Pakistan vs England Jul-Aug-Sep 2010

[themuel1]

Why is Bresnan still there? Haven't the selectors realised if the likes of Kamran Akmal can cart him around the ground he really isn't an international standard bowler.....

He's an absolute plum. He's in there because he can "bat a bit." Ridiculous because he can't "bowl a bit." Luke Wright is a better bowler than him.

Stuart Broad has been rubbish this morning. He seems to either get it right or completely wrong, there's no in-between.

At least Jimmy's been good. Otherwise we would be in even more trouble.

Nice to see some Pakistan support for the first time in this tour.

 

[LongLegs?]

I didn't like Irfan..

He was bowling everywhere and he has just player 10 domestic matches.. I think he should practice his skills more in the domestic level and if he does an outstanding job there then call him back.

Irfan was the best Pakistani bowler on the recent Pakistan A tour to Sri Lanka. Makes sense that he was called up. Howsie described Irfan perfectly. He's just too raw at this stage, and looked nervous in that first over. Pretty sure he's a better bowler than what he showed us in the first match, but right now, he's still developing as a fast bowler.

Pretty good start from Pakistan today though.

 

[ferg512]

what is it with englands obsession with players like wright and bresnan both are woeful i agree at least shahzad looks like a wicket taker and should be there. if bresnan is bowling like this on english wickets imagine him on sub continent

 

[angryangy]

That's a very good call by the umpire.

 

[Owzat]

He's an absolute plum. He's in there because he can "bat a bit." Ridiculous because he can't "bowl a bit." Luke Wright is a better bowler than him.

Stuart Broad has been rubbish this morning. He seems to either get it right or completely wrong, there's no in-between.

At least Jimmy's been good. Otherwise we would be in even more trouble.
.

Agree pretty much, not so sure about Luke Wright mind.

England seem a bit wrapped up in this "can bat, can bowl" theory. Sure you need little contributions from a lot of players, but England have a top six of decent batting and Swann, Broad and Yardy besides so they have a 1-8 that can bat. I can see this going back to normal with Bopara and Collingwood quite possibly "filling in", but for me your front five bowlers should bowl their 10 overs more often than not.

This start of Pakistan's just proves you need wickets in ODIs, while Yardy did pick up a couple in the last ODI that was as much down to the pressure of the situation.

Yardy - 16 ODIs, 13 wkts @ 37.77
Bresnan - 29 ODIs, 31 wkts @ 39.29
Broad - 69 ODIs, 114 wkts @ 26.25
Swann - 39 ODIs, 50 wkts @ 25.54
Anderson - 129 ODIs, 175 wkts @ 30.21

Swann averages just 13.48 with the bat, but does chip in with the odd 20 or 30 here and there - five times in 25 innings. That's not bad for someone batting down at 8 or 9 most of the time. We know what Broad can do with the bat, but he's yet to do that in ODIs. But if those two were to bat 8 (Swann) and 9 (Broad) I'm sure that would be more than enough. If England need anyone lower than 7 to bat for any length of time then they would be in such deep sh*t it would take a lot more than anyone batting there to salvage the situation.

So do we need the Bresnans and Wrights of this world in the side? I'd say not. I'd ditch Bresnan and bring in someone like Shahzad, bolster the bowling a bit. Bresnan's record of a wkt an ODI may look decent, but his average is poor and would be even more so but for taking half his wickets at a low average against Bangladesh and non-Test nations

Bresnan

vs Australia : 7 wkts @ 80.00
vs Sri Lanka : 3 wkts @ 84.50
vs South Africa : 3 wkts @ 40.67
vs Pakistan : 2 wkts @ 30.50
vs West Indies : 2 wkts @ 28.00
vs Bangladesh : 11 wkts @ 18.73
vs IRE/SCO : 4 wkts @ 11.00

vs IRE/SCO/BAN : 15 wkts @ 16.67 (SR 22.00, ER 4.55)
vs WIN/AUS/PAK/SRI/SAF : 16 wkts @ 60.50 (SR 65.94, ER 5.51)

His batting average is decent, but bolstered by NINE not outs in 23 innings. His actual runs per innings return is only 16.48



And as I click refresh, Collingwood takes a wicket proving to me we don't need Wright (although he hasn't played yet this series) I would never consider Collingwood as a fifth bowler, but his presence should mean we just need five frontline bowlers and since two of those are all-rounders then the other three may as well be picked for their bowling not batting

 

[Sureshot]

Yep, just about hit him in-line with off-stump.

 

[angryangy]

Pakistan will breathe a sigh of relief at the sight of Swann skittling Hafeez' stumps.

 

[Owzat]

I'm not so sure. Just because he doesn't score at a run a ball, doesn't make 40+ runs any less valuable a contribution. popgun Afridi might come in and blaze 24 off 21 balls, that won't make him a match winner. Pakistan now have a decent platform to build an innings of 270+ and should probably make 300.

I see now England haven't a big total to bowl at that a few of the "stars for a day" have reverted to form with the ball. I reckon Pakistan will level the series today with a few English 'stars' made to look a bit ordinary. What odds Davies following up his 87 with a duck?

 

[ZexyZahid]

I didn't expect such performance from Pakistan.

Hafeez is a pretty slow scorer, but the good thing is that he lend support to Kamran Akmal on the other side.

They can still collapse though.

ZexyZahid added 1 Minutes and 10 Seconds later...

This is not smart. Eight overs left and Pakistan hasn't taken their batting powerplay yet.

 

[Owzat]

Why does Collingwood get given the ball, does nowt wrong and only bowls a handful of overs?!?!?! It's not like he didn't take a wicket, it isn't like he went for more rpo than Broad or Bresnan.

England haven't taken enough wickets, if Pakistan don't post 300 they've let England off the hook here. 67 off 48 balls with seven wickets in hand at the end of the 42nd over should be entirely managable with the likes of popgun Afridi to come and perhaps if Bresnan and Broad are given the ball and bowled out or close to

 

[aus_maestro]

Bresnan - what a talent.

 

[Owzat]

If I didn't say earlier, I very nearly did, that I thought Anderson should be bowled out sooner rather than later. He'll probably get as much stick late in the innings with so many wickets in hand, I'd have tried to get that extra Pakistan wicket or two earlier in the peace and while Pakistan wouldn't have bothered getting after him.

True it would have meant he couldn't bowl at the death, but in these circumstances I doubt he'd much want to.

Owzat added 1 Minutes and 19 Seconds later...

50 up for Bresnan, he's doing more for the Pakistan innings than most of their batsmen!

 

[ZexyZahid]

Asad Shafiq got his fifty and now it's time for the batting powerplay. A bit too late I would say. This is a crucial part. The whole innings can fall because of this. The good thing is that Umar Akmal is there. He is fit for such situations.

ZexyZahid added 0 Minutes and 35 Seconds later...

And I just wrote that and Asad Shafiq is out. :laugh

 

[angryangy]

I'm not so sure. Just because he doesn't score at a run a ball, doesn't make 40+ runs any less valuable a contribution. popgun Afridi might come in and blaze 24 off 21 balls, that won't make him a match winner. Pakistan now have a decent platform to build an innings of 270+ and should probably make 300.

Yeah, I know runs are runs, but 43 from 68 is both a long innings and an aggressive one by his standards. In the long term, I doubt many fans really want to see him opening, which is more likely if he somehow makes a couple of 50s in this series.

I also think the middle order (perhaps surprisingly) has a fair idea of what its doing. It'd be a bit of a shame if they can't get 300, just because Hafeez can't pierce the offside.

 

[Owzat]

Yeah, I know runs are runs, but 43 from 68 is both a long innings and an aggressive one by his standards. In the long term, I doubt many fans really want to see him opening, which is more likely if he somehow makes a couple of 50s in this series.

The pace doesn't seem to have done the innings any damage, although plenty do share your views on anyone who doesn't score a run a ball - like Trott for example

I also think the middle order (perhaps surprisingly) has a fair idea of what its doing. It'd be a bit of a shame if they can't get 300, just because Hafeez can't pierce the offside.

You still need a platform from which to build, it is 50 overs not 20 so throwing the bat throughout wouldnt' get you very far. I guess the idea of building an innings is rapidly (excuse the pun) becoming old hat and ancient history because of some of the big totals around. If Pakistan don't reach 300 it will be because of regular wicket fall and not Hafeez. Still well on mind, 38 runs off 27 balls and in the powerplay - although that has already seen one wicket fall

36 off four overs, nine an over to reach 300 with five wickets in hand.

Owzat added 1 Minutes and 17 Seconds later...

Asad Shafiq got his fifty and now it's time for the batting powerplay. A bit too late I would say. This is a crucial part. The whole innings can fall because of this. The good thing is that Umar Akmal is there. He is fit for such situations.

ZexyZahid added 0 Minutes and 35 Seconds later...

And I just wrote that and Asad Shafiq is out. :laugh

I wish they'd dump the batting powerplay, or at least make it compulsory at the change of ball or something less of a tactic. Plenty of sides don't really want to or know when or how to use it, it is something that just seems unwanted