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

[The Professor]

Does anyone genuinely think this team would be any better with Kevin Pietersen in it anymore or is that pre-Ashes hype dead?

[yuppie]

Cook will be seriously thinking he can get 300 here.

[backfootpunch]

Does anyone genuinely think this team would be any better with Kevin Pietersen in it anymore or is that pre-Ashes hype dead?

id be surprised if anyone thinks that bairstow is a better test batsmen than KP

tbh im pretty certain that KP would have scored more runs than ian bell has since the ashes loss as well

he is old news now though, there is no way back for him

[backfootpunch]

aamir sohail is bloody awful on the verdict

[rich1uk]

I know I am being pedantic here but I don't really understand why they are saying cook has scored 8 centuries in asia as the UAE isn't really in asia is it despite the fact Pakistan may be the "home team"

[SaintPowelly]

Cook can target Lara's 400 here, no reason to declare at all, pitch is dead, save the bowlers.

Just under 40 a session for 6 sessions is possible.

[Dr Cricket]

I know I am being pedantic here but I don't really understand why they are saying cook has scored 8 centuries in asia as the UAE isn't really in asia is it despite the fact Pakistan may be the "home team"

well geographically UAE is in Asia.
Well these days most people say Middle East is in Asia.

Anyway it is to make the Stats make more sense, have to say it is about time they started calling UAE Pakistan home now been ruining Stats for a while now since it get registered as a neutral game.

[Dr Cricket]

Cook can target Lara's 400 here, no reason to declare at all, pitch is dead, save the bowlers.

Just under 40 a session for 6 sessions is possible.

That what botham said pakistan gave the pitch the bowlers can suffer.

[rich1uk]

I know I am being pedantic here but I don't really understand why they are saying cook has scored 8 centuries in asia as the UAE isn't really in asia is it despite the fact Pakistan may be the "home team"

well geographically UAE is in Asia.
Well these days most people say Middle East is in Asia.

Anyway it is to make the Stats make more sense, have to say it is about time they started calling UAE Pakistan home now been ruining Stats for a while now since it get registered as a neutral game.

well maybe its just me but I have never thought of the middle east as being part of asia , agree with you about the stats , I would say its just them being lazy however rather than making sense of

this game has really just turned into an exercise in padding stats , sport is meant to be about competition and pitches like this just make it too one-sided to be meaningful. in a way its not even a great pitch to bat on, even tho that might sound a bit daft, its a good pitch to be able to avoid getting out on.

[Aidan11]

Thought Cook might have had his double by now.

[yuppie]

Cook can target Lara's 400 here, no reason to declare at all, pitch is dead, save the bowlers.

Just under 40 a session for 6 sessions is possible.

The way its going at present, England could have a lead of over a 100 this evening.

You never know, after 2 days in the field Pakistan might implode.........

England are getting themselves into a position where they will have to try and force a result. I'm sure the bowlers are not looking forward to that.

[Aidan11]

I think Cook should retire hurt and get the middle order in.

It might cost us the match but at least we can have some entertainment.

[Aidan11]

Even Martin Tyler couldn't make this game look good.

[rich1uk]

Even Martin Tyler couldn't make this game look good.

could be worse , I would be slitting my wrists if I was watching this and they had strauss and nick knight in the comms box at the same time

[Aidan11]

There's Cook's double ton.


He might as well go for a third hundred.