by m@tt » Tue Jul 19, 2016 6:24 pm
Comfortable win for the Lions. Pakistan's total was well under par. Though there was a bit in the pitch early on in both innings, it was easily a 300 pitch and the groundstaff said it was a batting paradise.
Wood looked in good touch. Got good pace, bowled some decent bumpers (though easily avoided) and got some wickets. He had his ankle in an ice bucket later on but I suspect that's standard for him and others. Tom Curran beat the bat several times early on, looked threatening and got 4 wickets. Roland-Jones started alright though he didn't create any chances of note. Was hit about a bit but got his economy down later on when bowling to the tail. Dawson disappointed - he bowled a few half-trackers that were smacked for 6 and didn't offer enough control. Garton was wayward and offered a lot of boundaries, though he finished better than he started.
It was a tentative start by the batsmen. Neither opener looked particularly comfortable, Malan out early though Bell-Drummond did begin to find fluency before getting caught behind for 20-odd. Duckett hit 6 fours from 7 balls early on as Pakistan offered lots of balls to pull to the short square boundaries. His 163 was very boundary-heavy, he didn't look at all troubled by the bowlers. Some nice scoops came out later too. Clarke was a more orthodox batsman, nice technique and strong through the covers. Billings did what he needed to at the end.
Pakistan gifted a few boundaries through misfields and there was a comical run out in their innings too. But Sharjeel played very well in making his ton - took Dawson in particular for a lot of runs. Though once he got out, the innings folded rather rapidly.
Lovely setting too. And scorching hot (I've burnt my ankles but otherwise no damage).
Andy Flower wrote:This is going to test my coaching expertise. This is the worst case I've ever seen.