Pakistan v England 1st test, Abu Dhabi Oct 13-17

[Aidan11]

12 runs off 7 overs.

Could be another laborious day.

[Aidan11]

That drop from Bell wont help.

[Aidan11]

Slow pitch, slow runs, slow over rate....

The drinks break is the highlight of the morning so far.

[Aidan11]

Here comes Adil Rashid bowling ahead of Moeen ali.


Take that, Moeen.

[Aidan11]

Looking like 60/1 at lunch.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Delayed introduction of the spinner.

Unusual that the wrist spinner gets on before the orthodox.

[Aidan11]

Not a big crowd by the looks of it.

[Arthur Crabtree]

The chance to Bell looks straightforward.

[sussexpob]

Pick four seamers, spinner on after 12 overs?

Very bizarre selection for me. A waste ofone pick

[rich1uk]

Delayed introduction of the spinner.

Unusual that the wrist spinner gets on before the orthodox.

just cook's "captaincy by the numbers" , 2 right-handed batsmen at the crease so bowls the leggie

if it had been 2 left-handers he would have bowled moeen

[Arthur Crabtree]

Hafeez averages 61 in his last ten Tests. That includes a big score v BD (though that isn't as disregardable as it once was) but also runs v NZ and SL.

Shoaib's first Test since the infamous tour of England in 2010.

Apparently Misbah complained about the lack of a spinner to replace Yasir- but they called up a replacement?

Pakistan getting on with it.

[Dr Cricket]

Pick four seamers, spinner on after 12 overs?

Very bizarre selection for me. A waste ofone pick

the waste of the pick is Stokes he really need to justify his selection by scoring runs.
Stokes places should have gone to either the extra batsman Taylor or the extra Spinner Samit Patel.

[rich1uk]

Hafeez averages 61 in his last ten Tests. That includes a big score v BD (though that isn't as disregardable as it once was) but also runs v NZ and SL.

Shoaib's first Test since the infamous tour of England in 2010.

Apparently Misbah complained about the lack of a spinner to replace Yasir- but they called up a replacement?

Pakistan getting on with it.

the replacement isn't in country and supposedly doesn't even have a visa yet to travel

[Arthur Crabtree]

I thought he must have been in the Pakistan A side that was in the warm ups.

[Dr Cricket]

Hafeez averages 61 in his last ten Tests. That includes a big score v BD (though that isn't as disregardable as it once was) but also runs v NZ and SL.

Shoaib's first Test since the infamous tour of England in 2010.

Apparently Misbah complained about the lack of a spinner to replace Yasir- but they called up a replacement?

Pakistan getting on with it.

they did but the replacement couldn't get a visa and some people were complaining on twitter how it was crazy that english players didn't need visa but pakistani players did.
but in this instance pakistan should get the blame they really should have picked an extra spinner in the squad and top of that few players should have been on standby for visa terms just like Sri lanka/India/Pakistani squads do when they tour England when 2-3 players are told to get visa sorted out just in case they need to travel and replace players.