Pakistan v England 3rd Test, Sharjah, Nov 1-5

[The Professor]

@Sport24news: Cook admits England second best to Pakistan https://t.co/o1bSkMNIya

Pretty obvious statement.

[Dilbert]

There is a parody twitter account : Boring James Milner.
Maybe there should be one for Cook too.

[The Professor]

That being said Cook can hold his head up high for his performance, both as a player and a captain, in this series. He needs, as we have said numerous times, a more reliable opener. That should be the biggest tinker needed in this side that needs a few tinkers but no whole sale changes.

Let's not be knee jerk with this. This is a young England team who will not have faced spin like this before ever. We knew there was work to be done and that has been borne out and at least we didn't lay down and die.

[Arthur Crabtree]

England competed at times, but when you break it down, very little progress was made. Anderson, Cook and Root had good series. Broad latterly took wickets, and was generally economical.

And that's it. None of which feels like a corner being turned. Perhaps Cook making a big score is a breakthrough, though I don't think he's back to where he was in 2010-12. But better than 2012-14... He's a better captain under Bayliss than under Moores, and I'd guess that tells us something about Cook.

England were reluctant to back Taylor, which was disappointing, but he offered a glimmer of promise in the last Test.

Otherwise, it was all disappointing. Rashid's good day was diluted by his expensive bowling otherwise. Patel was an astonishing selection, and still is. Moeen did much worse than I thought he would with the ball, and hasn't solved the opening problem. Bell, Bairstow, Buttler and Stokes were unconvincing with the bat and still subject to all failing at the same time. Wood was ok, but didn't make a strong case that he will be one of the lead bowlers to take over when Anderson goes, and isn't the reverse swinger we were promised.

A few key performances by players England have come to rely on, didn't let them down. But there is still little evidence of the regeneration we were promised after the Ashes whitewash.

[Alviro Patterson]

That being said Cook can hold his head up high for his performance, both as a player and a captain, in this series. He needs, as we have said numerous times, a more reliable opener. That should be the biggest tinker needed in this side that needs a few tinkers but no whole sale changes.

Let's not be knee jerk with this. This is a young England team who will not have faced spin like this before ever. We knew there was work to be done and that has been borne out and at least we didn't lay down and die.

Absolutely, at times England were a team on top in the test series. Things could have worked out entirely differently had Ben Stokes not got injured when he did, at least with the ball if not the bat as well.

Pakistan's batsmen might have fared better overall but they had the luxury of facing against a part-time off break bowler utilised as a frontline spinner, a slow left armer who averages 40 in First Class Cricket and a relatively inexperienced leg spinner in international cricket.

South Africa presents an entirely different challenge altogether, be interesting to see who comes in if Stokes and Wood are doubts for the 1st test.

[Durhamfootman]

England fell apart again, I see. Glad I missed it