3rd Test England v Pakistan, Edgbaston, Aug 3-7.

[backfootpunch]

Cook out now

Very marginal on where it hit him

He'd been struggling against the left armers when they angled it in All innings

[sussexpob]

Tbf to Cook, he has looked pretty rubbish this series, but he has hung in there and been able to score runs with the bad balls that comes

[sussexpob]

Ballance edges short... good start

Squared up like a kipper... typical Ballance

[hopeforthebest]

Cook goes and now it's up to Vince and Ballance to stick it out for a couple of hours.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Great start for Pakistan, Ballance and Vince.

I suppose it's too early to say (and GB has scored Test runs and hundreds), but I'm wondering, did Ian Ward and Aftab Habib ever bat together in England's middle order? I've got a feeling they did in the 2001 Ashes.

[sussexpob]

Great start for Pakistan, Ballance and Vince.

I suppose it's too early to say (and GB has scored Test runs and hundreds), but I'm wondering, did Ian Ward and Aftab Habib ever bat together in England's middle order? I've got a feeling they did in the 2001 Ashes.

No Aftab Habib got one series in 1999 when Daniel Vettori massacred him in a couple of tests, and his test career was over.

[sussexpob]

Stupid batting from Vince. They have set him up for that 5th stump line, and he has a dash at one there and misses.

[budgetmeansbudget]

The average at Edgbaston is 3 wickets before lunch on the first morning!

[budgetmeansbudget]

I hate the clipping lbw.

Not a proper wicket for me.

Give me a good nick to slip or bowled every day of the week.

[sussexpob]

Blowers and Boycott..... time to turn the radio commentary off and go back to the TV with the sound on

[budgetmeansbudget]

Trouble is, even if Vince does fortuitously get to 40, you still know he'll get out. He's never in at this level.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Great start for Pakistan, Ballance and Vince.

I suppose it's too early to say (and GB has scored Test runs and hundreds), but I'm wondering, did Ian Ward and Aftab Habib ever bat together in England's middle order? I've got a feeling they did in the 2001 Ashes.

No Aftab Habib got one series in 1999 when Daniel Vettori massacred him in a couple of tests, and his test career was over.

Oops, rather embarrassing case of mistaken identity, it was Usman Afzaal Ward batted with in the Edgbaston Ashes (which they lost by an innings). Then Afzaal was dropped to give Ramps another go. Ward was picked as a number seven bat for his debut, but was batting at six when dropped after five Tests, average 17.

[hopeforthebest]

If Pakistan win here they will be doing something no other team from Asia has achieved and with the Oval to come where drawn games are not rare Trev may be having a lot of questions to answer.

[sussexpob]

Trouble is, even if Vince does fortuitously get to 40, you still know he'll get out. He's never in at this level.

What he does having going for him, is his main weakness is identifiable and very preventable. Generally his technique isnt a disaster. A bit of fortune and a big score, some confidence and he might hit some form.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Slightly better average than Afzaal though.