Pakistan v England 2nd Test, Dubai, Oct 22-26

[Durhamfootman]

I don't know when Pakistan declared, but I was half expecting to find, when i got home, that England had already been bowled out.

[m@tt]

I don't know when Pakistan declared, but I was half expecting to find, when i got home, that England had already been bowled out.

They declared 7 overs into the afternoon session and England survived 54 overs.

[Durhamfootman]

well that is certainly a surprise. I wonder what the odds are on them surviving 54 overs tomorrow?

I wonder what the odds are on them making it to lunch?

[Arthur Crabtree]

Good start, and Joe goes to 3000 runs. Well done Joe.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Chance shelled at short leg off Bairstow.

Apparently England have batted out the last day from three down eight times out of 32. Maybe not on pitches turning like this though.

Yasir Shah comes on.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Root goes. Big wicket for Pakistan.

Wasn't expecting Zulfiqar to get the wicket.

[Dr Cricket]

Nice looks like I will get my stake back after my 5 pound bet on Man City lost yesterday.
Cashed out on 3 pounds and then putted it on england to get under 304 in this innings for the odds of 1.83.
which is a shocking price by the bookies.

[Arthur Crabtree]

England shouldn't get near 304.

[Dr Cricket]

you really have to question why Stokes is playing in this series.
England are only playing with 4 batsman and one of them is Bairstow and the other bell.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Stokes is all at sea here. Has to last for half an hour and he'll get his spin legs.

[Dr Cricket]

Stokes is all at sea here. Has to last for half an hour and he'll get his spin legs.

No idea why he is even playing here, everyone could see that it was likely or 90% guaranteed he was gonna struggle here alongside Buttler.

Was a perfect opportunity to rest him.

[Arthur Crabtree]

you really have to question why Stokes is playing in this series.
England are only playing with 4 batsman and one of them is Bairstow and the other bell.

He's being picked as a specialist bat. If you look at the runs scored in the games he's played in, only Root, Cook and Ballance have more. Ballance couldn't really be selected after his summer, especially after not doing well back at Yorkshire. Given he'll take wickets too, it's his first tour of Asia, and several very good innings to date, England should think about starting their pruning elsewhere.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Stokes is all at sea here. Has to last for half an hour and he'll get his spin legs.

No idea why he is even playing here, everyone could see that it was likely or 90% guaranteed he was gonna struggle here alongside Buttler.

Was a perfect opportunity to rest him.

Bairstow out.

England's batting isn't strong. But Buttler, Bairstow, Moeen, and latterly Bell have more pressing cases to answer.

Awful shot from Bairstow. Jos to bat now.

[Dr Cricket]

you really have to question why Stokes is playing in this series.
England are only playing with 4 batsman and one of them is Bairstow and the other bell.

He's being picked as a specialist bat. If you look at the runs scored in the games he's played in, only Root, Cook and Ballance have more. Ballance couldn't really be selected after his summer, especially after not doing well back at Yorkshire. Given he'll take wickets too, it's his first tour of Asia, and several very good innings to date, England should think about starting their pruning elsewhere.

But surely picking him as a specialist bat weakens the batting.

[Dr Cricket]

Stokes is all at sea here. Has to last for half an hour and he'll get his spin legs.

No idea why he is even playing here, everyone could see that it was likely or 90% guaranteed he was gonna struggle here alongside Buttler.

Was a perfect opportunity to rest him.

Bairstow out.

England's batting isn't strong. But Buttler, Bairstow, Moeen, and latterly Bell have more pressing cases to answer.

Awful shot from Bairstow. Jos to bat now.

True but it was easier to leave out stokes here and also justify it by using the SA tours to say he being rested.

Taylor or Ansari if he was fit could have replaced Stokes for this tour.
Either extra spinner or extra batsman.

England batting is totally reliant on Cook/Root.