Terrible batting from Pakistan, not helped by the UDRS which I'm sure they must feel is against them - but then when do they not feel something or someone is against them.............................?
Jimmy Anderson is too inconsistent, he has great days and godawful ones. Great figures in the match, 32.53 his current career average and I'm guessing that will go up and down but probably never dip below 30 (again, was below 30 early but not for long)
Had to laugh at Yawn coming out with a dig at Broad with a stat which on its own means nothing. He reckons Broad struggles against left-handers, his stat was something like 57 of his 86 wickets are right-handers. Well whatever the exact figure was, that's only a 2:1 ratio and disregards how many a) right-handers there are compared to left-handers, how many of each he bowled at and whether they were batsmen or tailenders (or something inbetween) If I could be ar sed I'd check out his 29 Tests for how many were left/right in the match. Just glancing down the list he has Chanderpaul (several times), Gayle, Fleming, Smith, Hussey and some more than once, so the quality of left-handers isn't in doubt.
As for where Pakistan go from here. Quite right to ditch Kaneria, he is a luxury they can ill afford. The batting got a lot of stick, rightly so, and bringing back Yousuf Youhana is one step in the right direction to add experience and steel to the XI. I think the bowling is getting a bit too much plaudit, sure it destroyed Australia in helpful conditions and set that match in the right direction, but it wasn't that consistent at Trent Bridge. England looked far more comfortable than Pakistan ever did batting, surely they wouldn't have had the "best bowling attack in the world" been on song?!? And would said "best bowling attack in the world" a) include Kaneria who took 1/171 in the match (Swann bowled two overs) and b) let sides off the hook from 118/4 and 98/6 to more or less treble both scores? Sure Pakistan took 9/135 in the 1st innings if you exclude the 219 run partnership, but in helpful conditions what "best" anything concedes 219 runs when the next highest partnership in the match was less than 60?!?!?!?
Pakistan made England look good. Pakistan have some very good bowlers who need to be more consistent and backed up by a decent replacement for Kaneria (Ajmal?) and some batting steel
Farhat : 2243 runs @ 33.48
Butt : 1770 runs @ 31.61
Ali : 1553 runs @ 25.50
Amin : 62 runs @ 10.33
Umar Akmal : 642 runs @ 35.67
Malik : 1600 runs @ 34.78
Kamran Akmal : 2624 runs @ 32.00
One or two need to step up their game, one or two need to step aside. Says it all that Pakistan ban their two best batsmen.
Owzat added 8 Minutes and 52 Seconds later...
Oh and how many decisions were incorrect in this match that went uncorrected because the system has limits? While I fully understand what would happen if appeals were unlimited, surely the system defeats its own aim if mistakes continue.....................