England tour of Pakistan - 7 T20Is, 3 Tests

[wasteyouryouth]

I don't think this is strictly true. I remember the Aussies in 2000s playing aggressive cricket too. Whilst England's current run rate is around one more than the Aussies managed during that period I'd still wait and see how successful this approach is on unfriendly pitches before heralding a new era.

What's been covered up (no doubt by the English camp who wants opponents to just think they're all vibes) is this side battling through the trying periods of a test. They haven't been always successful at it but they've shown a restraint and willingness to grind through tougher periods in a single match that was lacking in previous regimes due to a sheer lack of confidence. Baz has brought about that change and that has indeed unlocked this side. Another thing I like is that the focus is now on the next match (not even the next series) rather than everything being a buildup to the Ashes like it was in the past.

The main question going forward is how the side will respond if they are subjected to these tougher periods throughout the entire test or even a series. Will their spin attack be able to carry them on Indian pitches? Will their pacers be fit to last through an entire Ashes series on Australia and be effective still? Will a bowling attack without Anderson and Broad be as strong in NZ and South African conditions? Can Pope show the type of resilience that Root and Bairstow have done and can Stokes elevate himself from being a man who's only patient on big occasions to someone who can do this consistently in every series without buckling under pressure?

Saw this chart on Jarrod Kimber's podcast - run rates when a team has scored 500. They're more than one run higher than anything that's come before. It's not just about chasing big scores now. Maybe they'll never get close to that again but I can't see why they wouldn't unless teams decide to set very defensive fields earlier.



The constant narrative of last summer was "well they did it against New Zealand, they won't be able to do it against India" then "they did it against NZ and India but they won't be able to do it against South Africa". They lost one match and just carried on in the next game.

I certainly agree there might be tough series but I don't think the attitude will change. They will back players and the method. Can it really get much worse than the last tour of India or Australia? If they go down fighting, trying to play in style then that'd be far more on brand with this team.

You say the focus isn't on the The Ashes, but next summer will be the time at which this is all judged. If we win the Ashes and do it like they have been doing then it'll all be worth it. If we lose then the critics might jump out to criticise it.

There's also been a filtering through into county cricket already of 'this is how England play now', as happened with the limited overs side. So you have players wanting to show that they can fit in. Duckett said yesterday that seeing what was happening was an inspiration to free himself up a bit more in the summer because he wanted to be in this team. Players like Sibley, Hameed, Jennings all playing with more intent and at higher strike rates. This is Brook's second test match and he's broken the record for most runs scored in an over (by and Englishman) twice and scored at 132.

I'd also say, other than absolute spin friendly conditions, are there any conditions that are outside of England (Dukes, green pitches, clouds) that are more difficult?

Whatever happens, it's certainly going to be entertaining to watch.

 

[wasteyouryouth]

Below par total from England.

But, another record. Highest strike rate in a completed innings. 0.7 higher than the previous record of 5.8, in twice the number of overs. A 120 year-old record (2403 test matches).

Test matches | Team records | Highest run rate in a completed innings | ESPNcricinfo

Find records of Highest run rate in a completed innings in Test matches only on ESPNcricinfo.

stats.espncricinfo.com

 

[Bevab]

Saw this chart on Jarrod Kimber's podcast - run rates when a team has scored 500. They're more than one run higher than anything that's come before. It's not just about chasing big scores now. Maybe they'll never get close to that again but I can't see why they wouldn't unless teams decide to set very defensive fields earlier.

View attachment 273492

The constant narrative of last summer was "well they did it against New Zealand, they won't be able to do it against India" then "they did it against NZ and India but they won't be able to do it against South Africa". They lost one match and just carried on in the next game.

I certainly agree there might be tough series but I don't think the attitude will change. They will back players and the method. Can it really get much worse than the last tour of India or Australia? If they go down fighting, trying to play in style then that'd be far more on brand with this team.

You say the focus isn't on the The Ashes, but next summer will be the time at which this is all judged. If we win the Ashes and do it like they have been doing then it'll all be worth it. If we lose then the critics might jump out to criticise it.

There's also been a filtering through into county cricket already of 'this is how England play now', as happened with the limited overs side. So you have players wanting to show that they can fit in. Duckett said yesterday that seeing what was happening was an inspiration to free himself up a bit more in the summer because he wanted to be in this team. Players like Sibley, Hameed, Jennings all playing with more intent and at higher strike rates. This is Brook's second test match and he's broken the record for most runs scored in an over (by and Englishman) twice and scored at 132.

I'd also say, other than absolute spin friendly conditions, are there any conditions that are outside of England (Dukes, green pitches, clouds) that are more difficult?

Whatever happens, it's certainly going to be entertaining to watch.

You'd have to admit that this English summer was the easiest to bat in many years with the defective Dukes and the less bowler friendly roads. The win over the Proteas is the most impressive one I'd say.. NZ and India were very underwhelming by their standards with the ball. I'd say South Africa have tougher conditions for batting if we're talking about pace countries but England have traditionally done well there. West Indies feels a bit tougher to judge because their country's own poor batting skews any Cricinfo search I throw up.

Something that I've noticed no one has picked on is that there aren't many if not any great spinners around the globe at the moment. In the past on days 4 and 5 these spinners of great folklore would be actively trying to pick wickets and keeping a lid on proceedings. At the moment.. there simply doesn't seem to be enough of those blokes around. Jadeja seems to be focusing less and less on the art of bowling, Rashid Khan barely plays tests. The likes of Shakib (controversial but I'll stick with it because he keeps skipping tours), Ajaz, Cornwall have not played enough tests to be talked about in those heights. Maharaj and Leach have not been backed consistently by their respective managements in the recent past. The likes of Mo, Kuldeep, O'Keefe, Shah, Dananjaya have simply faded away whilst blokes like Embuldeniya, Mehidy, Dilruwan, Chase, Bess, whichever uncle Pakistan fancies for a couple of tests have all failed to impress or slowly regressed. Even relative newbies to the scene like Axar, Harmer, Nayeem Hasan and Jayawickrama seem to be stuck behind others for various reasons despite impressing so far.

The only ones who are truly feared to an extent seem to be Ashwin and Lyon, both of whom are on a very slow decline. SL seem to have found two new spinners in Ramesh and Jayasuriya but one wonders how long they'll be backed knowing the side's history of losing promising spinners in a jiffy. All of this is a staggering list of players who should have been contending for at least a career averaging close to 30 like Lyon and Maharaj but aren't. I reckon more sides will adopt their own variations of Bazball with the paucity of quality spinners now that everyone seems to be playing T20 cricket in one form or another.

 

[wasteyouryouth]

You'd have to admit that this English summer was the easiest to bat in many years with the defective Dukes and the less bowler friendly roads. The win over the Proteas is the most impressive one I'd say.. NZ and India were very underwhelming by their standards with the ball. I'd say South Africa have tougher conditions for batting if we're talking about pace countries but England have traditionally done well there. West Indies feels a bit tougher to judge because their country's own poor batting skews any Cricinfo search I throw up.

Something that I've noticed no one has picked on is that there aren't many if not any great spinners around the globe at the moment. In the past on days 4 and 5 these spinners of great folklore would be actively trying to pick wickets and keeping a lid on proceedings. At the moment.. there simply doesn't seem to be enough of those blokes around. Jadeja seems to be focusing less and less on the art of bowling, Rashid Khan barely plays tests. The likes of Shakib (controversial but I'll stick with it because he keeps skipping tours), Ajaz, Cornwall have not played enough tests to be talked about in those heights. Maharaj and Leach have not been backed consistently by their respective managements in the recent past. The likes of Mo, Kuldeep, O'Keefe, Shah, Dananjaya have simply faded away whilst blokes like Embuldeniya, Mehidy, Dilruwan, Chase, Bess, whichever uncle Pakistan fancies for a couple of tests have all failed to impress or slowly regressed. Even relative newbies to the scene like Axar, Harmer, Nayeem Hasan and Jayawickrama seem to be stuck behind others for various reasons despite impressing so far.

The only ones who are truly feared to an extent seem to be Ashwin and Lyon, both of whom are on a very slow decline. SL seem to have found two new spinners in Ramesh and Jayasuriya but one wonders how long they'll be backed knowing the side's history of losing promising spinners in a jiffy. All of this is a staggering list of players who should have been contending for at least a career averaging close to 30 like Lyon and Maharaj but aren't. I reckon more sides will adopt their own variations of Bazball with the paucity of quality spinners now that everyone seems to be playing T20 cricket in one form or another.

It could lead to a resurgence of mystery spinners (leggies especially) if a team plays like this then bowling can't be predictable.

Batting in England was definitely easier last summer than it has been for years but England out-fought the opposition in all but one match.

T20 is becoming it's own thing, power > technique. ODI cricket still has a good balance but who knows how that format will develop - if it stays around (in the men's game anyway). The wonderful thing about test cricket is it allows different ways to play a game. Sehwag and Dravid were very different but both brilliant. I think what we're seeing here is a team playing six or seven (maybe eight) Sehwags. There will be times when it goes wrong - but it consistently went horribly wrong in the seven years beforehand. Regularly getting bowled out for low scores. The fact that it is producing results, like the ODI change did in that first series against NZ, reinforces the idea that it can and does work.

The thing (problem) with test cricket is the meaning is fairly low so there's nothing to lose playing like this. People around the world can care about the WTC but I still think for England (board/team/fans) is Ashes focussed, far above everything else. Maybe that will change in the next cycle but England is Ashes obsessed, that's the measure the standard of England cricket is judged. It's stupid but it's a reality.

 

[Sherlock Holmes]

Pakistan batting exactly how they would have batted out first ten overs in a T20I.

 

[wasteyouryouth]

View attachment 273494

Pakistan batting exactly how they would have batted out first ten overs in a T20I.

 

[wasteyouryouth]

Crazy stats re the attacking % and false shot %

 

[Sherlock Holmes]

Doesn't know how to bat in any format

 

[Khan Sahab54]

Get ready bois!

 

[wasteyouryouth]

Get ready bois!

Ramiz, get down to the local Imtiaz Super Market and buy some grass seed and a watering can.

 

[Bevab]

Doesn't know how to bat in any format

Harsh on the legend to be fair, he seems to have reworked his approach in tests and if he plays in the middle order in ODIs I’d actually like him again.

Post automatically merged: Dec 2, 2022

Ramiz, get down to the local Imtiaz Super Market and buy some grass seed and a watering can.

He’s now learning lore!

 

[wasteyouryouth]

Pakistan could at least try scoring at 4 RPO

 

[Ed Smith]

Both teams are getting 1000 runs each in this match...

 

[wasteyouryouth]

Both teams are getting 1000 runs each in this match...

They're going to have to start at 6am to avoid losing a day and half to bad light.

 

[Bevab]

They're going to have to start at 6am to avoid losing a day and half to bad light.

Imagine waking up early only to run and bowl on this dead pitch. I'd go hide like Jimmy seems to be doing on occasion here.

I see that they're now trying to turn Leach into whatever South Africa did with Maharaj when they toured us. He's going to injure his shoulder in a couple of days isn't he...