And 150 might wind up being a tough chase...

Well done!

Cannot see this as a draw. Cannot believe the draw price fell so low!

I was too preoccupied to see that

Duckett cannot play with a straight bat

Good bowling but really disappointing batting 9 overs!

Draw price fell at the break , was lucky but had a feeling they would collapse.Still plenty of time left if they control themselves

(yawns) Early start.

Hundred partnership, anyone?

Pakistan price up 50% in first eight minutes...

Pakistan price up 50% in first eight minutes...

Doubled in twelve minutes!! (1.22:1.44)

Seen sense and back to 1.38...

Haven't watched a single ball but 1.45 NZ seems extremely high, with India chasing 358 (on a pitch where the highest innings of the three is in the 250s)

India would surely be, guessing, 1.05/1.06 if it was NZ doing the chasing...

Playing a bit more sensible this morning, realised there are 3 more days to go!!

Whipping down through the commentary, Pune pitch is ripping...

Playing a bit more sensible this morning, realised there are 3 more days to go!!

I really don't mean to pick on you here, hlc, but they played very cautiously last night.

All three wickets were to defensive prods/pokes/nudges.

Duckett was successful with his two sweeps, and got out playing forward.

This morning, Brook hit successive deliveries for four, and danced down twice. (arguably, the appropriate approach, here)

Had another dabble at the draw at 240/1 Will surely crash if these two have a partnership

Damn. Excellent bowling.

Well that's ruined it Trying a cut shot .And that's the problem if you can't defend properly. These are poor defensive shots Aptdemon

It's my new 'broken record' but the way they vary their pace every delivery is pure magic.

Maybe this is what I feel is missing when watching Leach, it's very samey.

These are poor defensive shots Aptdemon

They are, you are right.

Which is arguably why they shouldn't bother trying to play them.

Any side, in any sport, should play to their strengths.

If they need to up the variance and accept they are lacking certain skills in these conditions, I'm all for it.

Hundred partnership, anyone?

Unfortunately England are so one dimensional,If they go out and just play one day type of shots and it works all well and good but if it doesn't work they have no plan B .Root is the only real Test batsman we have got.Those last two wickets to go down were disgraceful in a 5 day test.

disgraceful in a 5 day test

Stokes left the ball.

Well that was embarrassing for Smith , another idiot shot ! And yes Stokes left the ball, which is something you really don't do if you are a proper Test batsman.And im not having a go at you APT, but I'm not sure you understand proper Test Cricket as opposed to all the one day games and shots etc.You have to be able to adapt, yes the spin bowling is good but it's not brilliant

flipflop in Pune

the day before day one of this test match, england training  was knocking sixes and see who could hit it furthest  according to tms, what would Sir geoff say

Missed it all and took a bath tbh.

I a not overly critical of England under Stokes but not just paid professionals but Test Batsmen who cannot play a forward defensive?

Not Stokes fault or the set up but they are contracted salary players. They are talented cricketers too but I would have them in the nets every day for a month playing forward defensive and backward defensive shots. I would make them play with a light bat and learn how to caress a ball.

No problems with Pakistani pitches at all. We batted first.

We cannot return to the days of 30/3 or 40/4 or indeed yesterday 20/3

Defence can be the best firm of attack. Saud Shakeel was superb.

England do not need to abandon their mantra of attacking cricket but add more common sense which they have done a little but it needs extending.

that was a long bath, whispering, 2 hours , great game for you in Pune now

tms asked Stokes , if he could have done things different while shakkell was nudging runs yesterday,    "no"

Woke up too early, fell asleep and it was almost all over!

Missed my chance yesterday!

I didn’t play with a straight bet!

He who is without sin…….

Agree with Aptdemon's comments earlier , the 10mph variation isn't rocket science but it's certainly a masterclass.